As our cities struggle to curb the menace of alarming levels of air pollution, a transition to electric vehicles is seen as a much-needed step towards cleaner air, as it would significantly cut down carbon emissions. According to a source apportionment study by CSTEP, Bengaluru’s vehicular emission contributes to 40% of PM2.5 pollution and 19% of PM10 pollution in the city, thus posing a great threat to public health and the environment. Electric vehicles (EVs) could bring considerable relief by completely cutting down on tailpipe emission. But a smoother transition from fossil fuel driven vehicles demands adequate and affordable EV charging infrastructure.
Prathap is a delivery partner who uses electric two wheelers to work with an e-commerce site for fast delivery of groceries in the city. He currently uses an electric scooter which has to be charged for 6 hours. “I charge my scooter overnight and also have to charge it in the afternoon during my lunch break. I have to wait till it gets charged. With fast charging facilities and more charging stations, I can charge my scooter faster and can take more orders. There are facilities to pay and charge, but these are also not very useful”, says Prathap.
Prabhu, a delivery partner in Bengaluru says that repair and service charges are high and service stations are so far that buying an electric vehicle won’t be feasible. He is now considering renting electric vehicles from facilities that also offer free repairs and services. “With the current demand, if there are more EVs in the future, more charging stations will also be needed”, Prabhu said.
Why are electric vehicles important?
Nearly 88% of Bengaluru’s vehicular population are private two-wheelers and four-wheelers. “As most people are using private vehicles, transitioning to EVs could significantly reduce carbon emission”, says Vivek Gavimath – Senior Analyst working in the green mobility group at CSTEP.
According to a study by The Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), more than 23 lakh EVs are expected to ply on Bengaluru roads in 2030. This could curb above 3.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. CSTEP’s survey reveals that 56% of potential vehicle owners are likely to choose electric vehicles over conventional petrol, diesel vehicles.
It is also estimated that 36,000 public charging stations would be required in 2030.
Addressing the charging infrastructure gaps
According to the CSTEP study, as of 2023, Bengaluru had 800 EV charging stations. A press release from the Ministry of Heavy Industries puts the total number of functional charging stations in Karnataka state at 1041, as of February 2024.
Reports from August 2024 suggest that there are more than 4,400 charging stations in Bengaluru Urban alone. While the growth seems to be promising a faster shift to electric vehicles, there are some gaps that need to be addressed.
For Kunal (name changed on request), a photojournalist, installing charging stations on the outskirts of the city is very important as it could reduce the range anxiety EV users have. “While the range is enough to drive around the city for my work, when I have to travel beyond the city, it is not possible,” says Kunal, adding “Also I have to wait in the charging station as it is crowded most of the time; this shows that more charging stations need to be installed to meet the demand”.
However, it is not just about having more charging stations in the city; most of the existing BESCOM (Bangalore Electric Supply Company Limited) charging stations are not functional. BESCOM has installed 310 charging stations in Bengaluru with around 870 charging guns, which can be navigated through the EV Mithra app. When we last checked the app on January 14 2025, only 166 were available (functional). A couple of stations we visited were also closed, even though the app showed them to be functional. These stations were also located in small streets which were hard to find.
While BESCOM officials did not respond to our queries related to this, experts say that some of the closures may have been because of the supply-demand gap in the areas — because the stations are located in areas where the demand is less. To address this gap, authorities much deliberate on strategic placement of charging stations in high-demand areas, such as shopping malls, markets and office complexes say .
While users call for more charging stations, experts argue that existing ones are underutilised. This is due to poor placement — stations are set up in easily available but low-demand areas, often hard to locate, rather than where they are actually needed. Kaustubh Gosavi, Program Lead, Electric Mobility, WRI India, explained this critical challenge – the underutilisation of existing public charging stations.
“Public charging stations were initially installed at locations based on space availability rather than through spatial analysis to identify demand hotspots. This, combined with home charging being the primary method for EV users, has led to the underutilisation of public charging stations”, he said.
