Electric vehicle (EV) users in Maharashtra may soon find charging their vehicles much simpler to do so in a single digital platform. The Centre will develop a single digital platform to let them access public charging stations operated by different companies through one mobile application for charging them.
The development came to light in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, where the state government provided details of the proposed platform in a written reply to a question raised by BJP MLA Prashant Bamb.
Bamb was curious whether the government was considering a common mobile application for EV charging stations, and noted that EV owners have to download separate apps for different charging point operators (CPOs). This can be cumbersome for users travelling around cities and districts.
The Maharashtra government answered the question by saying that the current system is fragmented because each charging network operates through its own dedicated application.
To address this, the government said the Centre is developing 'Unified Bharat E-Charge' under the PM E-DRIVE scheme, a national digital platform that will integrate public EV charging stations with multiple operators.
According to the reply, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been appointed as the Project Implementation Agency responsible for developing the platform in accordance with the Operational Guidelines for Public EV Charging Stations.
When the platform is operational, it will allow EV users to locate nearby charging stations, view real-time charger availability, reserve charging slots and make digital payments using a single mobile application, no matter which company operates the charging station.
The goal is to enable interoperability between charging point operators and eliminate the need for consumers to switch between different apps while charging their vehicles.
At the same time, the Maharashtra government said the unified platform will create a seamless and standardised charging experience as the country's EV charging infrastructure continues to expand.
Although no timetable has been set for the launch, officials said that it is aimed at providing consumers with one digital mechanism for accessing charging services from multiple operators in India.
For Maharashtra, one of the fastest developing electric vehicle markets in India, the move will significantly improve EV owners’ convenience and would be in line with the state’s broader push to cleaner mobility and to build public charging infrastructure.
