58% of potential EV customers in India are deterred by range anxiety, or concerns about not having enough battery power to reach the next charging station, according to a recent survey conducted by Forvis Mazars. In order to promote broader adoption, the report lists several problems with India’s EV infrastructure and suggests potential solutions.
India’s present EV charging infrastructure has several flaws. As of February 2024, there were 12,146 public charging stations around the country, which translates to one charging station for every 135 electric vehicles. In countries like the US and China, where there are 20 EVs and 10 EVs per charging station, respectively, the ratios are far lower. Furthermore, while 70% of public charging stations are found in urban regions, semi-urban and rural areas in India are underserved.
The report also mentions operational issues with the charging network. About 25% of public charging stations regularly experience outages due to technical challenges, grid connectivity problems, or maintenance delays. Because there aren’t enough public charging stations, 90% of EV users in India opt to charge their devices at home.
Another major problem is that EV charging takes an average of 1.5 to 2 hours in India. This is significantly less than the 30- to 1-hour international requirements for quick chargers. These kinds of delays impact the transition to electric vehicles and heighten consumer reluctance.
The study draws inspiration from countries such as Norway, which has achieved high EV adoption rates and has a robust charging network. In order to reduce installation costs and encourage private sector involvement, Norway standardized charging technologies, and no EV user lives more than 50 kilometers away from a fast charger.
The report’s conclusion emphasizes the need for a comprehensive plan to expand India’s EV ecosystem. In addition to building charging infrastructure and improving battery technology, this calls for creating supportive government rules to encourage investment and innovation in the sector.
