India’s 2030 EV Charging Roadmap
As morning breaks over Mumbai’s busy streets, an electric bus glides quietly into a charging station for a quick battery replacement. This scenario showcases India’s rapid transformation to electric mobility, but questions linger about whether the charging infrastructure is able to meet the growing demand. Here’s a detailed look at the future roadmap, based on recent projections, directives from governments, and on-the-ground data.
POWER DEMAND OVERLAYS
By 2030, the national grid will require an extra 40,000 to 50,000 megawatts (MW) to power an estimated two million public charging stations. In Bengaluru, for example, peak EV charging capacity is expected to increase from 0.096 gigawatts (GW) in 2023 to over 1.2 GW by 2030. High-adoption regions are at risk of localized bottlenecks and even blackouts if targeted grid enhancements such as substation upgrades, specialized EV feeder lines, and smart load-balancing technologies are not installed.
PUBLIC VS PRIVATE CHARGING: A SHIFTING LANDSCAPE
Until recently, EV owners relied mostly on home and workplace charging, leaving public networks inadequate. OEMs, utilities, and startups are now forming public-private partnerships with real estate developers, hospitality chains, and retail operators to deploy charging stations in shopping malls, office parks, and residential communities. These agreements seek to broaden charging choices beyond private locations and speed up the development of dependable public networks.
On February 13, 2025, Tata Motors, India’s EV market leader, revealed its plan to more than triple its charging network, from 170,000 to 400,000 points by 2027. The company aims to add 30,000 new public charging outlets and create a ‘Mega Charger’ network with 120 kW fast-charging stations in 500 strategic sites, accessible to all EV manufacturers. This effort, supported by government incentives totaling ₹20 billion, seeks to improve public fast-charger rollouts and reduce range anxiety by targeting to grow 30% charging infrastructure by 2030.
CORRIDOR CONNECTIVITY: THROUGHOUT PER HIGHWAY
To ensure seamless long-distance travel, the Ministry of Heavy Industries has approved 1,576 chargers along 16 national highways and 9 expressways, with 1 station every 20 kilometers, as per the requirements of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. Current utilization of numerous corridors is less than 2%, but achieving an 8-10% utilization level by 2030 is essential for operators’ financial viability. An Increased awareness and understanding of charging sites and dynamic pricing can help increase throughput.
PRIORITY ZONES: AREAS FLAGGED FOR GRID UPGRADES
FICCI’s 2030 roadmap presents the top 40 cities where EV concentration will put a strain on existing distribution networks. To rectify this, utilities intend to provide dedicated EV feeders and 18,000 public chargers in the top 9 cities with a population of more than 4 million people. These include Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata by 2030. These upgrades will also incorporate smart-grid technology like demand response and real-time load monitoring.
THE ROAD FORWARD
India’s progress towards a future of sustainable, electrified transportation is well in the works, yet achieving one of many visions, such as the 2030 vision, requires coordination on multiple levels. Building a resilient, inclusive, and future-proof charging network will require coordinated action: public private partnerships for financing, DISCOM-led grid reinforcements, OEM-backed charger deployments and regulatory frameworks that require interoperability and data-sharing. Only then will the silent hum of an EV charger become an everyday symphony, pushing India’s clean mobility forward.
