India’s electric vehicle (EV) charging ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with Charge Point Operators (CPOs) playing a central role in deploying, operating and maintaining charging infrastructure. A new report by Rubix Data Sciences, titled “Rubix Sectoral Insights: India’s Charge Point Operator (CPO) Landscape,” examines the growth trajectory, market opportunities and operational challenges facing the sector.
The report estimates that more than 200 CPOs are currently operating across India, alongside e-Mobility Service Providers, charging aggregators and franchise partners. According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, India had 29,151 EV charging stations as of December 2025, comprising 8,805 fast chargers and 20,346 slow chargers. This represents an almost six-fold increase from approximately 5,000 stations in 2022.
The charging network has continued to expand in 2026. India had 67,657 chargers, including battery swapping stations, as of August 7, 2026, with around 73% rated below 30 kW. Karnataka accounted for approximately 21% of installed charging stations, followed by Maharashtra at 14%, with the top 10 states collectively representing nearly 78% of the country’s charging infrastructure.
EV adoption is also increasing across vehicle segments. As of mid-August 2026, EV penetration stood at 60.77% among three-wheelers, 8.88% among two-wheelers and 5.70% among four-wheelers. The report identifies rising EV registrations, supportive central and state policies, simplified licensing norms, fleet electrification and increasing industry participation as key drivers of charging infrastructure growth.
The PM E-DRIVE scheme, with an overall outlay of ₹119 billion, including ₹20 billion allocated for public charging infrastructure, is also expected to support the expansion of India’s charging network.
However, CPOs continue to face significant challenges, particularly low charger utilisation. The report cites utilisation levels ranging from 1% to 3% according to an SBI report and around 5% according to S&P Global. Uneven electricity tariffs ranging between ₹6 and ₹15 per kWh, expensive site acquisition and the operational requirements associated with maintaining mandated uptime of 98% are also putting pressure on CPO margins.
The report further highlights challenges associated with third-party host-site arrangements. CPOs operating chargers at locations such as malls, highway restaurants and other commercial premises may depend on host businesses for electricity connections. Limited visibility into electricity bills, GST compliance and energy expenditure can create operational and financial risks for charging operators.
According to Tushar Bhaskar, President, Rubix Data Sciences, the key challenge for CPOs is converting rapid infrastructure expansion into sustainable utilisation. He noted that operators that identify high-traffic locations and corridors used by fleets are likely to be better positioned than those focused solely on increasing the number of charging points.
The report also highlights the potential role of centralised and automated utility-bill management in addressing third-party billing challenges. Improved visibility into electricity payments, GST compliance and energy costs could help CPOs manage operating expenses across geographically dispersed charging sites.
Looking ahead, India has set a target of 30% EV penetration in new vehicle sales by 2030. The report also cites projections indicating significant growth in annual EV sales and public charging infrastructure requirements. A CII estimate cited by IBEF suggests that India could require at least 1.32 million public charging points by 2030, nearly 20 times the current installed base, based on a planning ratio of one charger for every 40 EVs.
With EV adoption expected to accelerate, the report concludes that CPOs with strong site networks, high-utilisation locations, efficient operations and differentiated charging solutions will be better positioned to capture India’s expanding EV charging infrastructure opportunity.
