Nearly half of India’s potential electric vehicle (EV) buyers lack access to formal residential charging infrastructure, posing a major challenge to the country’s transition to electric mobility, according to a new report by EV charging platform Kazam and the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE).
The report, titled The Net-Zero Transition Starts at Home: Enabling EV-Ready Residences in India, highlights that residential charging remains one of the most neglected areas of India’s EV ecosystem despite rapid growth in electric vehicle adoption. Electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers currently account for nearly 90% of EV sales in the country, making home charging facilities essential for large-scale adoption.
The study analysed data from more than 80,000 residential EV charger installations, along with technician surveys and consumer interactions across over 5,000 pin codes. The research covered several high EV adoption regions, including Assam, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Unlike many global markets where electric passenger cars dominate adoption, India’s EV growth is being driven largely by light electric vehicles such as electric scooters and three-wheelers. These vehicles are commonly charged overnight at homes, increasing the importance of reliable and safe residential charging infrastructure.
The report identified three major challenges affecting the expansion of home charging facilities. The first is the pressure placed on residential electricity networks due to long charging cycles, typically lasting four to six hours. Many existing residential systems were not designed to handle regular EV charging demand.
The second challenge relates to electrical safety. The report highlighted issues such as overheating and melting of household sockets, voltage fluctuations, and poor earthing systems, which can affect charging reliability and create safety risks.
The third challenge is linked to housing infrastructure, especially in urban areas. Limited parking availability, approval challenges from resident welfare associations (RWAs), and resistance from landlords are slowing charger installations. The report noted that around 70-75% of urban households live in apartment complexes, making building-level EV readiness increasingly important.
To address these issues, Kazam and AEEE proposed an EV-ready residences framework focusing on key requirements such as adequate electrical load, dedicated charging circuits, proper metering, safe wiring, reliable earthing, and consumer awareness.
The organisations suggested that the framework could eventually be standardised in consultation with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), helping developers, housing societies, and homebuyers evaluate whether residential projects are prepared for EV charging.
Kazam Co-founder and CEO Akshay Shekhar said EV-ready homes must become a core part of residential planning rather than being treated as an additional feature. He added that government initiatives such as PM E-DRIVE and state EV policies could support electrical upgrades, especially for low-income households and rental communities.
The report also highlighted the economic importance of home charging for India’s growing gig economy. With the gig workforce expected to reach 23.5 million by 2030, affordable residential charging could reduce operating costs for delivery workers and commercial drivers. Public charging users often pay significantly higher electricity costs and lose productive time while waiting for vehicles to charge.
Industry experts said the next phase of India’s EV transition will depend not only on vehicle adoption but also on building safe, accessible, and reliable charging infrastructure at homes.
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