October 22, 2025

Bengaluru is buzzing with big plans! After conquering the electric two- and three-wheeler scene, Karnataka is now shifting gears to electrify heavy vehicles like buses and trucks. The state government is gearing up to submit a detailed proposal to the Centre under the PM E-Drive scheme. The exciting plan? To build 1,500 high-capacity EV charging stations across Karnataka. These stations will offer fast charging power ranging from 60kW to 240kW – perfect for heavy vehicles that run long distances. This marks a bold new chapter in Karnataka’s electric journey. Already a leader with over 6,000 public charging stations, the state wants to add e-buses and e-trucks to its green fleet. The Energy Department will hunt down the best spots for these chargers, including bus depots, highways, freight corridors, and logistics hubs. What about money? Luckily, the state’s cost will be low because the central government offers big subsidies – 80% to 100% for various parts of the project. This fits perfectly with the PM E-Drive scheme, launched in October 2024, which aims to speed up EV use, build charging networks, and grow local EV part manufacturing. N Shivashankara, Managing Director of Bescom, the nodal agency for EV charging in Karnataka, told TOI, “The scheme provides 100% subsidy for upstream components such as transmission lines, transformers, and conductors, while other equipment will receive up to 70% subsidy.” Bescom will soon send a formal proposal to the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries. As of August 2025, India had about 29,000 EV charging stations, with Karnataka topping the chart at 6,097 stations. Earlier this year, Karnataka’s leaders met Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy to request more central help and allocation of 4,500 e-buses under the PM E-Drive scheme. Heavy vehicles need power-packed 240kW chargers, unlike electric cars, which use 60-120kW chargers. To support this, Bescom has joined hands with oil giants IOCL, HPCL, and BPCL, planning roughly 400 charging points at petrol stations across Karnataka. But that’s not all! Karnataka is also switching slow chargers to fast chargers. Shivashankara says, “Slow chargers take 3-4 hours, but fast chargers need just 30-45 minutes. We’re upgrading slow booths to fast ones to cut waiting time and bring ease.” Out of 209 slow stations in Bescom’s area, 184 are already upgraded. The upgrade costs around Rs 5 lakh for two-wheeler stations and Rs 8 lakh for car stations. So, Karnataka’s EV drive is not just running; it’s zooming! With 1,500 new fast chargers on the way, this southern state is lighting the path for electric buses and trucks across India.

Read More at Timesofindia →

Tags: Karnataka, Electric vehicles, Ev charging stations, Pm e-drive scheme, E-buses, Bescom,