Mint Explainer | Can 72,000 public chargers fix India’s slow EV adoption?
With only 29,000 public chargers today, India’s push to add 72,000 more raises a bigger question: will the infrastructure keep pace with accelerating EV demand?
India’s electric vehicle (EV) market is expanding, but adoption remains modest across most segments, particularly cars, buses, and two-wheelers. An August report by Niti Aayog noted that while more than half of India’s three-wheelers are now electric, other categories continue to lag. Global EV penetration stood at 16.48% in 2024, compared with just 7.66% in India.
The lack of adequate charging facilities, and the range anxiety that stems from it, remains a critical bottleneck for mass adoption.
The government plans to address this with the PM E-Drive scheme, aiming to set up more than 72,000 public chargers by FY28, when the scheme lapses, with a ₹2,000 crore budget, targeting urban areas and highways.
About 6% of all two-wheelers sold in 2025 were electric, while only about 5% of cars were electric. Also 5% of buses and less than 1% of medium- and heavy-duty trucks were electric.
Ashim Sharma of Nomura Research Institute had told Mint on 2 December that making charging infrastructure widespread would increase adoption of electric vehicles.
Mint examines the current ecosystem, the government’s strategy, and the gaps that could determine whether India’s EV ambitions succeed.
Why are chargers integral to the EV ecosystem?
An electric vehicle runs on a battery that powers its moving parts, and once that battery runs out, the vehicle stops. This is a major concern for potential buyers, many of whom still opt for petrol or diesel vehicles because they fear running out of charge mid-journey, a concern known as range anxiety.
Public charging infrastructure is therefore essential to building confidence, especially for long-distance travel and for segments like cars and buses where charging needs are higher.
Are there different types of chargers?
There are two broad types of chargers — slow AC chargers and fast DC chargers.
Slow AC chargers, typically 3.3 kW, were widely used earlier to charge e-rickshaws and small electric scooters. These take several hours to charge a small 3.5 kWh battery.
Fast DC chargers have much higher capacity: older versions start at 15 kW, while newer models range from about 30 kW to as high as 350 kW.
India has now standardised the Combined Charging System Type 2 (CCS2) for all public charging stations. Urban public DC chargers generally operate at 30–60 kW, while highway chargers range from 60–180 kW. CCS2 is already the European standard and is used by most global EV makers, making it a viable choice for India’s ecosystem.
How many chargers does India have?
The number of home chargers is not tracked separately, as they are often bundled with the vehicle. But as of August this year, India had a little over 29,000 public EV charging stations, according to the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry.
This network is expected to expand significantly. The Ministry of Heavy Industries plans to disburse ₹2,000 crore to set up more than 72,000 public chargers under the PM E-Drive scheme, in partnership with state governments and central public sector undertakings.
Two state-run oil marketing companies have shown interest in deploying charging infrastructure under this scheme, the ministry told the Lok Sabha on 2 December.
A 2023 CII study had estimated that India would need 1.32 million EV chargers by 2030, banking on the staggering rise in demand for the zero-emission vehicles. According to market intelligence agency Mordor Intelligence, India's EV charging station market size is currently about $46 billion, and projected to increase at a CAGR of 21.57% to about $122 billion by 2030.
Costs and viability
A charging station has two main components:
Upstream infrastructure — wires and connectors that draw electricity from the grid.
Downstream infrastructure (EVSE) — the equipment that connects directly to vehicles.
Typically the cost of EVSE is about ₹8-10 lakh, but the cost of upstream infrastructure can vary according to multiple factors, for instance, the distance of the charger from the main grid. Another important cost of setting up chargers is land acquisition.
Under the PM E-Drive scheme, the government will mostly cover the cost of upstream charging infrastructure, while the rest will be covered by charge point operators or any other stakeholder deploying the charging station.
For setting up chargers in government-owned locations, the government covers the full 100% cost of upstream infrastructure as well as the EVSE. For chargers in public use locations such as airports or public parking, the government covers 80% of upstream infrastructure and 70% of the EVSE costs.
For other public locations such as city roads, the government only covers 80% of the upstream costs.
To claim these incentives, interested state governments and central PSUs have to approach the heavy industries ministry with a plan. The plan should include the number of chargers, the land requirement, the vehicle segments which will use the chargers, and whether the state government, the PSU, or any private charge point operator will operate these chargers.
The ministry will vet these proposals and approve them, following which the procurement process will begin.
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