Electricity consumption by Public EV charging stations in T.N. increased 20% in financial year 2024-2025

One of the challenges for charging infrastructure in the State is that the electricity tariff is higher when compared to other States, says a charger manufacturer. | Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

Tamil Nadu’s public electric vehicle charging stations (EV-PCS) used 16.17 million units (MU) of electricity in financial year 2024-2025, up about 20.8% from 13.383 MU in 2023-2024, as per data from Central Electricity Authority. However, Tamil Nadu lagged behind certain regions.

Delhi had the maximum EV-PCS electricity consumption at 328.03 MU, followed by Maharashtra 216.82 MU, Karnataka 79.61 MU and Gujarat (64.11 MU), as per the data.

According to data from Climate Trends, Tamil Nadu’s total EV sales stood at 76,359 units in the financial year 2024-2025, with penetration of about 3.94 per cent. The two-wheeler EV penetration stood at about 4.12%, three wheeler penetration stood at about 14.27% and four-wheeler penetration stood at about 1.65 per cent.

Ragavendra Ravichandran, co-founder and COO, Plugzmart, a Chennai-based EV charger manufacturer for high-power charging, said one of the challenges for charging infrastructure in the State was that the electricity tariff (fixed and variable tariff) was higher when compared to other States.

Sriram J, senior manager, charging infrastructure at Bolt.Earth, said higher electricity tariffs for charging stations when compared to other States was one of the challenges.

However, he said with the establishment of Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Ltd. there had been a lot of improvements with feedback regularly being sought on challenges faced by the charging operators.

“For Tamil Nadu to enhance its position in the EV market, it must prioritize expanding charging infrastructure, implement consumer and manufacturer incentives and increase public awareness about the benefits of electric vehicles,” Archit Fursule, research associate, e-mobility, Climate Trends, said.

Collaborating with stakeholders and aligning EV incentives with sustainability goals will further strengthen the State’s commitment to green transition, he said.

“As Tamil Nadu continues to enhance its charging network and implement supportive policies, we can expect a significant increase in EV adoption. The State’s proactive approach towards renewable energy integration makes it well placed to meet the growing demand for electricity from EVs. This growth phase is not just about numbers; it represents a strategic shift towards a more sustainable energy mode,” Mr. Fursule said.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) report titled ‘Electric Vehicle Public Charging Infrastructure: 2030 Roadmap’ released in December 2024, said there was a high variability of electricity tariffs across States and stressed on the need to shift to single tariff with consistency across States.

Published - June 08, 2025 08:32 pm IST