Recent Developments:
- NITI Aayog released the India Electric Mobility Index 2025 on 15 September 2026 in collaboration with WRI India, making it the second edition of the index after 2024.
- Delhi emerged as the top performer with a score of 84, followed by Maharashtra (78), Karnataka (73), Chandigarh (71) and Goa (65). These five jurisdictions were classified as Top Performers.
- The overall scores of the 36 States and Union Territories ranged from 10 to 84, while the median score increased from 36 in 2024 to 40 in 2025, indicating broad but uneven improvement.
- Madhya Pradesh recorded the most notable improvement in ranking, moving from 23rd to 7th position, while Delhi increased its score from 77 to 84 and Maharashtra from 68 to 78.
About the India Electric Mobility Index:
Nature and Objectives:
- The India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) is a composite index that evaluates both the policy framework and implementation outcomes for electric mobility across India's States and Union Territories.
- The 2025 edition assesses 28 States and 8 Union Territories and tracks their progress towards an electric mobility transition during 2025.
- The index aims to benchmark state performance, identify successful approaches, encourage healthy competition, facilitate peer learning and support evidence-based policymaking.
- It strengthens both competitive and cooperative federalism by allowing States and Union Territories to compare their performance and adopt suitable practices from one another.
Structure of the Index:
- The IEMI evaluates 16 indicators under three themes: Transport Electrification Progress, Charging Infrastructure Readiness, and Electric Vehicle Research and Innovation Status.
- Transport Electrification Progress: It carries the highest weight of 50% and measures private and commercial EV adoption along with governance initiatives, purchase incentives, transition support, operational support and fuel-price parity.
- Charging Infrastructure Readiness: It carries 30% weight and assesses charger availability, charging infrastructure subsidies and development initiatives, building regulations, renewable-energy capacity and power availability.
- Electric Vehicle Research and Innovation Status: It carries 20% weight and covers EV startups, research and development initiatives and patents.
Key Findings of IEMI 2025:
Overall State Performance:
- Delhi (84), Maharashtra (78), Karnataka (73), Chandigarh (71) and Goa (65) were the five Top Performers nationally.
- Among the Large States, Maharashtra and Karnataka were the only Top Performers, while Tamil Nad(61), Madhya Pradesh (59), Odisha (55), Andhra Pradesh (52), Telangana (51), Haryana (51), Rajasthan (51) and Uttar Pradesh (51) were classified as Frontrunners.
- The remaining Large States, namely Chhattisgarh (49), West Bengal (42), Bihar (40), Kerala (40), Jharkhand (40), Punjab (39) and Gujarat (38), were classified as Emerging Performers.
Theme-Wise Performance:
- Transport Electrification Progress remained the weakest major dimension, with only Delhi, Chandigarh and Maharashtra reaching the Top Performer category; therefore, increasing actual EV adoption remains the largest opportunity for most States and Union Territories.
- Charging Infrastructure Readiness performed comparatively better, with Karnataka scoring 97, followed by Goa (92) and Maharashtra (91), demonstrating that infrastructure development can advance faster than vehicle adoption.
- Electric Vehicle Research and Innovation showed wide variation across States and Union Territories, with Delhi recording the highest score of 94, reflecting its stronger ecosystem of startups, research activity and patents.
India’s Electric Mobility Transition:
Growth in EV Adoption:
- India's EV penetration increased from only 0.5% in 2018 to 8.25% in 2025-26, while more than 8.7 million EVs were operating on Indian roads.
- Nearly 2.5 million EVs were registered during 2025-26, representing an increase of approximately 25% over the previous financial year, with two-wheelers accounting for the largest share.
- Electric commercial goods vehicles also recorded rapid growth, with penetration increasing from 0.6% in 2024 to 1.4% in 2025.
- Public charging infrastructure expanded substantially, with around 29,000 public charging stations reported by June 2025; however, charging availability remains uneven across States and regions.
Policy and Institutional Framework:
- By December 2025, 26 of 36 States and Union Territories had active EV policies covering areas such as adoption, charging infrastructure, research, innovation and manufacturing.
- The IEMI highlights that the policy challenge is increasingly shifting from policy formulation to implementation, including charger deployment, regulatory enforcement, financial incentives, grid preparedness and ecosystem development.
- The PM E-DRIVE Scheme supports EV adoption through demand incentives and also provides ₹2,000 crore for public EV charging infrastructure on a pan-India basis.
- The scheme has also been extended, with the overall PM E-DRIVE framework continuing until 31 March 2028, alongside support for electric buses and domestic manufacturing.
Major Challenges:
Uneven Charging Infrastructure:
- Limited charging infrastructure remains a major barrier, particularly where settlements are dispersed and the economic viability of charging networks is weaker.
- The mismatch between charging infrastructure readiness and actual EV adoption shows that infrastructure availability alone does not guarantee rapid electrification.
