India’s electric vehicle (EV) industry has expanded significantly in recent years, with annual EV sales increasing from around 50,000 vehicles in 2016 to approximately 2.5 million in FY2025-26. The country’s public EV charging network has also grown rapidly, increasing more than tenfold from 5,151 charging stations in 2022 to 52,718 as of July 2026.
According to a new briefing note by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the next phase of India’s EV transition will require greater focus on the reliability, affordability, and accessibility of charging infrastructure, beyond simply increasing the number of chargers.
Titled ‘Improving the EV charging experience in India: Beyond charger deployment’, the briefing note examines the remaining barriers to wider EV adoption and identifies measures to improve the charging experience for consumers.
Charith Konda, Lead Energy Specialist at IEEFA and co-author of the briefing note, said that charger uptime and reliability are critical to the EV charging experience. He noted that the focus should now shift toward ensuring existing chargers operate reliably, simplifying payment and access, and improving the availability of home charging.
The briefing note uses Delhi as a case study alongside a broader national assessment, drawing on inputs from charge point operators, Delhi’s power distribution companies, and EV users.
IEEFA identifies three broad areas for improving India’s EV charging ecosystem: convenience, cost, and ecosystem enablers.
Improving Charging Convenience
The report recommends linking public financial support for EV chargers to verified uptime and performance to improve charger reliability. It also calls for a unified payment system that allows users to pay for charging more easily across different charging networks.
For residential users, the briefing note recommends introducing a ‘right to charge’ for EV owners with designated parking spaces, reducing dependence on individual housing societies for approval of home charging installations.
Reducing Charging Costs
On cost, IEEFA recommends reducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on public EV charging from 18% to 5%, aligning it with the GST rate applicable to EV purchases.
The report also calls for dedicated and concessional financing mechanisms to support grid upgrades required for EV charging infrastructure.
Strengthening the EV Charging Ecosystem
The briefing note recommends greater coordination between transport departments and electricity distribution companies to ensure that the grid is prepared for increasing EV charging demand.
It also proposes reducing GST on battery-swapping services to 5% and implementing well-structured time-of-use (ToU) tariffs to encourage EV owners to charge during off-peak and renewable-energy-rich periods.
Dhruv Garg, Energy Finance Analyst at IEEFA and co-author of the report, said ToU tariffs could help shift charging demand away from conventional evening peaks, reduce pressure on the electricity grid, improve utilisation of renewable energy, and potentially lower overall system costs.
IEEFA said that improving the EV charging experience will require coordinated action across reliability, affordability, consumer access, and grid readiness. Addressing these factors alongside continued charger deployment could help reduce barriers to EV adoption and support India’s transition toward electric mobility.
