3kW to 22kW: Choosing the Right Charging Speed for your Institution

Why This Topic Matters for Your Campus

As electric vehicles (EVs) become more mainstream in Indian cities, schools and hospitals are increasingly being forced to “go big” on charging. This would typically mean installing the fastest, most expensive DC charging they can afford.

The truth is, most school and hospital campuses do not require fast refuelling like petrol stations. They require safe, affordable, and quiet charging that happens in the background while the car is parked anyway. For this, 3.3 kW to 22 kW AC charging is sufficient and much more economical than high-power DC charging.

This article explains how to determine the right charging speeds for schools, colleges, universities, and hospitals in India and how a partner like Savekar can assist you in right-sizing your charging infrastructure.

EV Charging 101: What Does “3.3 kW vs 22 kW” Actually Mean?

You can think of charging power in kW as the size of a water tap. The bigger the tap, the faster it fills the bucket. But you only need as much water as the bucket can hold, and the pipes have to be able to handle the flow.

Power (kW) × Time (hours) = Energy (kWh) delivered to the battery.

This amount of energy will give you a rough idea of how far you can go. For most Indian electric cars, 15 to 18 kWh will let you drive 100 km in the city.

If you use a 7 kW AC charger for four hours, you will get 28 kWh, which is about 120–180 km of driving in the city.

How the Government Classifies Charging Speeds

The Indian government refers to three categories:

Slow/Normal AC (up to 22 kW)

This includes:

• 3.3 kW LEV AC
• Bharat AC001 (3 × 3.3 kW)
• Type 2 AC charging points (7.4–22 kW)

Fast DC (usually 15–50 kW and above)

This includes:

• Bharat DC001 15 kW
• CCS/CHAdeMO charging points (25–150 kW)

Ultra-high-power DC (150–240 kW and above)

Primarily used for expressways and commercial vehicles.

According to MoHUA’s Model Building Bye-Laws, slow charging is AC, and fast charging is DC (although there are some high-power AC charging points too).

NITI Aayog’s EV charging handbook refers to:

• Anything below 22 kW as “normal power”
• Anything above that as “high-power.”

In a school or hospital setting, most applications will fall within that normal AC power category.

How Long Do Vehicles Actually Stay Parked on Campus?

This is the most important question that most EV discussions fail to address.

Your cars do not act like petrol car customers; they act like parked inventory.

For Schools and Colleges staffs

Cars of teachers and staff members are parked for 6–8 hours or more during school hours.

For college students

The cars of students are parked for much longer periods.

For Hospitals

• Cars of staff members are parked for the entire shift (8–12 hours)
• Visitor cars are parked for 2–4 hours
• Ambulances and institutional cars can be planned to charge between their duties

How Much Do These Vehicles Drive?

Findings from Indian research and government-related portals suggest that:

• The average personal car in urban India travels 30–40 km a day
• A commercial or fleet car travels about 190 km a day
• NITI Aayog finds that:
  • Only 15% of the urban journey is more than 10 km
  • Over 50% of the journey is less than 10 km

Even if your employees travel 40–60 km a day, they will eventually park their cars on your campus for 6–10 hours.

This is the best time for AC charging.

AC Charging Options: What 3.3 kW to 22 kW Really Delivers

In India, the basic charging configurations of AC for institutions are classified as follows:

3.3 kW LEV AC or Bharat AC001 (per gun)

• The system produces single-phase electrical power with 230 volt output and 15 ampere current.
• The Bharat AC001 operates on 3-phase electrical input to deliver three outputs of 3.3 kW each, which makes it suitable for charging:
  • Two-wheelers
  • Three-wheelers
  • Cars

7.4 kW Type 2 AC

• Single-phase
• Commonly used for rapid charging at home or in the office

11 kW Type 2 AC

• Three-phase
• Useful if the vehicle comes with an 11 kW onboard charger

22 kW Type 2 AC

• Three-phase up to 22 kW
• According to NITI Aayog, this is essentially required for cars with large onboard AC chargers

One important point to note is that, according to the official “Workplace Charging Guidebook” issued by the Delhi government, at the time of publication no mass-market Indian electric car required the full 22 kW, as their onboard chargers were generally lower-rated (often 3.3–7.4 kW).

