NHEV to Set Up 3G EV Charging Station for Trucks and Buses in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu

Key Highlights:

• NHEV acquired a 4.7-acre site in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
• This will be the second charging station on the route.
• The station is being developed using the AHEM (Annuity Hybrid E-Mobility) PPP model.
• Construction surveys and planning have started.
• It is part of a 5,500 km national EV charging network to be completed by 2027.

The National Highways for Electric Vehicles (NHEV) has secured a 4.7-acre plot in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). This land will be used to build a 3G electric vehicle (EV) charging station along the Kanyakumari–Madurai highway. It will be the second electric vehicle charging station on this route and the first under the NHEV South Zone expansion.

Construction planning has already begun at the Tirunelveli site. NHEV’s project partners, Tata Steel Nest-In and HYDRA Charging, have visited the land and are carrying out surveys and preparing cost estimates. Around 36 NHEV team members will visit the site in the next few weeks to support the project. The new station will be developed using a hybrid Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model called AHEM (Annuity Hybrid E-Mobility). This model brings together both government companies and private players, which helps more people get involved than was possible with older fuel station policies.

Leadership Insight:

NHEV Project Director Abhijeet Sinha shared that several locations have already been identified for similar charging stations in the South. This comes after the successful third technical trial on the Chennai–Trichy route, which tested electric and LNG vehicles, including trucks and buses. Sinha mentioned that many individuals and firms have shown interest in offering land for these upcoming stations. NHEV reviewed offers from private parties and also considered locations shared by entities like the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML).

R. Harish Babu, Managing Director of Maaya Autobahn, who has leased the land to NHEV, said that construction teams are now allowed to carry out tests and inspections to assess the value of the project. Drone mapping of the land has already been completed. A public toilet is also being built at the site to support drivers and visitors.

This project is part of NHEV’s plan to develop a 5,500 km nationwide charging network. The rollout was suggested by the Estimate Committee of the 17th Lok Sabha and later included in the 2025–26 Union Budget under infrastructure programs like Bharatmala and Sagarmala. The goal is to complete the entire network by 2027, ahead of the earlier target of 2030. Once the surveys and cost studies are finished, pricing and ownership details will be decided for each station.

The Tirunelveli charging station lies on NHEV’s fifth freight corridor. It follows the earlier trial run from Chennai to Trichy that featured electric trucks from Ashok Leyland and LNG trucks from Blue Energy Motors. This location will soon be joined by another charging station on the same route, which will be announced shortly. The South Zone rollout covers Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Goa, and Puducherry. Because of its link to ports and freight routes, the Tirunelveli site could also become a central point for charging heavy vehicles.

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CMV360 Says

This development marks another step in strengthening India’s EV highway infrastructure. Charging stations for commercial vehicles like trucks and buses are much needed, especially on busy freight and travel corridors. If more such stations come up, switching to electric vehicles might become easier and more practical for long-distance travel.