Premium to public: Auto leaders call for dual-track strategy to drive India’s next leap in EV adoption

Experts agreed that India will need a mix of BEVs, plug-in hybrids and range-extender solutions to address diverse use cases while balancing climate goals and oil-import pressures.

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Indian automotive veterans came together at the ETAuto EV Conclave 2025 to outline the country’s next phase of electrification, stressing that India must approach its EV transition through two parallel highways: premium mobility and public charging infrastructure. Experts agreed that India’s EV journey can no longer be viewed solely through private car adoption, but must simultaneously address luxury garages, fleet yards and public transport depots.From the premium mobility lens, Hardeep Singh Brar, MD & CEO, BMW India, said that luxury EV demand, though still emerging, is expanding faster than the broader market. “Overall EV penetration in India is about 4 per cent, but in luxury it’s around 10 per cent, and for our brand it is 21 per cent,” he said. Brar added that affluent customers are increasingly aspirational, tech-forward and environmentally conscious. While range anxiety is largely resolved at the premium end, he said India must urgently improve public charging availability, reliability and ease of use.EV ecosystem

From the public mobility and multi-modal lens, Mahesh Babu, MD, Olectra Greentech, emphasised that adoption grows where EVs create value for operators. He pointed to over 11,000 electric buses already deployed and another 12,000–15,000 in the pipeline. The real constraints, he noted, are not production capacity but depot electrification, power supply and long-term financing mechanisms needed to support STUs and private operators.Representing new entrants and technology disruptors, Ranjan Nayak, CEO, JSW Motor, highlighted the importance of accessing global technologies and adapting them for Indian conditions. “Our role is not to reinvent every wheel, but to access the best technologies globally and fuse them with our domestic ecosystem,” he said. Experts agreed that India will need a mix of BEVs, plug-in hybrids and range-extender solutions to address diverse use cases while balancing climate goals and oil-import pressures.VinFast’s plans for India

Offering a broader regional perspective, Pham Sanh Chau, MD & CEO, VinGroup Asia Operations, showcased Vietnam’s fast-growing EV movement as an example of ecosystem-led growth. “We are not just selling vehicles; we are building a complete ecosystem,” he said, adding that VinFast intends to replicate its integrated approach in India.Industry leaders concluded that India’s next leap in electrification will depend on synchronised progress across the premium and mass markets, private and public mobility, vehicle and infrastructure development, and domestic and global supply chains.