Government Fleets In India Yet To Embrace EV

When it comes to EV adoption by the state itself, few walk the talk. 

The issue is not intent, the government is trying to push EVs, but the ecosystem is not fully ready, whether in terms of charging infrastructure or the availability of suitable vehicles.

— Puneet Gupta, Director, S&P Global

Officially, the transition from fuel-guzzlers to sustainable mobility is encouraged with speeches and subsidies, citing pollution, rising fuel import bills, and climate change. The process of replacing fossil fuels has been integrated into the country's mobility policy.

But the Central and state governments don’t seem to be practising what they preach.

While ministers mostly use the Toyota Fortuner, police and army officers often travel in a Mahindra Scorpio or a Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. Prime Minister Modi himself is generally seen in a Range Rover Sentinel or a Toyota Land Cruiser. All these cars are petrol or diesel-based.

So, when newly sworn-in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay zooms around in a BMW i7 electric limousine for his daily official commute in Chennai, he makes for a rare sight.

How Low Is Adoption

The numbers speak for themselves. 

Union Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari told Parliament in 2022 that the total number of vehicles used by government bodies is 8.47 lakh, spanning central ministries, state departments, and public sector entities. Of these, only 5,384 were electric at the time, accounting for roughly 0.6%. 

According to Gadkari, the local authorities - at 1,352 - account for the highest number of EVs in government use, followed by 1,273 used by public sector undertakings and 1,237 by state governments.

By November 2024, around 2,200 EVs had been rolled out in Central and state departments as part of the ‘EV as a Service’ programme of the state-owned Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), which brings together all government EV procurement.

In a city like Delhi, where pollution remains a persistent concern, with the air quality turning ‘severe’ every winter, the pace at which the transition to EVs unfolds carries significance. 

But a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit for Delhi in 2023–24 pointed to gaps in implementation, saying there were instances of payments for six government electric vehicles not being made, while approvals for 31 more were not granted. 

Most official cars - used for regular duties, field visits, and, by high-ranking officials – still run on traditional fuels. The imbalance grows stronger as policy targets and incentives advance. 

Where EV Push Is Visible

The Indian government's push to promote electric vehicles has gained momentum over the past few years, with a range of policy support, budget allocations, and growing charging infrastructure. 

In cities like Delhi, the transition is most apparent in public-facing systems. The capital has rapidly expanded its charging network, supported by a mix of public and private players like BSES and Tata Power. 

Thousands of charging and battery-swapping points are now operational across the city. Power distribution companies alone have added over 3,000 charging points in the last financial year, reflecting the pace at which EV infrastructure is being scaled up.

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus network has undergone a visible shift, with electric buses now forming a substantial portion of the fleet. According to the Economic Survey of Delhi 2025–26, out of roughly 6,100 buses operated by DTC and the transport department, over 4,300 are electric. 

This transition is often highlighted as a model for other states, demonstrating how large-scale electrification can be implemented within structured, centrally managed systems. 

Together, these developments project momentum.

Gaps In The Government Fleet

The transition, however, is far less visible within the government’s own day-to-day operations. 

Official cars used by departments, field offices, and senior functionaries have not seen a comparable shift. Unlike public transport, where electrification is planned, funded, and closely monitored, these fleets operate across different departments, often without a unified transition roadmap.

While charging points are expanding, their integration into government offices and daily workflows remains uneven. The result is a quiet disconnect. 

Infrastructure is growing, public systems are adapting, but the vehicles that keep the administrative machinery running are yet to follow at the same pace. “Tenders were issued, and efforts were made, but without parallel infrastructure, EV adoption (for vehicles in government use) cannot scale,” said Gupta.

Why The Gap Exists 

The turnaround has been slower in the official fleet owing to several reasons. 

Foremost among them is cost. Electric cars have become more affordable than before, but typically still cost more than fuel-powered cars. For instance, the Tata Nexon EV is priced at around ₹15–17 lakh, while its petrol counterpart, the Tata Nexon, costs ₹9–13 lakh. This means purchasing electric cars on a large scale will be a financial decision for departments that already have defined budgets. 

Funding patterns also reflect this constraint. 

The 2023–24 CAG audit in Delhi noted that a ₹1 crore allocation for a feeder bus service and electric vehicles scheme remained entirely unutilised due to slow progress, highlighting how implementation gaps can delay adoption despite budgetary support.  

The practicalities are another consideration. 

Electric vehicles are not considered secure enough to provide high-level protection to ministers. For long-distance travel, intercity movement, and extended field visits, factors like driving range and charging time continue to influence decision-making. 

“The biggest bottleneck today is charging infrastructure. Without that in place, large-scale adoption becomes difficult,” said Puneet Gupta when asked about the lack of EV adoption in government vehicles.

Product limitations also play a role. “There are limited electric vehicle options that meet government requirements in terms of range, safety, and operational needs,” Gupta said.

There is also a clear institutional lag. Fleet procurement varies across departments, each following its own timelines and priorities. Without a unified mandate or clear transition roadmap, adoption remains fragmented.

Broader implementation challenges also persist.

The Centre can issue guidelines, but unless implementation is prioritised, execution on the ground remains weak, and awareness is still limited.

— Deepak Nanwani, Head of Business at Yuma Energy

Will This Change?

Efforts are being made to address some of the constraints. 

Under the ‘EV as a Service’ model of CESL, government departments are being offered electric vehicles on a leasing basis, removing the need for upfront capital expenditure and shifting costs to a monthly payment structure. 

Prime Minister Modi’s remarks have also placed electric mobility at the centre of India’s growth narrative, with an emphasis on wider adoption across sectors. Within government circles, too, there have been discussions around incorporating EVs into official use, including high-visibility deployments, that is, those used in ministerial convoys or by senior officials.

CESL plans to introduce around 5,000 electric cars across government fleets over the next two years, indicating a more structured push towards adoption.

Whether this momentum results in a broader transition, however, will depend less on announcements and more on execution. Specifically, if electric options begin to feature in routine procurement rather than remaining confined to pilots or symbolic additions, things might actually change.