- As of March 2026, the Government reported continued expansion of public charging infrastructure and reiterated the ₹2,000 crore PM E-DRIVE allocation for public charging stations.
Regional and Institutional Disparities:
- E-mobility preparedness varies considerably between metropolitan regions, industrialised States, remote areas and Hilly and Northeastern States.
- The IEMI therefore introduced peer grouping into Large States, Union Territories and City States, and Hilly and Northeastern States to make comparisons more context-sensitive.
Innovation and Manufacturing Gaps:
- India's EV innovation ecosystem remains concentrated in a limited number of States, while many regions have relatively few startups, research initiatives and patents.
- Domestic manufacturing is expanding, but battery-cell manufacturing and critical mineral security remain important strategic concerns because electrification can otherwise shift import dependence from crude oil towards batteries and critical minerals.
- The Production-Linked Incentive framework for Advanced Chemistry Cell battery storage and automobiles and auto components is intended to strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply-chain resilience.
Significance of Electric Mobility:
Environmental Significance:
- Road transport accounts for roughly 12% of India's energy-related carbon dioxide emissions and contributes significantly to urban air pollution, making transport electrification important for India's decarbonisation pathway.
- Electric mobility can reduce tailpipe emissions and, when combined with a cleaner electricity mix, contribute to lower lifecycle emissions.
Energy Security:
- Road transport consumes approximately 70% of India's diesel and 99.6% of petrol, making transport electrification relevant to reducing dependence on imported crude oil.
- Reduced oil dependence can strengthen energy security, improve external-sector resilience and reduce exposure to international crude-price volatility.
Economic and Industrial Significance:
- The automotive sector contributes approximately 7.1% of India's GDP, accounts for nearly half of manufacturing GDP and supports around 19 million direct and indirect jobs.
- EV transition can therefore simultaneously promote industrial modernisation, clean-technology innovation, domestic manufacturing, skilled employment and new business models.
- India's large two-wheeler and three-wheeler markets provide a distinctive pathway for electrification because these segments have high utilisation and are particularly relevant to urban and commercial mobility.
Way Forward:
Shift from Policy Formulation to Implementation:
- States should move beyond purchase subsidies towards charging infrastructure, building regulations, fleet electrification, financing mechanisms, public transport electrification and regulatory enforcement.
- Performance monitoring should focus on actual outcomes such as EV adoption, charger availability, utilisation rates, domestic manufacturing and innovation rather than merely counting notified policies.
Build an Integrated Charging Ecosystem:
- States should develop interoperable charging networks, single-window approvals, suitable land policies, reliable electricity supply and renewable-energy integration.
- Charging infrastructure should be planned along urban corridors, highways, public transport routes and commercial mobility clusters to reduce range anxiety and improve utilisation.
Strengthen Domestic Value Chains:
- India needs greater investment in battery cells, recycling, battery management systems, power electronics, motors, charging equipment and critical-mineral supply chains.
- Research partnerships between universities, industry, startups and government institutions can strengthen indigenous technological capabilities.
Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Mobility:
- EV policies should address the needs of low-income users, commercial drivers, public transport operators and rural areas, rather than focusing only on private passenger vehicles.
- Electrification of buses, shared mobility and commercial three-wheelers can produce wider public benefits through lower operating costs and reduced urban pollution.
Value Addition for UPSC:
Key Data Points:
- IEMI 2025 Top Performer: Delhi, score 84.
- Second and Third: Maharashtra 78, Karnataka 73.
- India's EV Penetration: 8.25% in 2025-26, compared with 0.5% in 2018.
- EVs on Indian Roads: More than 8.7 million in 2025-26.
- EV Registrations in 2025-26: Nearly 2.5 million.
- Public Charging Stations: Around 29,000 by June 2025.
- PM E-DRIVE Charging Allocation: ₹2,000 crore.
- Road Transport's Energy-Related CO₂ Share: Roughly 12%.
- Automotive Sector Contribution: Approximately 7.1% of GDP.
- States and UTs with Active EV Policies: 26 out of 36 by December 2025.
UPSC Linkages:
- Environment: Decarbonisation of transport, urban air pollution and renewable-energy integration.
- Economy: Import substitution, industrial policy, employment generation and domestic value-chain development.
- Essay: Electric mobility as a convergence of environmental sustainability, energy security, technological innovation and inclusive economic growth.
Mains-Ready Conclusion:
- The India Electric Mobility Index 2025 shows that India's EV transition is progressing but remains geographically and institutionally uneven.
- The next phase must move beyond policy notification towards effective implementation, reliable charging infrastructure, domestic manufacturing, technological innovation and inclusive adoption.
A coordinated approach involving the Centre, States, industry, research institutions and consumers can make electric mobility an instrument of decarbonisation, energy security, industrial competitiveness and Viksit Bharat 2047.
