Advancing India’s Road Transport Electrification

With the right policy changes and expanding charging infrastructure, only 3% of India’s National Electricity Plan (NEP)-14’s wind and solar capacity targets can power the country’s entire electric vehicle (EV) fleet in 2032. This is according to a new report by energy think tank Ember- titled “From fossil to flexible: Advancing India’s road transport electrification”.

Using two electric vehicles (EVs) stock projections for 2030/2032, the study stated that the country’s EV charging demand in 2032 will likely require approximately 15 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar capacity. This represents about 3 percent of the wind and solar capacity target of 486 GW by 2032, according to the latest National Electricity Plan from the Ministry of Power. Ember also noted that this would necessitate policy measures to align EV charging with the availability of clean electricity.

Key points to note in the report

• EVs offer an emission reduction of 33-55%. Powering them with RE would further reduce it by 18-26%

• Many Indian states are already designating solar hours as preferred EV charging duration eligible for rebate

• EV charging during RE hours also offers scope of grid flexibility and RE integration

• States with higher EV penetration need to align RE capacity at lower prices to promote green charging

“Today, most EV charging happens at homes in the evening and night, when fossil fuels dominate the power mix. Using measures such as Time-of-Day (ToD) tariffs while expanding public charging stations, especially at workplaces and commercial hubs, will enable more daytime charging and greater use of clean energy,” says Ruchita Shah, Energy Analyst at Ember.

States such as Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu have already introduced solar-hour ToD tariffs for EVs. This report selected 10 states for assessment, based on total EV sales in the fiscal year (FY) 2025, ensuring regional representation and recency of state EV policy. The selected states are Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. The report also highlights the need to improve data collection on EV charging to improve planning.

“Establishing mechanisms to collect and aggregate EV charging data while ensuring user privacy can equip electricity distribution companies with critical insights to forecast EV-driven electricity demand and effectively operationalise ToD tariffs,” says Shah.

Further, the report showcases that EV charging can contribute as another option for grid flexibility, presenting a unique opportunity to support renewable energy integration.

Green tariffs can enable renewable energy-based EV charging via dedicated procurement by electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs). Several State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) have notified such tariffs. However, these are not available for home charging, and the associated premiums will dissuade price-sensitive consumers.

“States with higher EV adoption can view the EV sector, among others, as a strategic lever to stimulate demand for clean electricity procurement. Both the centre and states are providing purchase incentives, which not only accelerate EV adoption but also hold potential to facilitate greater integration of renewable energy and will contribute to creating much-needed demand-side flexibility for the grid,” Shah added.

The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy