India could meet the entire electric vehicle (EV) charging demand projected for 2032 using just 3 percent of the country’s planned wind and solar capacity, provided the right policies and infrastructure are in place, energy think tank Ember said. The report examines how EV growth and renewable energy targets can align to drive a cleaner transport and power future.
According to Ember’s analysis, India’s National Electricity Plan (NEP)-14 has set a target of 486 GW of installed wind and solar capacity by 2032. The report finds that only about 15 GW — roughly 3 percent of this target — would be sufficient to meet the projected electricity demand from EV charging in that year. This projection is based on two EV stock growth scenarios for 2030 and 2032. While the renewable capacity needed is small relative to the total target, the real challenge lies in aligning EV charging patterns with renewable energy generation, particularly solar power.
Currently, most EV charging in India takes place at homes during the evening and night hours, when the electricity mix is dominated by fossil fuels. To harness cleaner energy, Ember recommends implementing Time-of-Day (ToD) tariffs that incentivize daytime charging, when solar generation is abundant. Additionally, scaling up public charging infrastructure, especially at commercial centers and workplaces, will be critical to shift more charging into solar hours.
Some Indian states have already begun implementing policies to encourage cleaner charging. Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu have introduced solar-hour ToD tariffs for EVs, making it more cost-effective to charge vehicles during peak solar generation times. Ember’s report focuses on ten states with significant EV sales in FY2025 and recent EV policy activity — namely Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh — to ensure both regional representation and policy relevance.
The report also underscores the importance of robust EV charging data collection. Accurate and timely data on where and when EVs are charged can help electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) better predict demand and optimize grid operations.
Ruchita Shah, Energy Analyst at Ember, emphasized the need for secure and privacy-preserving mechanisms to collect and aggregate this data, which would support the operationalization of ToD tariffs and other demand management strategies.
Another key finding from the report is the potential for EV charging to enhance grid flexibility. Managed charging can act as a tool to absorb surplus renewable power, thus supporting the integration of intermittent sources like solar and wind into the grid.
Some states have introduced green tariffs that allow DISCOMs to procure renewable energy specifically for EV charging. However, these green tariffs are not currently available for home charging, and the additional costs or premiums associated with them could discourage widespread use among price-sensitive consumers.
Ruchita Shah notes that as EV adoption increases, the EV sector can play a strategic role in driving demand for clean electricity. This presents an opportunity for both central and state governments to leverage EV incentives not only to decarbonize transport but also to support the broader clean energy transition by increasing demand-side flexibility and enabling better grid management.
In summary, while the electricity needed to charge India’s EV fleet by 2032 represents a small fraction of the country’s renewable energy goals, unlocking this synergy will require smart policy design, data-driven planning, expanded infrastructure, and an overarching effort to shift charging to align with renewable generation patterns.
Baburajan Kizhakedath