Therefore, the use of 22 kW charging stations is often unnecessary and unnecessarily expensive for most of today’s vehicles.

How Much Range Can You Add During a Shift?

Let’s say a car requires about 18 kWh of energy for every 100 km driven in urban conditions.

With a 6-hour parking opportunity, you can very approximately expect:

• 3.3 kW AC → ~20 kWh → 110–130 km
• 7.4 kW AC → ~44 kWh → 240–290 km
• 11 kW AC → ~66 kWh → 365–440 km
• 22 kW AC → ~132 kWh → 730–880 km

Even the “slowest” institutional AC charging point (3.3 kW) can recharge a few days’ worth of employee commutes in a single workday.

Faster AC charging simply shortens the time a car needs to be connected, which is convenient but not necessarily critical to your mission.

How Does This Compare to DC Fast Charging?

Tata Power’s explainer, in line with international norms, provides the following ballpark times for the above-mentioned charging types:

The Slow AC system, which has a maximum output of 3.5 kW, requires between 8 and 12 hours to charge completely.

• The Level 2 AC system, which operates at a maximum capacity of 22 kW, requires 4 to 6 hours to achieve a complete charge.
• The DC fast charging system, which operates between 50 and 400 kW, needs 30 to 60 minutes to charge up to 80 per cent of its capacity.

The latter DC speed is critical on highways and in some commercial fleets. But on a campus where cars are parked for extended periods, you don’t have to shell out DC bucks to get a comfortable charge.

The Cost Reality: AC vs DC for Institutional Campuses

Hardware: How Much Will the Charger Itself Cost?

The cost breakdown is very clearly outlined in the Workplace Charging Guidebook for Delhi (Government of NCT Delhi + WRI India):

• LEV AC (3.3 kW): ~₹8,495–₹10,530 per unit.
• The price of Bharat AC001 chargers, which have a capacity of 3 × 3.3 kW system, ranges from ₹50,530 to ₹62,107.
• The price of Type 2 AC systems, which have a power range of 7–22 kW, costs between ₹65,000 and ₹1,25,000 based on their power rating and their dual-use capability for residential and workplace needs.
• The cost of Bharat DC001 systems, which have a power range of 10–15 kW, starts from ₹2,32,184 and goes up to ₹2,89,030.
• The financial requirement for installing 25–150 kW CCS/CHAdeMO DC systems in Indian projects starts from ₹10 lakh for each charger.

The price of one good 50 kW DC charger equals the cost of 8–15 AC chargers.

Installation, Electrical Upgrades, and Running Costs

From Delhi’s government guide and NITI Aayog’s handbooks:

AC chargers (3.3–22 kW)

• Generally can be accommodated within the existing approved load, particularly if you begin with a small number of chargers.
• Require less new transformer capacity; easier to integrate with existing LT panels.
• Relatively simple civil works – essentially wall mounting and simple shelters.

DC chargers (15–150 kW)

• Generally require an augmentation of the approved load; above 100 kW, you may require a separate transformer.
• New connections involve security deposits (in Delhi, approximately ₹2,500 per kW of additional load).
• Require more substantial cabling, civil foundations, cooling, and complex maintenance.

Tariffs and rates also make a difference. In Delhi, a separate tariff rate of approximately ₹4.5 per kWh for LT EV connections is lower than industrial tariffs, making slow and medium-rate AC charging economic for long dwell times.

If your campus relies on AC charging for the most part throughout the day and night, your peak demand and charges remain under control. But introducing a few high-power DC charging points can lead to sudden peaks in demand, higher demand charges, and more frequent grid upgrades.

