A new industry-led initiative, the Light Electric-Vehicle Acceleration Forum (LEAF), has been launched to strengthen India’s electric vehicle (EV) charging ecosystem, with a focus on accelerating the adoption of electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers.
The forum was inaugurated by H. D. Kumaraswamy, marking a significant step toward building a unified and efficient EV charging infrastructure in the country.
LEAF has been established as a neutral consortium that brings together key stakeholders across the EV value chain, including vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure operators, suppliers, component makers, and technology providers. The platform aims to foster collaboration between industry players and work closely with government and regulatory bodies to align with national EV policies.
The initiative comes at a time when EV adoption in India is witnessing rapid growth, particularly in the light electric vehicle (LEV) segment. However, challenges such as fragmented charging networks and inconsistent user experiences continue to hinder large-scale adoption.
To address these issues, LEAF will focus on advancing interoperability across charging networks, improving reliability, and ensuring a seamless user experience. One of the key developments in this direction is the Light Electric Combined Charging System (LECCS), approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards, which introduces a unified “Type 7” connector supporting both slow and fast charging.
The consortium has been formed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Hero MotoCorp Limited, Ather Energy Limited, and IPEC India. These founding members will serve as the initial steering committee guiding the forum’s direction.
At its launch, LEAF brought together over 20 organizations from across the LEV ecosystem, with plans to expand membership in the coming months. The consortium aims to create a scalable and cohesive public charging infrastructure that can support India’s growing EV demand.
Industry leaders associated with LEAF emphasized that India has reached a critical point in EV adoption, where addressing charging concerns will be key to sustaining growth. They noted that a collaborative approach is essential to deliver interoperable and reliable charging solutions at scale.
With initiatives like LEAF, India is positioning itself to become a global leader in light electric mobility by building a robust and future-ready charging ecosystem.
