India is on the cusp of a transportation revolution. As the world shifts towards cleaner and greener alternatives, Electric Vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a key player in reducing emissions, improving energy security, and modernising mobility. India, being the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has committed to transitioning a large portion of its vehicular fleet to electric by 2030. However, one critical question looms large: Is India’s infrastructure ready to support the EV wave?

While government initiatives and automaker interest have been encouraging, India’s EV ecosystem, especially its charging infrastructure and power grid readiness, has been facing considerable challenges. In this blog, we explore the current status of India’s EV infrastructure, the challenges it faces, and how it is adapting to support the EV boom.

The EV Push in India: An Overview

India aims to electrify 30% of its vehicle fleet by 2030. Schemes such as FAME-II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) and PLI (Production Linked Incentive) for Advanced Chemistry Cell batteries reflect the government’s commitment.

• According to NITI Aayog, by 2030, EVs could account for:

• 70% of commercial cars
• 30% of private cars
• 40% of buses
• 80% of two and three-wheelers
• EV sales in India surged by over 100% YoY in FY 2022–23, reaching over 1.2 million units, according to Vahan data.

But infrastructure development has not kept pace with demand, creating a mismatch between EV adoption and support systems.

Charging Infrastructure

Without accessible, fast, and reliable charging stations, EV adoption could stall. India has only around 12,000–15,000 public EV charging stations as of mid-2025, compared to over 100,000+ petrol pumps. Some of the key challenges faced include the lack of charging points, which makes long-distance travel difficult, the concentration in metros and urban centres, rural and tier-2 cities are neglected, and most stations support only slow AC charging.

The government’s response to these challenges is as follows:

• FAME-II has allocated Rs 10,000 crore to promote 7,000+ public charging stations across India.
• The Ministry of Power has set guidelines for setting up EV charging stations every 3 km in cities and every 25 km on highways.
• Oil marketing companies (OMCs) like IOCL and BPCL are repurposing petrol pumps with EV chargers.

Still, private investment and local municipal partnerships are crucial to scale up infrastructure.

Power Grid Capacity: Can India Handle the Load?

The faster sale and acceptance of electric vehicles in India have partly put extra pressure on anxieties plaguing the power grid. New chargers for electric vehicles pose extra pressure on an electricity grid that has always been under pressure because of the growing demand for power due to industries and severe summer heat waves in India. In June 2024, there was a record peak demand for power recorded across the country, amounting to 243 GW. By 2030, EVs alone are estimated to add a further 69 GW, according to CEEW.

There are thus enough bottlenecks preventing full preparedness of the grid. A number of DISCOMs are marred by losses and unable to invest in any needed upgrades. Without load management mechanisms in place, rampant charging of EVs during peak hours could lead to instability in the grid. Also, an even lower penetration of smart grids and Time-of-Use (TOU) metering creates fundamental obstacles against efficient distribution of energy.

The solutions under consideration to address this include battery swapping technologies for easing pressure on the grid; decentralised solar-powered chargers for off-grid usage; and pilot smart-grid implementation in cities like Delhi and Bengaluru.

Domestic Manufacturing and Supply Chain Challenges

Electric vehicles (EVs) rely heavily on batteries, and India currently imports the majority of its battery cells from countries like China and South Korea, making the supply chain vulnerable and costly. However, recent developments indicate a strategic shift towards self-reliance. Under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, major Indian companies such as Reliance, Ola Electric, and Amara Raja have committed to establishing domestic gigafactories for battery manufacturing. In parallel, innovations in battery recycling and second-life battery reuse are gaining momentum. These approaches aim to minimise import dependence, reduce waste, and create a more sustainable and circular battery ecosystem within the country.

Role of the Private Sector and Startups

Indian startups are driving innovation in areas like:

• Battery swapping: Sun Mobility, Bounce Infinity
• Smart charging: Statiq, ChargeZone
• Fleet electrification: BluSmart, Lithium Urban

These companies are building app-based platforms, installing chargers, and forming B2B alliances to make EV usage seamless.

Urban vs Rural Divide

Urban areas like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai account for over 70% of total EV sales. Whereas there is a growing gap in EV adoption between urban and rural areas due to the lack of awareness, the lack of availability of public charging areas, and constant blackouts and power cuts. Programs like “EV Yatra” and E-Amrit portal are trying to spread awareness and guide consumers, but more localised efforts are needed.

Policy and Regulatory Ecosystem

India lacks a centralised national EV policy, though several states have announced their roadmaps. Here are some of the top-performing states:

• Delhi: Offers subsidies and road tax exemptions
• Tamil Nadu: Investment incentives for EV manufacturers
• Maharashtra: Purchase incentives and charging infrastructure subsidies

But policy overlap, unclear guidelines, and lack of coordination between state and central agencies remain hurdles.

Green Energy Integration: Powering EVs Sustainably

Electric vehicles are often seen as a cleaner option. They lose much of their climate advantage, however, if coal-fired electricity is used to supply them with power. The reality is that since coal contributes more than 70% of India’s electric power generation, this situation poses immense environmental challenges to the introduction of electric vehicles in India. India is now aggressively working toward ensuring the cleaner energy transition. It has set a goal of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030, and under this umbrella, solar EV charging is being piloted in several states. This twin thrust for EV adoption and clean power generation is a must otherwise the wonderful environmental promise of electric mobility remains unfulfilled in India.

Future Outlook

More than 49% was the projected CAGR for India’s EV market between 2022 and 2030. By 2030, India would be saving up to 1 Gt of CO₂ from emission and would also in a way save around $60 billion for oil imports.

This requires:

• Charging infrastructure
• Advance smart grid
• Battery manufacturing facilities locally
• Proper regulation

Considering tomorrow, India can leapfrog into a cleaner and smarter environment through electric vehicles. Development in readiness of infrastructure, mainly charging network and power grid capacity, will determine how fast this transition takes place. While development is on, there is need for more focus on coordinated investment initiatives between policymakers, utilities, and auto manufacturers-private players, alike.

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