Noida: In a move aimed at accelerating electric mobility and reducing vehicular pollution, the Noida Authority will roll out 13 EV battery-swapping stations across the city in partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL). The stations, targeted initially at two- and three-wheelers, are expected to become operational within a month, while a similar facility for four-wheelers will be introduced in a later phase.The project follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Authority and HPCL, under which the oil major will set up and operate the entire network at its own expense.SP Singh, general manager of Noida Authority, said the initiative is designed to make EV adoption more practical for daily users. “The batteries provided at these stations will be charged and capable of running vehicles for up to 200 km, with an estimated operational cost of around Rs 1 per kilometre for users. Under the revenue-sharing arrangement, Noida Authority will earn Rs 1 per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed at these facilities,” he said.Battery-swapping technology allows users to replace a depleted battery with a fully charged one in a matter of minutes, significantly reducing downtime compared to conventional charging.The 13 locations identified for the first phase include Sector 6 near the Noida Authority office, Ganga Shopping Complex in Sector 29, Spice Mall in Sector 25A, ESIC Hospital in Sector 24, Film City in Sector 16A, Sector 63 near Electronic City Metro Station and Haldiram, as well as sites in Sectors 58, 61, 16, 18, 15 and near Amity University in Sector 125.Noida currently has over 12 lakh registered vehicles, but electric vehicles account for only around 52,747 — nearly 4% of the total fleet.Last week, the Authority also announced the launch of 50 electric buses in collaboration with UPSRTC from next month, underlining its broader push to position Noida as a sustainable and smart urban centre.
