A recent report by Bolt.Earth reveals a significant shift in India's electric vehicle (EV) charging landscape: demand is increasingly moving beyond major metropolitan areas. Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are now showing rapid acceleration in EV charging activity, challenging the traditional metro-centric model.
Emerging Growth Hubs for EV Charging
According to Bolt.Earth's 'State of Charge: Exclusive EV Data Report 2026', cities like Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram, and Thiruvananthapuram are at the forefront of this expansion. These cities are witnessing a surge in charging demand, indicating broader EV adoption across India and a growing need for infrastructure development in smaller urban centers.
The report, which analyzed charging activity across major metros including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Kochi from FY24-25 to FY26-27, emphasizes that while large cities still account for substantial charging volumes, the rapid growth in smaller markets cannot be overlooked. This trend necessitates that charging network operators adopt a more granular approach to identify demand and strategically expand their infrastructure.
Bengaluru Retains Top Spot, Metros Show Varied Growth
Despite the rise of new markets, Bengaluru remains the largest individual market in Bolt.Earth's dataset, recording 190,954 charging sessions and consuming 526,990 kWh of energy. Among the major metros, Hyderabad and Kochi stood out as leading markets for growth in charging activity.
Conversely, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai demonstrated comparatively lower utilization rates, highlighting distinct differences in EV charging behavior and network usage even within large urban centers. This divergence suggests that simply increasing charger numbers across metros may not be sufficient; operators must consider actual utilization patterns and local demand when planning deployments.
Two-Wheelers Drive Sessions, Four-Wheelers Consume More Power
The expansion into smaller cities coincides with the continued dominance of electric two-wheelers in India's charging ecosystem. Electric two-wheelers accounted for 78.1% of charging sessions in FY26-27 year-to-date, an increase from 71.6% in FY24-25.
However, electric four-wheelers, despite representing only 16% of total charging sessions, consumed a disproportionately larger share of electricity, accounting for 67.3% of energy consumed (up from 58.1%). This disparity has significant implications for infrastructure planning, requiring networks to offer broad accessibility for frequent two-wheeler users while also providing high-capacity solutions for four-wheelers that demand more energy per charge.
The report also noted that charging session volumes typically peak around 6 pm, while energy demand reaches its highest point at 9 pm. This three-hour gap underscores the importance of planning infrastructure based on electricity consumption patterns rather than solely on the number of charging sessions.
Future of India's EV Charging Network
Bolt.Earth projects that the next phase of India's EV transition will require charging networks to move beyond metro-centric models, ensuring adequate availability and capacity across diverse geographical footprints and for various vehicle categories. Competitive advantage by 2030 will likely hinge on the strategic placement of the right chargers in the right markets, maintaining high availability during peak demand, and efficiently managing electricity consumption based on actual user behavior.