From fossil to flexible: Advancing India’s road transport electrification

Executive summary

Accelerating decarbonisation gains of electric vehicles

India’s road transport electrification is gaining momentum, supported by policies and consumer adoption. To maximise the emission reduction benefits of electric vehicles (EVs), clean electricity for charging must increase. In turn, by aligning charging needs with renewable energy generation, EVs can become the enablers of a clean and more flexible energy system.

India is rapidly transforming its transport sector by adopting EVs as a key strategy to reduce emissions and improve air quality. EV adoption has accelerated significantly in recent years due to national and state policies and purchase incentives. This shift aligns with India’s commitments to lower carbon intensity and achieve net-zero emissions in the coming decades.

This study focuses on the post-purchase phase of EVs, excluding aspects related to vehicle manufacturing. Switching from petrol or diesel vehicles to EVs eliminates tailpipe emissions, but their overall emission reduction benefits depend on the source of electricity used for charging.

At present, only a small proportion of grid electricity supplying the EV charging needs comes from renewable energy resources, with the grid having an emission factor of 727 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour (gCO2/kWh). On fulfilling National Electricity Plan (NEP)-14 targets by 2032, India’s clean energy share in the overall generation mix would reach ~50% with the grid emission factor expected to reduce to 430 gCO2/kWh by the fiscal year (FY)2032.

Even with the current electricity generation mix, just moving away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs can cut emissions by 33%-55% across vehicle categories. These emissions can reduce further by switching from fossil fuel-based electricity resources to clean electricity resources.

Efforts are already underway to align EV charging with periods of high renewable energy generation. Several states have introduced time-of-day (ToD) tariffs that encourage charging during solar hours by offering lower daytime rates. To fully leverage these incentives, expanding public charging infrastructure to enable more accessible daytime charging will be essential. In parallel, continued support for integrating rooftop solar with EV charging stations, along with enabling renewable energy procurement through open access routes, will be critical for deepening clean energy use in EV charging.