Strategic development of EV charging infrastructure
Setting up 36,000 charging stations over the next five years isn’t as straightforward as it seems. “The critical question isn’t just about how many charging stations we deploy, but why, where and when we deploy them. Are these stations being utilised effectively? Are they strategically located in high-traffic areas? Charging station deployment must be optimised to ensure stations do not sit idle, that they generate footfall and revenue, and remain operational. It’s a reminder that thoughtful planning and demand-based placement are as important as the infrastructure itself” says Kaustubh.
Read more: Guide to setting up Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in your community
Range anxiety is prevalent among EV users when they drive for longer distances or when they drive beyond the city limits, and this needs to be addressed by placing charging stations along the highways. Kaustubh points out that charging infrastructure needs to be viable, the real transition that we need to see is in commercial fleets—both cargo and passengers. This is because these commercial vehicles run for longer distances and have a higher demand for charging.
Developing upstream infrastructure
Generally Charge Point Operators (CPO), the owner of the land where the charging station is to be set up and the Distribution Company (DISCOM) — which, in the case of Bengaluru, is the Bangalore Electric Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) — are the parties involved in setting up a charging station. Once the CPO and land owners agree upon setting a charging station, DISCOMs have to provide a new connection.
According to guidelines from the Ministry of Power, DISCOMs should provide connection within three days in metropolitan cities, seven days in other municipal areas, 15 – 30 days in rural areas and 90 days, if extension of distribution mains, or commissioning of new substations is required.
To meet the growing demand for public charging infrastructure, it is essential for DISCOMs to upgrade the upstream infrastructure which includes power generation plants, transmission lines, and substations that produce and transport electricity, before it reaches local distribution networks. Strengthening upstream infrastructure ensures reliable power supply, reduces transmission losses, and prevents grid failures.
The PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme has allocated Rs 2,000 crore for charging infrastructure development. Flexibility of funding for establishment of charging infrastructure, to the extent of 100% of cost (including upstream power infrastructure) of the project, may be made available through this scheme. The government should consider availing these schemes to address the growing EV trend and needs in Bengaluru.
According to the CSTEP report, 47 percent of Bengaluru’s power needs are already being met through renewable energy sources. To make usage of EVs fully green, generating power for charging stations only through renewable sources and promoting charging in public stations could be helpful.
Way forward
According to the CSTEP report, those who use EVs for commercial purposes — including cab, delivery partners etc. — prefer charging stations at their workplaces or exclusive charging stations set up by their respective companies. But in a congested city like Bengaluru where there is a huge space crunch, would there be enough room for that? Approximately 141 acres of land will be needed to build the required charging stations.
Vivek of CSTEP however feels that space won’t be a hurdle, as 85% of the demand would be from electric two wheelers and charging stations can be installed in smaller pockets.
Installing signages to improve the visibility of charging stations, security systems to improve safety and periodic maintenance are important for a well-functioning public charging station .
Looking ahead, Kaustubh emphasises the need for a holistic approach, involving both government policies and corporate incentives, to promote cleaner mobility. “Existing buildings should be retrofitted with charging stations, and new buildings should have EV readiness requirements,” he suggests.
As the EV revolution continues to gain momentum, experts believe that the charging infrastructure ecosystem will evolve and optimise itself over time. The government’s dual push for infrastructure and vehicle adoption, coupled with the industry’s learning and innovation, will be crucial in navigating the challenges and unlocking the full potential of electric mobility in India.
What the government should consider for a strategic development of EV infrastructure
- Demand driven placement of charging stations after proper spatial analysis.
- Installing more charging stations in the outskirts of the city to deal with the range anxiety of users.
- Improving the visibility of charging stations through signages and navigation for easy access.
- Improving the security systems in charging stations to prevent equipment damage and regular maintenance and functionality checks should be carried out.
- Encourage partnerships between government bodies, private companies, and commercial hubs to set up charging infrastructure in malls, office complexes, and residential societies.