Why Schools and Hospitals Almost Never Need a Bank of DC Fast Chargers

1. Your Users Don’t Behave Like Highway Users

The MoHUA note and the Ministry of Power guidelines assume that:

• Slow AC charging is for residential and office use
• DC fast charging is for public charging points, taxis, buses, and highways

The actual usage patterns will be as follows in a school or hospital:

• Employees will charge their cars at the beginning of their shift and unplug at the end of the shift.
• Students and visitors can charge their cars for a few hours and still get actual range.
• Ambulances and school buses can be charged within scheduled timings, just like refueling, but you get to decide those timings based on AC charging speeds.

You don’t have to charge every electric car in 20 minutes. You just have to get them out with enough charge for their daily use.

2. Two Examples That Show the Numbers

Example A: Urban School Campus

Assumptions based on Delhi EV and NITI Aayog guidelines:

• 50 car parking spaces
• Target 20% EV market share (10 EVs) in accordance with MoHUA’s plan for “20% of parking EV-ready.”
• Each EV consumes around 40 km/day (~8 kWh/day)
• Cars are parked for about 7 hours

A workable, stress-free configuration could be:

• Two 7.4 kW Type 2 AC charging stations (capable of supporting 2–3 cars per day)
• One Bharat AC001 near the entrance (3 × 3.3 kW) for staff, students, and two-wheelers

This configuration can support well over 8 kWh per day per EV, even with some inefficiency, sufficient for short city drives, and at an infinitesimally small cost compared to a 30–50 kW DC charger.

Example B: District Hospital

Assumptions:

• The parking lot has 100 spaces, which will accommodate 20 electric vehicles (20%)
• The operation requires 4 to 6 electric ambulances or critical care vehicles
• Staff members have access to car parking for 8 to 10 hours
• Visitors are allowed to park for 2 to 4 hours

A doable design:

• The facility will install four to six Bharat AC001 charging stations, providing 12 to 18 AC outlets operating at 3.3 kW throughout staff and mixed parking areas.
• The main entrances of the facility will have two 7.4–11 kW Type 2 AC charging stations installed for short-term visitor parking.
• The ambulance parking area will have one 22 kW Type 2 AC charging station installed for emergency vehicle top-ups between calls.

This supports dozens of vehicles per day at moderate rates, aiding battery longevity and rarely overloading the transformer — again, without the expense and headaches of DC.

3. Battery Life: Fast Charging Isn’t Always Helpful

According to a study conducted jointly by NITI Aayog and IIT Bombay, charging a lithium-ion battery at a high rate and in high temperatures can reduce battery life compared to charging at a moderate rate using AC.

The Delhi guidelines for workplaces also recommend that you should not charge your car using fast charging more than 30% of the time if you want to maintain battery life.

Using AC as the primary charging source is a good idea for fleets that will be used for a long time, such as:

• school buses
• ambulances
• delivery vehicles

It is fine to charge your vehicle using DC charging occasionally, but daily DC charging can be costly.

Policy Alignment: What Indian Guidelines Expect from Campuses

Three key policy documents shape what a balanced campus charging scheme should look like:

MoHUA Model Building Bye-Laws (2019)

• New buildings must reserve 20% of parking spaces for EV charging.
• Applies to schools, hospitals, and other buildings.
• AC charging works as home and office charging.

Ministry of Power EV Charging Guidelines (2018, revised)

For public charging stations, the minimum split must include:

• 3 units of 3.3 kW Bharat AC001
• 1 unit of 22 kW Type 2 AC
• At least 1 unit of 15 kW DC

DC charging is part of the mix, but AC charging is the backbone.

NITI Aayog “EV Charging Infrastructure & Grid Integration” report

• Normal power charging is up to 22 kW
• Appropriate for low-voltage distribution
• A distributed network of AC chargers in homes, offices, campuses, malls, and depots is the most feasible path.

