Invest India & ARC Electric Forge Alliance to Supercharge EV Adoption and Charging Infrastructure in Tier 1 & Tier 2 Cities Across India
In a major push to fast-track India’s electric mobility transition, Invest India has partnered with ARC Electric to roll out a nationwide EV charging infrastructure plan targeting Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. The strategic alliance aims to address the fundamental roadblocks to EV adoption—lack of charging stations, high upfront costs, and policy fragmentation—while supporting India’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
This public–private collaboration is designed to create a scalable and inclusive EV ecosystem, combining technical expertise, regulatory facilitation, and investor mobilisation. It marks one of the most comprehensive initiatives yet to bring clean mobility beyond major metros and into India’s expanding urban centres.
Building a Scalable Charging Ecosystem
The core focus is on building reliable and accessible EV charging networks across urban geographies—from city centres and highways to residential societies and commercial hubs. Both fast and slow chargers will be deployed in a phased rollout, starting with pilot cities and expanding nationwide.
Invest India will bring its strength in policy advocacy, investor facilitation, and inter-ministerial coordination, while ARC Electric contributes technical depth in charger deployment, engineering standards, and system integration.
“This is not just about hardware—it’s about building confidence in electric mobility across urban India,” a senior Invest India official noted.
Pilot Projects and Consumer Outreach Underway
Pilot deployments have already begun. In one Tier 2 industrial city, 10 fast chargers and 50 slow chargers will be installed over the next six months. Simultaneously, consumer awareness campaigns, EV test drives, and training programs for electricians, technicians, and first responders are in progress to ensure readiness on the ground.
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The alliance is also working with state governments, municipal corporations, property developers, and utilities to streamline permissions and align infrastructure plans with local development goals.
Financial Innovation and Inclusive Ownership Models
To tackle affordability, the partnership is engaging with financial institutions including Tata Capital’s Decarbonisation Fund, green bond issuers, and private equity players to develop financing models such as:
- Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS)
- EV leasing schemes
- Subsidised loans and consumer finance solutions
The goal is to lower upfront EV costs for buyers while enabling operators to scale charging deployments with confidence.
Driving Policy and Regulatory Reform
The Invest India–ARC Electric alliance also intends to play a key role in regulatory standardisation. Policy recommendations will include:
- Unified tariff structures for public charging
- Net-metering guidelines for solar-integrated stations
- Land-use simplification for deploying chargers in urban spaces
- Technical standards for interoperability and safety compliance
Invest India is coordinating at the national level with the Ministries of Power, Transport, and Urban Affairs, while ARC Electric supports technical advisory committees on rollout frameworks.
KPIs and Long-Term Vision
The partnership has committed to ambitious targets for its initial 18-month phase, including:
- Installation of 1,000 EV chargers across 20 cities
- Achieving 50% utilisation rates on public chargers
- Boosting monthly EV sales in pilot cities by 30%
- Launching at least two innovative EV ownership models
- Training 5,000 EV technicians and service staff
- Reducing range anxiety perception by 40% (via surveys)
An independent advisory council will track and publish results quarterly, enabling data-driven decision-making and replication in other regions.
Empowering Tier 2 Cities and Local Economies
Importantly, the programme prioritises Tier 2 cities—where EV adoption is often held back by infrastructure gaps and limited investment. By targeting these underserved markets, the initiative aims to democratise access to green mobility and stimulate local job creation in installation, maintenance, and service delivery.
“Tier 2 cities hold the key to India’s next wave of EV growth. This partnership will unlock their potential,” said ARC Electric’s CTO during the announcement.
The Invest India–ARC Electric collaboration represents a turning point in India’s EV journey—offering a holistic solution to infrastructure, finance, awareness, workforce, and regulation. By merging national vision with local execution, the initiative is designed to be scalable, inclusive, and investor-friendly.As the programme gathers pace, it promises to bring clean mobility to the mainstream, bolster India’s green economy, and pave the way for a robust EV charging ecosystem across the urban spectrum.
