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A report by Amber highlights a paradox in India's EV revolution: while EV sales have surged, 77.7% of the electricity used for charging comes from fossil fuels, undermining the clean energy goal.
The report suggests that transitioning to renewable energy for EV charging could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, emphasizing the need for policy shifts and infrastructure development.
Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in India have grown 11 times in the last five years. While only 175,000 EVs were registered in 2020, the figure reached 1.89 million in 2025. But behind this overhead success lies a huge environmental challenge. The electricity used for charging EVs is still largely coming from fossil fuels. A new report by think tank Amber, titled From Fossil to Flexible: Advancing India’s Road Transport Electrification, exposes this paradox. According to the report, India’s EV revolution is still incomplete.
The report said currently 77.7 per cent of the electricity for charging EVs in India comes from fossil sources. At present, an average of 727 grams of carbon dioxide is emitted from every kilowatt-hour of electricity received from the national electricity grid. If India meets the 486 GW wind and solar capacity target of its National Electricity Plan (NEP-14) by 2032, this emission could fall to 430 grams, and the share of clean energy could reach 50 per cent.
Today, even though India’s EV tailpipe emissions reduce emissions to zero (No carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and other pollutants), it is possible to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 33 to 55 per cent if they are charged with coal-fired electricity. That too depending on the vehicle category. The report says that if charging is completely from renewable energy, then this reduction can be more.
By 2030, India’s EV charging needs are expected to reach around 25,300 GWh, equivalent to about 14 GWh of dedicated wind and solar capacity. This is only three per cent of the New Energy Policy-14 target of 486 GWh. That is, it is not only possible to meet the entire demand with clean energy, but also very economical.
According to the report, EVs have been sold the most in 10 major states of the country. These include Uttar Pradesh (which topped the list on the basis of EV sales figures in 2025, with 70.6 per cent of EVs sold being three-wheelers). Assam (94.2 per cent) and Bihar (78.8 per cent) also saw a major share of three-wheelers being sold. On the other hand, two-wheelers dominated EV sales in Maharashtra (86.1 per cent), Tamil Nadu (86.3 per cent), Karnataka (85.4 per cent) and Odisha (85.8 per cent).
Karnataka (37.6 per cent) leads the way in the use of clean energy for charging, followed by Odisha (29.8 per cent), Rajasthan (24.2 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh (23.8 per cent). EV front runner Uttar Pradesh stood at 18.3 per cent. But solar and wind-rich states such as Gujarat (12.3 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (12.8 per cent) are lagging behind in clean power due to a lack of hydropower.
As per the report, since 2015, the central government has implemented a total of Rs 71,270 crore (about $ 8.6 billion) of EV incentive schemes. From FAME-I (2015-19) and FAME-II (2019-24) to the e-bus service launched in 2023 and the PM e-Drive scheme of 2024, these include two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, e-buses, e-trucks, and e-ambulances. Along with this, more than 25 states have implemented their EV policy. In 2025, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have updated their policies to set sales targets for 2030, charging station incentives and renewable energy-based charging hubs.
The report noted that eight states, including Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, have implemented time-of-day (TOD) tariffs, with discounts on charging between 10 am and 4 pm, which are peak hours. States like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are also implementing TOD on domestic charging.
But the problem is that most charging happens at night, especially in homes. At present, there are only 26,367 public charging stations across the country. This limits the benefit of charging during the day with a TOD policy i.e. with discounts. The report suggested that if battery swapping or public charging at workplaces and business centres are expanded, daytime charging will become more feasible.
Green tariff is in place in some states, where consumers can buy 100 per cent green electricity by paying an additional premium. But this facility is only for those whose connected load is more than 100 kW. Domestic EV consumers are out of it. Also, the uptake is low due to high premiums.
Options such as rooftop solar-based charging stations have emerged in Delhi and Bengaluru, but high costs and space constraints limit its reach. The report also points out that open access rules have improved after June 2022, allowing EV charging stations to now buy renewable electricity directly even at 100 kW load, but there are still tariff and permission constraints.
The report suggested that EVs should be considered as a resilient power consumer. Smart charging technology will enable peak load management, demand response and ancillary services. But for this, it is necessary to collect data related to charging patterns, time and place. Currently, most EVs are charged in homes, so the information required for grid operations does not reach the discoms. The report calls for an integrated state-wise PCS database to strengthen both identification and policy formulation of unreserved areas.