Andhra Pradesh to Switch Auto-rickshaws into Electric under ‘Go Electric’ Campaign

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The New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) has launched a pilot project to convert the holy city, Tirupati into a Zero-emission city.

Under the pilot project, NREDCAP will ramp up the electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the city by introducing more EVs and charging infrastructure. The project involves introducing three electric retrofit kits to petrol/diesel fuel auto-rickshaws to convert them into electric autos and installing battery swapping stations in Tirupati. NREDCAP was conducting the trials in the city for the past few days, and stakeholders smoothly accepted them.

The state nodal agency NREDCAP has planned to adopt the same technology for another 200 auto-rickshaws and install 20 battery swapping stations in the temple city. Charging stations will be set up at every 25 km on national and state highways.

The Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of NREDCAP, Mr. S Ramana Reddy, General Manager CB Jagadeeshwar Reddy, and OSD Ramanjaneya Reddy, have initiated a ‘Go Electric’ campaign in Tirupati on Sunday.

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Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is financing for retrofit kit costs and battery swapping stations established by battery manufacturers, according to the dignitaries of NREDCAP.

Under the ‘Go Electric’ campaign, another 100 retrofit kits are planned to be introduced at Visakhapatnam after successfully completing the pilot project in Tirupati. This will happen with financial assistance from BEE. Subsequently, another 100 each at cities like Eluru and Rajamahendravaram with financial assistance from Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL).

Ramana Reddy has also announced that battery swapping stations will be set up at every three kilometers in each city where charged batteries can be swapped in less than two minutes.

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Currently, the cost of running a fossil fuel vehicle in the state is Rs. 4.45/km. However, using a battery-operated vehicle will cost only Rs. 2.50, which will save around Rs 195 per day for the auto-drivers.

Additionally, NREDCAP will set up more than 100 Kirana charge stations with charging infrastructure at every quarter kilometer for on-board charging of these vehicles on pay and use mode.

To take the ‘Go Electric’ initiative ahead, NREDCAP has targeted to supply one lakh electric two-wheelers to all government employees on an EMI basis and it will be launched in this month itself. It has also proposed to convert all garbage autos to EV garbage autos in all municipalities and gram panchayats.