EV charging kiosks at Bescom offices popular with food delivery agents
Battery swapping kiosks being established at the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) offices in Bengaluru is turning out to be popular among food delivery agents
Battery swapping kiosks being established at the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) offices in Bengaluru is turning out to be popular among food delivery agents who use Electric Vehicles (EVs). The Bescom has planned to install 20 such kiosks under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, of which eight have already been commissioned. “It requires only 10x10 sq ft space to install multilevel and more than one battery swapping station.
Each station has 15 units, and the one at the Bescom office near Cubbon Park has two kiosks with 30 units. It requires less than 30 minutes for each battery to charge. At present, you will find these stations at Indira Nagar, Kengeri, Rajajinagar, Malleswaram, HSR Layout, Bannerghatta and few other locations,” a Bescom official said. These kiosks are now very popular among food delivery agents.
“In a day, at least over 40 people swap their batteries at the Cubbon park kiosk. The food delivery companies have taken subscriptions from the private firm running these kiosks. The Bescom also gets a share of ₹2.77 per unit apart from ground rent,” the official said. Mohammed Rahil, a food delivery agent who uses kiosks every day, said the EVs used by delivery agents are taken on a rent of ₹260 per day and charging them with private charging stations is very costly.
“Charging at the Bescom kiosks is more economical,” he said, adding more such kiosks should be installed in the city.
The BriefWire