New Delhi, 7pm – The Indian electric vehicle boom is real. Sales have tripled in two years. The cause is simple: petrol at 100 rupees a litre. The middle class is feeling the squeeze. They are switching to EVs. But there is a catch. The charging grid is a mess.
I spoke to a source in the Ministry of Power. Off the record, they admitted: 'The grid is not ready. We have 2,000 charging stations for 1.5 million EVs. That's a ratio that would make a Westminster lobbyist blush.'
The government is pushing hard. FAME II subsidies are working. But the infrastructure is lagging. Delhi has more charging points than the rest of India combined. That is a problem. States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are black spots. Literally. Power cuts are common.
Ola Electric is the poster child. Its scooters are everywhere. But the company is burning cash. Analysts whisper about a funding crunch. The stock is down 20% this quarter. The game is about scale. Can they survive?
The real battle is in Whitehall terms: the backbench rebellion is coming from state governments. They want more say in grid upgrades. The centre is dragging its feet. This is a cabinet split waiting to happen.
Polling data shows 70% of urban Indians want an EV. But 60% fear range anxiety. That is a chasm. The charging network is the key. Private players like Tata Power and BP are stepping in. But it is slow. Very slow.
A Whitehall insider joke: 'India’s EV policy is like a marriage where the dowry is paid but the house is not ready.' The honeymoon is over. Now the work begins.
The UK can learn from this. Our own charging network is patchy. Rural areas are neglected. India’s struggle is a warning. If you build the demand but not the supply, you get a crisis.
My source added: 'The next six months are critical. If the grid fails during summer, the backlash will be brutal. Modi knows this. He is watching.'
The game is on. The clock is ticking. The grid is fragile. India’s electric dream could short-circuit.
