India’s electric vehicle market is in sharp focus with Indian EV makers launching new models that are being welcomed with record bookings and encouraging sales.
And with global giants like Tesla and the furiously growing Vietnamese upstart VinFast eyeing the large Indian passenger EV market, India’s EV ecosystem is poised to witness an exciting battle ahead.
While this signals a promising future for EV adoption, there is a glaring issue of charging infrastructure that remains woefully inadequate.
Unlike in the US and China, where Tesla and other automakers have invested heavily in charging networks before scaling up EV sales, India is witnessing a reverse trend.
Should India mandate EV manufacturers to invest in public fast-charging networks before launching their models?
Let’s dive into the numbers, examples, and arguments.
The Charging Infrastructure Gap: India vs. US vs. China
As of April 1, 2025, India had 26,367 public EV chargers.
This is far behind the US, which boasts over 160,000 public chargers, including Tesla’s Supercharger network.
China, the world’s largest EV market, also has the world’s largest public electric vehicle charging network, with over 3.2 million public charge points as of July 2024.
Add to it the fact that BYD and CATL are investing in ultra-fast charging stations in China, with BYD looking to add 4,000 of its 1,000-kW flash charging stations that will allow cars to travel up to 470 kilometres with a five-minute charge.
Therefore, the disparity is stark:
- India: 26,367 public chargers
- US: 160,000+ public chargers
- China: 3.2 million public chargers
While India’s EV adoption is rapidly growing, the lack of charging infrastructure is becoming a major bottleneck.
Range anxiety and charging anxiety remain top concerns for Indian consumers.
According to a survey conducted by Park+ in July 2024, 51% of EV owners wanted to switch back to ICE or internal combustion engine vehicles due to charging anxiety taking over from range anxiety with the advancement in battery tech.
The report said that “88% of EV owners cite charging anxiety as their main concern. This anxiety is exacerbated by the uncertainty of whether charging stations will be operational or accessible when needed. Most EV owners rely on home or workplace charging, but the lack of convenient, ubiquitous charging options remains a substantial hurdle.”
Yet, automakers are rushing to launch EVs without addressing this fundamental issue.
Tesla, BYD, and VinFast: A Different Approach Elsewhere
Tesla’s Supercharger Network
Tesla’s success in the US and China is largely due to its Supercharger network, which ensures seamless long-distance travel.
In contrast, Tesla’s India strategy appears focused on securing office and showroom space, and there’s no concrete plan for a charging network announced or reported yet.
Perhaps a tad early to expect a formal announcement, but surely, the work on installing its Superchargers should have begun if Tesla were to launch its first model in India just months from now.
Tesla China’s first V3 Supercharger station is officially open to public, located at Jinqiao, Shanghai. pic.twitter.com/rg6xLCT4HV
— Tesla Asia (@Tesla_Asia) December 27, 2019
BYD’s Ultra-Fast Charging Expansion
BYD, China’s largest EV maker, has begun installing its ultra-fast charging stations, or ‘Megawatt Flash Chargers’, with 500 operational likely by this month in China.
However, in India, BYD has launched models like the Atto 3, Seal, Sealion 7 and eMax 7 without a dedicated charging network.
VinFast’s Charging Plans in India
VinFast is setting up a ₹4000 crore factory in Tamil Nadu, aiming to produce 150,000 EVs annually.
While the company has announced plans for a charging network under its V-Green subsidiary, there’s no clarity on whether it will match the scale of Tesla’s Superchargers or BYD’s ultra-fast chargers in the US or China.
BYD new 1000KW super charger – 5 min charging for 407KM. 🤯
NIO has battery exchange stations all over China which also takes about 5 min to replace w a fully charged battery. pic.twitter.com/VGk3IhqbrC
— Jen Zhu (@jenzhuscott) March 18, 2025
Indian OEMs and Government Plans
Last year, India’s government announced a revised plan or scheme for the installation and operation of EV charging stations.
According to a press statement, “The scheme addresses range anxiety of EV buyers by promoting in a big way the installation of electric vehicle public charging stations or EVPCS.”
According to the statement, “the scheme proposes the installation of 22,100 fast chargers for e-4 Ws, 1,800 fast chargers for e-buses and 48,400 fast chargers for e-2W/3Ws,” or 72,300 chargers.
The scheme has an outlay of ₹10,900 crore over a period of two years.
Earlier this year, homegrown EV leader Tata Motors had also announced plans to “expand the charging network to over 400,000 points in the next two years, in partnership with leading Charging Point Operators or CPOs” in India.
It had also announced plans to create a charger network that will offer superfast charging with 500 ‘TATA.ev Mega Chargers’ in 2 years.
Why India Should Mandate Charging Investments Before EV Launches
- Consumer Confidence & Adoption
- Without reliable charging infrastructure, EV adoption will remain slow.
- In 2024, India’s EV penetration had reached 7.4% of total vehicle sales, up from 6.38% in 2023, compared to China’s more than 50% as of August 2024.
- Avoiding a Fragmented Charging Ecosystem
- Multiple automakers launching EVs without a unified charging network leads to fragmentation.
- A standardised, interoperable fast-charging network would benefit all EV users.
- Learning from Global Best Practices
- Tesla’s Supercharger model in the US and China has proven that charging infrastructure drives EV sales.
- BYD’s ultra-fast charging expansion in China has boosted consumer confidence and the company’s share price.
- Government Policy & Regulation
- India could mandate automakers to invest in charging infrastructure before launching EVs.
- A public-private partnership model could accelerate charging deployment.
- One Charging App for India
- India should become the global first in launching a unified EV charging app.
- India’s one charging app can be bespoke for local needs, such as multi-language support, audio command enabled with AI, and integration with India-specific payment systems like UPI.
The Road Ahead: Charging First, EVs Second
India’s EV future appears bright, but the cart-before-the-horse approach is becoming a handbrake and significantly slowing adoption.
Indian and global EV automakers must prioritise building charging infrastructure in India first before flooding the market with their models. ‘Make in India‘ has to combine with ‘Install Chargers in India’ to make India’s EV story a success.
Whether through government mandates or voluntary industry and EV ecosystem players collaboration, India must ensure that charging anxiety doesn’t derail its EV revolution.
The question remains: will Tesla, BYD, and VinFast step up their charging game in India, or will consumers be left stranded with just one half of the EV ownership experience?
The answer will shape India’s EV journey for years to come.
About the Author
Anirban is a journalist and editor tracking India’s EV ecosystem and its impact on the climate economy.
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