Startups can help India realize 2030 EV growth target: Experts India currently has one public charger per 135 EVs, far below the global standard of 1 per 6-20 EVs.

As India aims for a greener mobility future with a target of 30% EV penetration by 2030, insufficient charging and battery infrastructure could pose a challenge in realizing the goal unless new players scale operations.

According to a report by JMK Research & Analytics, electric vehicle sales in India crossed the 20-lakh mark in FY2025, with electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) accounting for half of the share, taking the cumulative EV sales to 61.65 lakh units. However, as of March 2025, the number of public charging stations was just 26,367. India currently has one public charger per 135 EVs, far below the global standard of 1 per 6-20 EVs.

"India's target of 30% EV adoption by 2030 requires over 3.9 million charging stations. And yet, we currently have just one public charger for every 135 EVs. This gap isn't just about the quantity, but also about the quality — the intelligent and inclusive infrastructure we need. And that's where startups are crucial to building India's EV charging ecosystem," said Vaibhav Kaushik, Co-founder and CEO of Nawgati – a fuel aggregator platform.

He added, "The government has taken essential steps to boost the EV ecosystem and broader industrial innovation by introducing incentives, infrastructure support, and policy frameworks. However, to build on this momentum and attract even more new players, especially startups and first-time investors, it's important that the government further de-risk market entry and signal long-term opportunity."

He said the key starting point could be regulatory clarity and speed. The current approval process varies widely across states and often lacks a cohesive framework. "The government could start by introducing a unified, single-window clearance system for EV infrastructure projects, which could significantly reduce time to entry for new entrants," Kaushik said.

According to a S&P Global report, although the number of public charging stations has risen, disparities persist in Tier-2 cities and rural areas. "This uneven growth contributes to range anxiety among potential buyers," the report noted.

Kaushik said the startups can play an important role in reaching the Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as they will look to maximize their revenue by scaling their operations. "Startups can be indispensable because they are willing to tackle high-friction problems, such as setting up infrastructure in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where demand is growing but solutions are limited. They can move fast, collaborate across the ecosystem, and design tech-enabled systems that adapt to India's diverse geographies and usage patterns," he said.

"The majority of EV users currently rely on home charging, which isn't a viable solution for many urban residents who lack access to dedicated parking spaces. This limitation, coupled with range anxiety, continues to hinder widespread EV adoption. For commercial EV fleets, the stakes are even higher—high uptime is critical to ensure timely deliveries, reduce vehicle idle time, and optimize fleet efficiency and utilization. Likewise, the growing use of Electric Transport Services (ETS) for employee commutes demands a reliable and accessible charging network to maintain punctuality and operational consistency," said Dev Arora, Founder & CEO, Alt Mobility.

He said If the issue is not combated on an urgent basis, eventually EV adoption will plateau, especially in commercial fleets, whose existence is directly linked with vehicle uptime.

While legacy companies like Tata Power with 1.2 lakh home chargers, over 5,500 public and semi-public chargers across around 550 cities, and startups like Statiq with a network of more than 7,000 EV charging stations leading innovation in the market, a lot more players are needed.

An industry body official said the financial viability of public charging stations also remains low and adds to the gap. "Current utilization rates at public charging stations in India remain below 2%, and to achieve profitability and scalability, we need to aim for 8–10% utilization by 2030 to attract more players," the industry official said.

Besides the inadequate charging infrastructure, battery production in the country also faces challenges. The government, in a bid to support local manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries used in EVs, has extended customs duty exemptions to extra 35 types of equipment needed for making such batteries. "This will boost domestic manufacture of lithium-ion battery for electric vehicles," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had stated.

Experts said the incentives and subsidies offered government were promising for the startups.

"Just as the cost of fuel determines the running cost and the viability of traditional transport, the cost of batteries and their life (in number of cycles) fundamentally determines the economic viability of EVs across different use cases. The lower the cost, the faster the transition to EVs. In this context, the support announced by the government in the budget and across schemes is very positive and, in the longer term, will not only reduce the cost of battery manufacturing in India but will also ensure that an adequate supply is created. This will benefit all EV form factors irrespective of whether they are fixed battery or on swapping," said Kunal Mundra, Co-Founder and CEO, Astranova Mobility.

There are, however, concerns such as issues faced while setting up an EV battery manufacturing facility in India. Pratik Kamdar, Co-Founder and CEO, Neuron Energy, said, "One of the major challenges is that India lacks significant reserves of critical raw materials, like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Also, the development of advanced battery cell technologies, including solid-state batteries, is trailing. We also must focus on getting skilled professionals who cater to areas like design and engineering, who can help ramp up production."

He said India can achieve battery self-reliance with strategic policy support, localization of cell manufacturing, domestic mining, and processing of lithium reserves.