These policy documents do not require institutional campuses to have high-power DC fast chargers.

They recommend a balanced approach prioritizing AC charging.

A Practical AC-First Strategy for Schools and Hospitals

Step 1: Understand Your Vehicles and How They Move

Using the Delhi workplace charging checklist and NITI Aayog’s approach:

• How many 2W, 3W, and 4W vehicles come to your campus every day?
• How many are staff, students, visitors, service vehicles, ambulances, or buses?
• How far do these cars typically drive daily?
• How long do they stay parked on campus?
• What is your current approved load, and how much capacity remains?

This helps determine real power requirements instead of guessing that you need fast charging.

Step 2: Begin with a Baseline AC System

For most organizations, a simple design might look like this:

• A few LEV AC or AC001 charging points for two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and staff cars.
• Seven Type 2 AC charging stations (7.4–11 kW) for visitors and staff with longer commutes.
• One 22 kW AC charging station near ambulances or school buses.

The optimal solution requires multiple low-power chargers rather than a single high-power charger.

Step 3: Add Capacity Only When the Data Says So

After 12–24 months, you will have actual usage data:

• Are your 7.4–11 kW chargers always occupied?
• Do ambulances or buses wait for charging?
• Would a 30–60 minute DC top-up occasionally help?

If yes, then you can consider adding one DC charger carefully with the DISCOM.

Where Savekar EV Fits In

Savekar EV can help implement this AC-first, policy-driven plan:

• Site and load analysis: Work with facilities and the local utility to assess spare capacity.
• Charger mix plan: Design the right mix of LEV AC, Bharat AC001, and Type 2 AC chargers.
• Rules and incentives: Align with MoHUA/MoP/NITI policies and state incentives.
• Phased implementation: Start with a pilot, then scale based on usage data.

Result: EV-ready, grid-friendly, cost-effective campus infrastructure.

Easy FAQs for Campus Decision-Makers

Q1. Would 3.3 kW charging stations be too slow for our staff?

3.3 kW charging takes 2–3 hours to recharge a typical 30–40 km commute, and 8 hours for full recharge during office hours.

For faster access, add 7.4 kW chargers rather than installing DC.

Q2. Should we install 22 kW AC charging everywhere?

Most Indian EVs cannot use 22 kW AC due to smaller onboard chargers.

Better strategy:

• Use 7.4 kW as the main charger
• Install 1–2 22 kW chargers for future vehicles.

Q3. Must we install DC fast chargers?

No.

MoP rules define public charging stations, but DC is not mandatory on campuses.

MoHUA requires EV-ready parking, not DC chargers.

Q4. Can we install solar to reduce costs?

Yes.

The Delhi workplace charging guidebook recommends combining rooftop solar + EV charging to reduce electricity bills.

For the Technically Interested: A Brief Aside

Standards

Indian AC chargers conform to:

• AIS-138
• IS 17017
• Based on IEC 61851 and IEC 62196

Bharat AC001

• 3-phase input
• Three 230V / 15A / 3.3 kW outputs
• IEC 60309 connectors

Normal vs High Power

According to NITI Aayog’s grid integration manual:

• Normal power: up to 22 kW
• Chargers above 200 kW require careful planning

Grid Effects

Clusters of high-power DC chargers can overload transformers.

Distributed AC charging with smart scheduling is easier for the grid.

That’s why 3.3–22 kW AC charging is the sweet spot for campuses.

The Bottom Line

If you run a school, college, or hospital, you do not need to start with expensive DC fast chargers.

What you need:

• 3.3–11 kW AC chargers where vehicles already park
• A few 22 kW AC chargers for specific cases
• A phased expansion strategy aligned with MoHUA, MoP, and NITI Aayog

Partner with experts like Savekar EV | Chargers & Vendors to make data-driven decisions, not ones based on “ultra-fast charging” marketing buzz.