Charging 101

AC vs DC charging

AC (Slow) charging: Uses the onboard charger in your vehicle to convert AC power from the wall to DC for the battery. Speed: 1.5 kW to 22 kW. Best for overnight home charging.

DC (Fast) charging: Bypasses the onboard charger entirely. The charger station converts AC to DC directly. Speed: 25 kW to 350 kW. Best for highway trips and quick top-ups.

Home charging setup

For 2-wheelers

A standard 15A wall socket is sufficient. Most e-scooters come with a portable charger that plugs into any household outlet. Full charge in 4-6 hours.

For 4-wheelers

Level 1 (basic): Standard 15A socket — charges at ~1.5 kW. Full charge takes 12-20 hours. Fine if you drive under 40 km/day

Level 2 (recommended): Dedicated 32A line with Type 2 or Bharat AC socket. Charges at 3.3-7.4 kW. Full charge in 4-8 hours

Installation cost: ₹5,000-₹15,000 for a dedicated line and EVSE (wall box)

Public charging networks

Major networks in India: Tata Power (largest), BPCL, HPCL, Ather Grid, ChargeZone, Kazam, Statiq. Most accept app-based payments. Typical DC fast charge cost: ₹15-25 per kWh.