Jio-bp aims to install over 30,000 EV charging points by 2030, report says

Jio-bp, the joint venture between Reliance Industries Ltd and global energy giant bp, plans to install more than 30,000 electric vehicle charging points across India by 2030, Mint reported. 

This ambitious goal marks a significant jump from the company’s existing network of around 5,600 charging points and aligns with the national push to develop widespread EV infrastructure.

Expansion backed by government support

The report said that Jio-bp’s large-scale project follows the government’s strategy to encourage the adoption of electric mobility. In its latest budget, the government has allocated Rs 2,000 crore under the PM E-drive scheme.

As of September 2024, Jio-bp operated 500 charging stations, which encompassed 5,000 EV charging points, across the country.

The government’s broader support for electric vehicles can be seen in several initiatives. Under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) schemes, subsidies and incentives have been allocated to both consumers and businesses, driving the installation of public charging stations.

Official data shows that the country had more than 25,200 public EV charging stations by the end of 2024. State-run oil marketing companies have also contributed, installing more than 20,000 charging stations from their own funds.

Two-wheeler boom crosses 5% adoption threshold

Analysts say electric vehicle uptake often accelerates sharply once 5% of the market embraces the technology, and India’s electric two-wheeler segment has now reached that crucial tipping point.

Data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' Vahan portal indicates that electric two-wheelers reached more than 6% penetration in 2024, up from 4% in 2022.

The report noted that the company believes the rapid rise of electric scooters and bikes will soon be followed by a growing interest in electric four-wheelers. Although four-wheeler adoption remains below the 5% mark, industry watchers expect similar exponential growth once that level is reached.

Focusing on “EV-convenient locations”

One of the main obstacles to EV adoption has been range anxiety—the concern that an electric vehicle will run out of charge before reaching a charging station.

Jio-bp is aiming to ease that worry by locating its chargers in malls, corporate parks, hotels, airports and residential societies.

Notably, the company was the first in the industry to deploy 480 kW chargers, which are among the fastest in India. Of all Jio-bp’s charging stations, 95% are fast-charging facilities. 

As the electric vehicle market expands, competition for charging infrastructure is heating up. Some companies have announced their own ambitious rollout plans. Tata Motors, for instance, has indicated it may work on adding nearly 4 lakh charging points by 2027 as part of its broader EV vision.