Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has invited expressions of interest from charge point operators for setting up electric vehicle public charging stations (EVPCS) under Category C of the PM E-DRIVE program.

Bids must be submitted by January 5, 2026.

Charge point operators interested in setting up EVPCS at Category C locations, such as city streets, shopping malls, market complexes, highways, and expressways with public access, can submit bids.

A single charge point operator may propose up to 50 locations under Category C. Proposals will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis from the date of successful submission on the web portal.

Only proposals to set up new EVPCS or to upgrade existing charging stations will be considered.

Priority in verification and batch compilation will be given to stations equipped with chargers with a capacity of 100 kW or higher. Additional preference may be given to locations demonstrating high EV density or strategic connectivity, such as major highways, commercial hubs, or transit corridors.

Bidders must have established at least 10 operational public fast-charging stations in India. Each station must have at least one CCS-II (IS-17017-2-3) 30 kW DC or higher capacity fast charger. All stations must be operational for at least 6 months before the application date.

The charge point operator must demonstrate full operational control and digital integration of its charging network. It must own a central management system with real-time monitoring of charger status, energy consumption, faults, and user sessions. Its mobile application must be available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store for user interface, navigation, and payment.

All proposed chargers should be onboarded to the National Unified Hub being developed by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) immediately after commissioning. The chargers must be equipped with app-less payment facilities and should comply with any subsequent smart charging-related regulations or guidelines issued by the competent authorities. The mobile application launch on the Play Store or App Store must be on or before January 1, 2025.

Charge point operators must identify suitable Category-C land parcels that provide unrestricted public access, adequate space for charging bays, upstream electrical infrastructure, and related civil works. These sites should be strategically located in high-traffic areas such as highways, commercial zones, residential clusters, markets, or transit hubs to maximize utilization.

They must either own the land or secure land rights for at least five years, supported by valid documentation. All land-related documents will be subject to field verification, and any discrepancies will result in the rejection of all subsidy claims by the concerned charge point operator.

Detailed, station-wise proposals must be submitted through the KSEBL PM E-DRIVE portal, including GPS-based coordinates, geo-tagged photographs, site sketches, land feasibility reports, and charger configuration details (type, capacity, connector standards, and number of charging guns by vehicle segment).

Proposals must also include the DISCOM demand note or estimated upstream infrastructure cost issued in the name of the charge point operator. Only demand notes or invoices issued on or after December 1, 2025, will be considered eligible for subsidy.

In July this year, MHI amended the Phased Manufacturing Programme for the EVPCS of PM E-DRIVE.

EV sales in India reached 560,637 units in the third quarter of 2025, an over 12.5% year-over-year increase from 497,974 units.