India's public charging network has grown quickly, and EV sales keep rising: about 2.55 million EVs were sold in FY 2025-26. But drivers still worry about whether a charger will be there, whether it will work and whether they can pay easily. From our work building and running stations, these are the things we believe the network needs next.
1. Reliability before numbers
Reports have found that a significant share of installed public stations were not operational at a given time, often because of grid connection delays, commissioning backlogs or maintenance gaps. A smaller network that always works builds more trust than a large one that often fails. Uptime should be measured, published and rewarded.
2. Faster grid connections
Getting power to a site is often the slowest part of a project. Clear timelines, single-window approvals and planning ahead for transformer capacity on highways would speed up deployment far more than adding new targets.
3. Filling the gaps, not crowding the cities
Major expressways now have fast chargers every few dozen kilometres, but some routes still have stretches of 150–200 km without a reliable DC charger. Secondary highways, smaller towns and tourist routes need attention.
4. Charging anywhere with one account
Drivers should not need several apps. Roaming between networks, simple QR and UPI payment, and plug-and-charge in future would remove one of the biggest everyday frustrations. See roaming and interoperability.
5. Clear, honest pricing
Drivers should see the full price, including taxes, before they start. Consistent display of prices across networks would build confidence. See pricing charging sessions.
6. Planning for two- and three-wheelers and heavy vehicles
Most EVs in India have two or three wheels, while buses and trucks need far more power. Both are often treated as an afterthought in planning focused on cars.
7. Safe, accessible, pleasant stations
Good lighting, shelter, seating, restrooms, and access for drivers with disabilities turn a charger into a place people choose to stop. See safety at night and accessible charging.
8. Data that everyone can use
Live availability and fault status shared openly through apps and maps would help drivers plan and help authorities see where investment is needed.
These are the standards we hold ourselves to at EVee Buddy. We would welcome conversations with site owners, fleets and policymakers who share them.
Sources
- EVreporter: 25,50,865 EVs sold in FY 2025-26
- Vahan Bazaar: India EV charging network 2026 highway gaps
This is an opinion piece. Figures are as reported in the sources above at the time of writing.