Government Subsidies: A Fairy Tale with Cracks
On paper, India’s EV growth is extraordinary. With schemes like FAME-II and the new PM E-Drive initiative, subsidies worth over ₹11,000 crore are being injected into the market. Buyers get attractive discounts:
- Maharashtra: Up to ₹50,000 plus 100% road tax exemption
- Gujarat: ₹15,000 plus 50% tax exemption
- Delhi: Major focus on commercial EV fleets
The numbers look stellar—India crossed 2 million EV sales in FY 2025, a 16% YoY growth. Yet, this progress hides cracks. Subsidies help the rich more than the middle class, while small-town buyers are still locked out of this so-called “revolution.”
Charging Infrastructure: The Broken Backbone
Every government speech promises charging stations every 20 km on highways. Reality? A 2024 IEFA study revealed that 84% of Delhi’s chargers were non-functional. Issues ranged from broken guns, blocked spaces, and zero power supply.
For millions living in apartments, the story is worse. Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) often refuse permissions to install home chargers, citing “safety risks” or “power overload.” The result? EV owners travel kilometers just to charge their cars.
This shows the EV scam in India is not just about money—it’s a social and economic filter that excludes the middle class.
The Power Grid Problem: Can India Handle EV Growth?
India’s electricity grid is already under immense pressure. Nearly 40% households face daily power cuts, while peak-hour transformers run at 80–90% load. Uncontrolled EV charging could push cities into frequent blackouts.
The truth is, unless India rapidly invests in clean power—solar, wind, and nuclear—the “green EV revolution” will simply replace one dirty dependency with another.
China Dependency: The New OPEC of EVs
Here’s the biggest red flag in the Indian EV scam exposed: while EVs claim to give us energy independence, we are silently falling into China’s monopoly.
- Lithium processing: 65% controlled by China
- Cobalt processing: 73%
- Graphite refining: 90%
- Battery cell manufacturing: 75%
India’s PLI scheme is pouring ₹44,000 crore into gigafactories. But experts warn these could end up as mere assembly hubs for Chinese kits. Just like with solar panels, India risks staying one step behind while China innovates ahead.
EV Sales Reality: Bubble vs Ground Truth
When we hear “2 million EV sales,” we imagine Teslas and futuristic SUVs on Indian roads. The reality? 60% were two-wheelers, 30% three-wheelers, and just 6% were electric cars.
Most EV cars are concentrated in Tier-1 cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Rural India, where power cuts are routine, is barely touched by this revolution. In truth, India’s EV boom is less about clean mobility and more about affordable e-rickshaws and scooters.
Solutions: Can We Fix the EV Scam?
The EV dream isn’t fake—but the narrative sold to us is. Here’s what can fix it:
- Clean Energy First: EVs aren’t zero-emission unless powered by renewables. Invest aggressively in solar, wind, and nuclear.
- Mandate Charging Points: Every new residential and commercial building should include EV charging as standard.
- Standardize Battery Swapping: Especially for two and three-wheelers to cut costs and boost practicality.
- Focus on R&D, not just assembly: PLI schemes must fund deep research, not just final-stage cell assembly.
- Battery Recycling: India must lead in recycling to secure future raw materials and cut import dependency.
Conclusion: The Indian EV Scam Exposed
The Indian EV revolution is not a complete lie, but the story told to us is. Behind the hype lie broken chargers, stressed grids, social barriers, and a dangerous dependency on China. Technology is not the enemy—the hype is.
India’s EV future can still be real, but only if we move from fairy tales to hard truths. Until then, the so-called clean revolution is just another illusion.
