The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the national standards body of India have jointly approved the world's first standard for AC and DC combined charging connectors designed for light electric vehicles. This significant development has resulted from the collaboration between BIS, NITI Aayog, Department of Science and Technology, ARAI and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers. The standard aims to create an integrated AC and DC charging system for light electric vehicles, including electric 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers and microcars.

The specific requirements of light electric vehicles, including their charging requirements, make the high cost and large size of 4-wheeler charging connectors impractical for this category. The introduction of a combined AC and DC charging connector standard will pave the way for a more cost-effective and interoperable charging infrastructure that can accommodate both fast and slow charging.

BVR NITI Aayog CEO Subramaniam stressed the importance of this standard, especially as more than 75% of new vehicles sold in India are in the two-wheeler or three-wheeler category. This standard is expected to have a significant impact on most of the vehicle market in India and is the result of collaboration between various government bodies and private sector OEMs.