Karnataka Ranks 2nd in Highway EV Charging Stations

Karnataka has secured the second position in India for the highest number of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations installed along national highways. The state has set up 489 public EV chargers across its 8,191-kilometre-long National Highway network, according to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in a recent response in the Rajya Sabha.

Responding to a query by MP Derek O’Brien, the Minister shared that Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 507 EV highway chargers, followed by Maharashtra (459), Tamil Nadu (456), and Rajasthan (424) in the third, fourth, and fifth positions respectively.

Gadkari further informed the House that a total of 4,557 public EV charging stations have been installed along 146,342 km of national highways across India. However, he clarified that the central government currently does not have a dedicated incentive scheme for Charging Point Operators (CPOs).

Beyond highways, Karnataka also leads in urban EV charging infrastructure. As per data released by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in April 2025, the state has 5,880 public EV charging stations, more than any other state in India. Out of these, 4,626 are located in tier-1 cities, mainly in Bengaluru.

Karnataka has also made significant progress in expanding EV charging access to underserved areas, with 285 chargers in tier-2 cities and 969 chargers in tier-3 towns. According to BEE, India now has a total of 26,367 public EV charging stations.

This achievement reflects Karnataka’s proactive EV policy and its commitment to promoting sustainable mobility, making it a frontrunner not just in urban areas but also in rural and highway EV adoption.