NHEV Acquires Site in Tirunelveli for 3G EV Charging Station

Tamil Nadu- National Highways for Electric Vehicles (NHEV) has acquired a 4.7-acre site in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, to establish a next-generation 3G electric vehicle (EV) charging station. Situated along the Kanyakumari–Madurai highway corridor, this station will be the second on this route and the first under NHEV's South Zone rollout.

Mr. Abhijeet Sinha, Project Director–NHEV, said, “​Following the successful Chennai–Trichy third technical trial for electric and LNG vehicles, NHEV has finalized multiple locations for its 3G Charging Stations across South Zone states. After evaluating numerous land applications from individuals, private companies, and public entities like NHLML and PSUs, NHEV has selected sites from both private and public sectors for the development of these energy stations.”

​NHEV partners Tata Steel Nest-In and HYDRA Charging have initiated construction and electrification surveys at the Tirunelveli site, with over 36 additional partners expected to visit in the coming weeks. The development of these 3G charging stations utilizes the Annuity Hybrid E-Mobility (AHEM) model, a hybrid Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework that facilitates participation from Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the Power and Petroleum Ministries, private entities, and the general public. This model enables broader ownership of large, petrol pump-sized 3G charging stations, overcoming previous licensing barriers associated with traditional petrol pumps in India.

Mr. R. Harish Babu, MD-Maaya Autobahn, said, "The site is now accessible to NHEV partners for construction-related surveys, soil testing, and project estimation to finalize the station's asset price. A drone survey and mapping of the area have already been completed. Today, the NHEV Director visited the ongoing construction of the public toilet, which is set to begin soon."

This development is part of the 5,500 km national rollout of the NHEV 3G charging network, which was initiated based on recommendations from the Estimate Committee of the 17th Lok Sabha in Parliament last year. In the 2025–26 Union Budget, Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman outlined a focused infrastructure pipeline, incorporating both Bharatmala and Sagarmala routes, with the goal of completing projects like the NHEV 3G charging network by 2027—three years ahead of the original 2030 target. Following site construction and electrification surveys, the pricing for these stations will be finalized and assigned to public, private, or community-owned entities for operational and revenue generation activities.

This will be NHEV's fifth freight route, following the Chennai–Trichy TechTrial Run III held in September 2024 with Ashok Leyland electric trucks and Blue Energy Motors’ LNG trucks. It will also become the second 3G EV charging station along the Kanyakumari–Madurai corridor. The location for the first station on this route will be announced soon as part of the NHEV South Zone Rollout this month, covering Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Goa, and Pondicherry. Given the proximity to ports and dedicated freight corridors, NHEV plans to develop the Tirunelveli site as a truck and logistics charging hub, following Ashok Leyland’s successful Technical Trial, which aims to establish five freight corridors in the state.