ABB India part of the Sweden-based technology major ABB, has installed an electric-vehicle fast charging station at the NITI Aayog office in New Delhi. The company says this installation is part of its demonstration of its commitment to clean energy and sustainable transportation.

The Indian government’s premier policy think-tank has installed an ABB Terra 53 fast charging station for electric vehicles. The installation by ABB in electric vehicle charging supports recent proposals by the Ministry of Highways and Transportation and NITI Aayog, which include a pilot project in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in New Delhi.

The unveiling ceremony was led by Nitin Gadkari, minister for Highways and Transportation at the NITI Aayog premises in the presence of Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog and other dignitaries.

Led by the Ministry of Transportation and Highways, NITI Aayog is spearheading the electric mobility vision framework in the country. At the inauguration, Amitabh Kant laid out the vision of transitioning to electric mobility across segments with the commitment of converting NITI Aayog vehicles to electric ones in subsequent months.

The ABB Terra 53 is a 50kW fast charging station, which can provide a full charge to an electric vehicle in only 30 minutes. “We are thankful and honoured to support the Indian government's thought leadership and drive to systematically transform the nation's transportation base to electric vehicles. ABB reinforces its commitment to the nation’s future of renewable power generation and clean electric transportation with our global technologies made in India,’’ said Sanjeev Sharma, managing director, ABB India.

“We will continue to deploy and leverage the next level of global, open standard technology to provide the best-in-class reliable and cost effective EV charging experience for Indian citizens living in smart cities. We believe that smart cities are made of smart elements and ABB EV charging technology is one such important element,” he added.

ABB has more than 6,000 units installed across more than 55 countries. The Terra 53 is based on international charging standards for EVs. The charger converts alternating current (AC) from the grid to the direct current (DC) used by EV batteries. But it can also work with EVs that use AC charging. The company says the charging hardware is compliant with global electromagnetic compatibility (EMC ) testing standards ensuring safe operation in all-weather conditions.

The Terra 53 can take advantage of the ABB ‘Ability Connected Services’ digital networking suite portfolio to link the charging station to payment platforms and smart grid systems. The cloud-based ABB Ability connection also makes possible smart trip planning for travellers by indicating where the next recharge stop will be.

ABB Ability is based on Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform, can also enable the operator to perform several key functions, including remote monitoring and configuring; resolution of driver issues; servicing of equipment with minimal downtime; and the flexibility to connect to any charging network, back-office, payment or energy management solution.

Also read: ABB teams up with Davos to set up fast charging infrastructure