Russia has ordered all gas stations in the country to install at least one electric vehicle charging station.
The Moscow Times reports that the government has set deadline for compliance with the order as November next.
However, the government has not specified the type of charger that should be installed.
Motrolix.com, in an analysis of the decision, has termed it as an “odd move” as there are “less than 500 electric cars in all of Russia and just 50 of them have been sold in the country so far in 2015”.
Although the Russian government believes the move should promote the use of electric vehicles, Motrolix speculates that gas stations would go for the least expensive charging station which cost $1,480 and can take up to nine hours to fully charge a car battery.
This should render the facility useless at a gas station, the portal notes in its analysis.
Price has been a key factor inhibiting adoption of electric vehicles in Russia.
Electric vehicles have also not evoked interest among buyers because they can be useful only in urban areas that have the necessary charging infrastructure.
Also, the Russian winter can reduce range of EVs and cause other performance drop-offs.
Ajith Kumar S