Indian Standards for AC and DC Electric Vehicle Charging
April 7th, 2022
Standards ensure interoperability and compatibility of any EVSE with all EVs. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body of India, is responsible for formulating EV charging standards for the country. BIS is a member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which is the global body that is developing reference standards to ensure interoperability and minimize trade barriers for electric vehicles and their components. While Indian standards for EV charging are compliant with global standards, local climate considerations and the difference in vehicle types available in the country necessitate modifications that are specifically applicable to India.
AC Charging
IS 17017 is the key EV charging standard in India comprising three parts and six sections. IS-17017- Part-1 provides the basic features of all EV charging systems. An AC EVSE must adhere to this standard, and specific AC connector standards in the IS-17017-Part-2.
Both AC and DC EVSE need to conform to the technical standards IS-17017-Parts 21 & 22. Additional Indian standards for AC EVSEs have been approved for light EVs and e-cars (in the form of low- cost charging points), for use in parking areas.
DC Charging
IS-17017-Part-23 describes the requirements for DC charging stations, with power output of 50kW to 200kW. Beyond this, high power charging standards are required to cater to buses and other heavy vehicles. Recently, the BIS has finalized the IS-17017-Part-25, which is specifically for providing low DC power of less than 7kW for light EVs.
Due to the requirement of digital communications between the DC EVSE and the EV, data communication standards are specified in IS-17017-Part 24. When the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard is deployed, which can provide both AC and DC charging, communications will be as per the IS-15118 series.
