In a significant move towards sustainable development and to achieve net zero emissions by 2070, there is a need to adopt electric vehicles (EVs), this can bolster India’s economy while supporting the ambitious target set for 2030—EV penetration of 30%. With robust government policies and an R&D landscape, India’s electric vehicle (EV) momentum is impossible to ignore. The report, titled ‘India Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Market Overview’, by IESA (India Energy Storage Alliance) and CES (Customized Energy Solutions), outlines the potential impact of this transition on the country's infrastructure and energy landscape. According to the report, India is set to see a notable surge in electric vehicles, with an estimated 123 million EVs projected to be on the roads by 2032. This remarkable growth aligns with the National EV Targets (NEV) scenario, highlighting the nation's commitment to boosting sustainable transportation and reducing carbon emissions.

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The report estimates that India's cumulative on-road lithium-ion electric vehicle (EV) population increased nearly twelvefold, rising from 0.35 million in 2019 to 4.4 million in 2024. This rapid growth has been fuelled by supportive government policies, such as the FAME-II scheme, which offers demand incentives for electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers, along with capital subsidies for public charging infrastructure. It further highlighted that electric two and three-wheelers together accounted for over 93% of India's on-road EV stock in 2024. In contrast, electric four-wheelers represented around 6%, while electric buses and trucks comprised less than 1%. Notably, the personal electric four-wheeler (E4W) segment has emerged as a key driver of the country's expanding private and home charging ecosystem.

Vinayak Walimbe, Managing Director, Customized Energy Solutions India Pvt Ltd says, “By 2032, IESA and CES projects that India’s on-road EV stock could reach approximately 49 million (Worst Case), 60 million (Business-as-Usual), or 123 million (NEV scenario). The NEV scenario is based on the EV30@30 ambition, assuming that by 2030, EV penetration reaches 80% for electric two- and three-wheelers, 30% for private electric four-wheelers, 70% for commercial cars, and 40% for electric buses—fully aligning with NITI Aayog’s vision for transport electrification.”

As per the report, in 2024, there were approximately 220,000 personal electric four-wheelers (E4Ws) on roads, most of which depended on Type-2 AC chargers installed in residential areas. By that same year, India had an estimated 320,000 private Type-2 AC chargers, with 70% being 3.3 kW units, 28% 7.4 kW units, and the remaining 11-22 kW units classified as high-capacity. India had roughly 76,000 cumulative public and captive charging points in 2024, with a combined installed capacity of 1.3?GW. While AC-001 chargers made up nearly half of all installed points, the overall installed capacity was dominated by CCS2 chargers, reflecting the growing demand for high-power DC fast charging.

Debmalya Sen, President, IESA said, " To support the projected EV growth, we can anticipate that India’s cumulative installed EV charging points—public and captive—will need to grow nearly 12 to 28 times, from around 76,000 in 2024 to between 0.9 million and 2.1 million by 2032. Installed charging capacity must also scale more than 17 times, rising from 1.3?GW to 23?GW, depending on EV adoption and infrastructure utilisation levels.”

By 2032, the projected stock of electric vehicles (EVs) is expected to reach approximately 4.3 million, 5.8 million, and 10 million electric four-wheelers under the Worst Case, Business as Usual (BAU), and New Energy Vehicle (NEV) scenarios, respectively. In addition, electric buses and trucks could grow to around 450,000, 750,000, and 1.1 million units. These two segments are crucial drivers of demand for both captive and public charging infrastructure, particularly for high-power DC fast charging.

Driven by supportive government policies and incentives, this growth underscores a commitment to sustainable development and reduced carbon emissions. However, to accommodate this surge, India must significantly expand its charging infrastructure, increasing from 76,000 points in 2024 to between 0.9 million and 2.1 million by 2032. With strategic investments and policy support, India is set to emerge as a leader in electric mobility, fostering both environmental sustainability and economic growth.