How can housing societies implement EV chargers?

It is safe to say that electric vehicle adoption in India is on the right path. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian EV market is forecasted to expand from US$ 3.21 billion in 2022 to US$ 113.99 billion by 2029, with a 66.52% CAGR.

However, there are pain points such as expensive vehicles and limited charging network in their housing societies that leave people confused on if investing in EV will lead to more trouble and if it is finally worth taking all that pain.

See also: Impact of charging infra on EV adoption: Challenges for homebuyers in housing societies

However, the government is leaving no stone unturned and is spearheading the EV adoption by bringing policies that help such as the Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy, 2025 that was approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet on April 29, 2025 , which will be valid till 2030 and the recently announced Delhi EV policy. In fact, Maharashtra is one the most pro EV state which also had the Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy, 2021 in place.

In this guide, we talk about steps that housing societies have to follow to install EV chargers in their complex.

In its latest ruling in February 2025, the Bombay High Court has directed the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to expedite the process of finalising draft rules for installation of EV charging stations in cooperative societies. The court has also asked the registrar to amend their by-laws with the final EV implementation rules under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act in accordance with the finalised rules.

Steps for RWAs wanting to implement EV charging stations

To support the EV shift, as per the Maharashtra EV Policy 2025, the state is looking at strengthening EV ecosystem by building charging stations, supporting battery manufacturing, and tightening compliance norms for housing developers. As per media reports, Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said, “We are looking at making it mandatory for new societies to have EV charging stations, without which occupancy certificates may not be issued.” The MLAs, MPs and local councillors will be responsible for facilitating installation of EV charging unit in older residential complexes.

The recent guidelines of the ministry of power mentioned that resident welfare associations (RWA) should set aside a minimum share of total common vehicle/parking capacity as specified in the building bye-laws of the state. The Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL) 2016 (amended), the ministry of housing and urban affairs (Mohua) has recommended that 20% of all parking spots in a housing society should include EV chargers. Media reports mention that the Mohua may issue compliance requirements in a year or for all RWAs to follow.

Mentioned are the following steps that an RWA can consider while exploring to implement EV charging stations in the society complex.

Identify demand in the housing complex

The first step is to find out how many people have EV or plan to buy one in the near future. It’s a good idea to survey the housing complex and understand the interests of the people as a first step. Based on present EVs and expected EVs, an RWA can understand the power requirement for EV charging.  Industry experts recommend that to start off, the housing societies can opt for implementing level 1 and level 2 chargers initially and once the EV adoption increases, they can also expand their infrastructure.

Decide between individual and community EV chargers

One of the points that will help in arriving at this decision is the number of EV owners. If the number of people having EV is less than 5%, it makes sense for society to opt for a community charger initially. However, note that since EV adoption is encouraged and incentivised, this number will grow and hence the RWA should, going forward, chalk out a long term-plan that will provide individual charging points in a reserved area or in the private parking lot of the resident.

Common load meter vs individual load meter

Determine if the EV chargers in the complex will have electricity from common load meters or should it be from individual meters. Based on this output, you can go ahead with your grid design. For this, one has to evaluate the type of charger, size and type of cable -copper or aluminium etc. basis load capacity considering there are many different types of EV adoption.

Implementation cost

Once the grid set up is ready, RWAs should next plan the finances. They should avail the government subsidies available including property tax rebate.

It should also come to a conclusion on who will incur the cost of installation of individual EV charger- RWA or EV owner. The RWA should also understand if it will opt for the Capex or opex model for installation. Experts mention that since installation of Level 1 and Level 2 chargers used initially is low on investment, most societies use the money collected as  maintenance from residents. In case the costs increase with increase in EV adoption, the cost incurred can be divided among the residents of the housing society.

Allocate space to set up charger

Most RWAs allot space for implementation of EV charger in the parking area. While allotting a space for EV chargers, ensure:

•     The parking space is closer to an existing source of power that will help reduce cable and installation costs.
•     The safety aspect with respect to the place must be ensured.
•     The housing complex should have an additional power load that will have the power required to operate all the EV charging points simultaneously with 1.25 safety factor and should also have a power backup.

See also: Guidelines to implement EV charging stations in housing society in Maharashtra

Top reasons why your society should have an EV charger

Mentioned are the reasons why a society should have an EV charger.

Convenience

Having an EV charger in your residential society is very convenient for EV owners as they don’t have to take a detour to charge their vehicles. People will also be saved from range anxiety- concern that most EV owners have that the battery may die before reaching destination.

Revenue for housing societies

Residential Welfare Association (RWA) collects monthly maintenance charges from its residents for the smooth functioning of the complex. It also depends on other sources of revenue such non-occupancy charges etc. Providing services for EV owners at nominal rates can be one of the revenue generation methods that housing societies can adopt. There are many central and state government incentives that make the installation costs almost nil. These include rebates in property tax and financial incentives towards implementation of charging stations.

Note that RWAs need not take any permission from the electricity provider if the community or individual charging is using the existing connection or spare load. But, in case the RWA decides to opt for a new separate connection and thereby avail EV subsidies, then an approval from the electricity provider is a must.

Appreciation in real estate

With EV becoming more and more popular and charges not available everywhere, if a housing society has this service, more and more people will be attracted to the complex as tenants and owners. This will have a positive impact on the rentals and the cost price of the property.  This has been quickly understood by commercial realty and many offices have EV chargers as part of their complex. Even malls in India have implemented EV chargers that also contribute to their footfall.

Encouraging eco-conscious way of life

While range anxiety is one of the reasons why people are reluctant to opt for EV vehicles, the other reason is the hunt for EV chargers in and around the society. While house hunting, people have access to eco-friendly options such as solar power, rain water harvesting, organic waste convertor etc. What is absent is the availability of EV chargers in large numbers in housing societies. If this is present, the ratio of petrol to EV will also improve thus, aligning with the government’s goal of adopting more EV.

Helps reduce carbon footprint

With EV chargers available in the housing society, people who own hybrid EVs will also be tempted to save money and charge their vehicles in the complex rather than refilling fuel in a fuel station. In addition to saving money, these will also help reduce the carbon footprint and actually contribute to a greener, better healthier society.

Housing.com POV

Electric vehicles are the future and with such volatility happening in terms of trade and tariffs in the world, we have to be future ready. The absence of electric vehicle chargers in housing societies are the biggest reasons why there are so many fence sitters when it comes to EV buying in India. With the government implementing a decisive rule in this area, clarity will be available to the RWAs who can go ahead and implement this in the complexes. While the initial investment costs may be on a higher side as in the case of many other sustainable energy, in the long run the returns will also be good both for EV owners and the housing complex on the whole, with it providing all the required amenities and facilities including EV charging stations.

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