No more charging your EVs in basements? Proposal to amend Building Code may hamper EV adoption

India’s plan to raise the share of electric vehicles (EVs) to 30% by 2030 may hit a hurdle, as the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has proposed amendments to the National Building Code (NBC) restricting parking and charging of EVs and hybrid vehicles in basement areas of residential and commercial complexes due to fire safety reasons.

According to the draft requirements, EV charging is only permitted on the ground floor or, if permitted, in the first basement, and only in isolated areas that are no more than 200 square meters. According to experts, the proposed amendments may significantly reduce the number of EVs in urban regions where the majority of vehicles are parked in basements on many floors.

The EV market in India has expanded significantly in recent years, with yearly sales expected to reach over 2 million units in 2024, up from 50,000 units in 2016. Currently, there are 5.45 million EVs in India, or about 9% of all EVs worldwide. However, at 7.66% of all vehicles, India's EV percentage is still low compared to the global average of 16.5%.

According to annual sales projections, EV sales are expected to reach 17 million annually by 2030, with two-wheelers leading the way, thanks to state subsidies and government incentives like the PME-DRIVE scheme. However, Industry experts are worried that the NBC's new regulations will halt this progress.

The proposed amendments have sparked concerns, particularly in major cities with multi-story basements like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. In addition, EV manufacturers have stated that restricting basement charging will deter developers from incorporating charging stations into shopping centres, high-rise buildings, and apartment complexes. To reach its EV ambitions by 2030, India is expected to require around 1.3 million public and private charging stations.