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Karnataka has emerged as one of India leading states in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, with 6,805 EV charging stations installed as of July 29, 2026, according to data from the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The state ranks second in the country in terms of installed EV charging stations, behind Maharashtra.
According to the response submitted in the Rajya Sabha on August 7, Maharashtra has 6,985 charging stations, just 180 more than Karnataka. India has a total of 52,718 EV charging stations, with Karnataka accounting for nearly 13% of the country’s charging infrastructure. Among other southern states, Tamil Nadu has 3,839 stations, Telangana 3,739, Kerala 3,399 and Andhra Pradesh 1,976.
At the national level, Uttar Pradesh has 4,493 EV charging stations, while Rajasthan has 2,827. The Ministry clarified that centralised data on the number of fast and slow charging stations is not maintained. Setting up EV charging stations is also not a licensed activity, allowing private players to establish charging facilities in accordance with the Ministry of Power’s guidelines issued on September 17, 2024.
Under the PM E-DRIVE scheme, central ministries, Central Public Sector Enterprises, states, Union Territories and their public sector undertakings are eligible to submit proposals for setting up public EV charging stations. These entities can establish and operate charging facilities themselves or engage charge point operators for the purpose.
Experts attribute Karnataka strong EV charging network to the state early and proactive 2017 EV policy. Transport expert M.N. Srihari said the focus should now move beyond increasing the number of charging stations towards improving reliability, interoperability, standardising charging tariffs and providing real-time information on charger availability. Expanding charging infrastructure beyond major cities to highways and inter-city routes will also help reduce range anxiety and accelerate EV adoption across Karnataka.
