Government invites snap bid for electric vehicle chargers
NEW DELHI: The government has called a snap bid for procurement of electric vehicle chargers on October 30 to ensure ready availability of charging stations by next month, as vehicles from the first phase of electric vehicles tender start coming in. The snap bid, which is called out for making procurement in a short time, will require providers to supply 300 electric vehicle chargers by November 20.
“Snap bid for EV chargers initiated for faster launch of charging stations for first EV batch expected by mid-November,” Saurabh Kumar, managing director at Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), said in a tweet on Friday.
EESL had floated a global tender for procurement of 4,000 chargers for electric vehicles earlier this year. The technical qualification requires companies to have their chargers tested at IIT Madras, post which the financial bid would be open to those who qualify.
Companies such as ABB, Siemens, BHEL and Delta Power Solution India Ltd are among the 14 players who have submitted technical bids for electric vehicle charging stations, according to sources.
“The technical qualification was that they will have to get their chargers tested at IIT Madras… only when the testing is complete, the price bid will be open. The financial bid will open for only those who pass the test at IIT-Madras,” an official told ET, requesting anonymity.
As of date, only one or two players have gotten the testing done, the official added.
Even if participants don’t have the certificate, they can furnish an undertaking stating their product meets the technical specifications and can participate in the snap bid, the official said.
The snap bid is called to ensure the charging infrastructure for 500 electric sedans, which EESL is procuring from Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, is ready by this month.
“Cars will start coming in November. If the testing at IIT Madras is taking time, snap bid is the only way to ensure there is charging infrastructure available by middle of next month,” the official said.
“It’s an offer to all 14 who have participated, that those who either have a test certificate or can give an undertaking that their chargers meet the specifications, if they can put up 300 charging stations by November 20,” the official added.
The first batch of electric sedans will arrive by November 15. These vehicles will be used to replace government fleet in the ministry of power, coal, new and renewable energy to begin with.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes
