India is making significant strides in enhancing its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure as part of its commitment to electric mobility. Between March 2022 and March 2024, public EV charging stations in the country grew over ninefold. The PM E-DRIVE scheme by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has allocated INR 2,000 crore to develop a comprehensive network of public charging stations in key cities and along major highways, effectively addressing concerns about range anxiety. To support this growth, the Ministry of Power (MoP) has introduced updated guidelines for EV charging infrastructure. While the immediate focus is on expanding the public charging station network to meet demand, accessibility—particularly for people with disabilities, older adults, and other vulnerable groups—has not yet emerged as a priority.
Accessibility, in the broadest sense, goes beyond merely accommodating those with disabilities; it involves creating safe, secure, and convenient infrastructure for all EV users. Given that this infrastructure will serve India’s EV landscape for the coming decades, there is a unique opportunity and an urgent need to integrate accessibility considerations into the earliest stages of planning and design. Addressing these needs early avoids costly retrofits and ensures infrastructure supports a diverse population from the outset. According to a World Bank study, integrating accessibility considerations from the planning and design stage costs 1-2% of the project, whereas introducing them later increases costs to 5% or more. India can glean valuable insights from countries with mature EV networks, particularly in policies that make charging stations more accessible, user-friendly, and equitable. Drawing from global examples, this piece explores how mandating inclusive and accessible EV charging can be integrated into policy from the beginning, ultimately providing a blueprint for India’s approach.
Mandating Accessibility from the Start
One of the most effective ways to ensure accessible infrastructure is to build accessibility mandates directly into policy. In the European Union (EU), for instance, the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive (AFID) 2019 prioritises usability and accessibility requirements for all users, including older persons, persons with reduced mobility and persons with disabilities, and all new EV charging installations. These regulations cover features like providing sufficient space around the parking place, ensuring that the charging station is not installed on a kerb, ensuring buttons or screens are positioned at heights that are easily reachable for all users, considering cable weights manageable for users with limited strength, making the stations usable for a wide range of abilities—all critical for inclusivity. The United States has gone further, with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) setting out detailed requirements for accessible EV infrastructure, particularly in states like California. Beyond physical accessibility requirements—such as providing adequate space for entering and exiting vehicles, unobstructed access to charging stations, free movement around the station and vehicle connection points, clear pathways, proximity to building entrances, and clear signage—digital accessibility is equally crucial. The Act specifies that user interfaces, payment systems, and information and communication technology (ICT) associated with EV charging stations must also be accessible if these stations are developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government. The UK’s British Standards Institution launched an accessible chargepoint standard called PAS1899 in 2022. The standard sets out the minimum specification for accessible public charge stations, offering designers, procurers, and installers clear guidelines to create inclusive and accessible EV charging infrastructure. Such comprehensive policies emphasise that both physical and digital accessibility are central to designing inclusive EV infrastructure.
Ensuring Consistency through Standards and Enforcement
Setting up infrastructure is one thing, but ensuring consistent accessibility standards across all EV stations is equally crucial. Canada provides a valuable model in this respect: the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) framework enforces uniform usability across EV stations nationwide. This standardisation means that no matter where a user travels, they can expect accessible, reliable infrastructure.
Laying the Foundation for Inclusive EV Infrastructure in India
For India, the opportunity to embed similar standards is now while the infrastructure is in its nascent stages. By establishing clear mandates for both physical and digital accessibility, India can lay the foundation for an inclusive national network that doesn’t treat accessibility as a separate rollout but rather as the default standard. The central government, especially the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, could develop and introduce national accessibility standards for EV infrastructure by incorporating them into the Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India – 2021 and following up with amendments to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules 2023. The mandatory standards for accessibility will lead to compliance at the ground level ensuring consistency across the country. To incentivise compliance, central funding for state-level EV infrastructure projects could be tied to these national accessibility guidelines. The PM E-DRIVE scheme and future incentives could prioritise or provide additional support to states that align with these requirements, encouraging states to adopt accessibility standards without compromising their policy autonomy.
As a starting point, these standards could be introduced at revenue-sharing charging stations developed through public-private partnerships to set an accessible framework for all future installations. This will set clear expectations for private operators that accessibility is integral to all partnerships. While state governments grant NOCs (No Objection Certificates) for setting up charging infrastructure, linking these NOCs to meeting the specific accessibility standards could ensure that all charging stations—public, captive, and private—are accessible to a wider range of users. Governments can also offer subsidies to cover a percentage of the costs for public EV chargers that meet accessibility standards, thus encouraging private entities to develop accessible stations. Concessional rates, tax breaks, and grants that reward accessible designs would ensure that inclusivity is prioritised across the EV industry, encouraging companies to think beyond basic infrastructure expansion.
Additionally, the central government could establish a digital certification process for user interfaces and payment systems at EV charging stations, requiring them to comply with the Accessibility for ICT Products and Services 2021-22 standards issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards. This would apply across states, establishing consistent digital accessibility as EV infrastructure grows.
Most importantly, it’s essential to build awareness among all stakeholders about the critical role of accessibility in EV infrastructure. Highlighting accessibility considerations and educating stakeholders will ensure inclusivity is a recognised and valued part of India’s EV transition.
Why India’s EV Infrastructure Needs an Accessibility-First Approach
The opportunity is clear: India’s EV infrastructure is still in development, and by building accessibility into the foundation, we can avoid the pitfalls. With policies incorporating accessible design features, financial subsidies, and public-private partnerships, inclusivity can be set as the baseline for India’s EV ecosystem. Embracing accessibility as a primary design principle will broaden the benefits of electric mobility to all and support a truly equitable transition. Drawing from global best practices, India can lead the way in establishing an inclusive national EV network. Building an accessible EV infrastructure is more than the right thing to do; it’s about future-proofing mobility to accommodate everyone and driving a sustainable transition that leaves no one behind.
Authored by Aishwarya Aggarwal – Lead, Centre for Inclusive Mobility, OMI Foundation
Aishwarya leads the Centre for Inclusive Mobility at OMI Foundation. She is an urban mobility professional with expertise in sustainable mobility, gender and inclusion, transport infrastructure development and liveable cities. She is an ardent Global Goals advocate and a Salzburg Global Fellow.
