TL;DR
BMW Group India CEO Hardeep Singh Brar noted India's slow EV adoption rate (4% vs. China's 40%), citing the price gap with ICE vehicles and insufficient charging infrastructure as primary challenges.
Hardeep Singh Brar, President & CEO of BMW Group India, stated at the Outlook Planet C3 Summit and Awards 2026 that India still lags significantly in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, with penetration around 4% compared to nearly 40% in China. Brar highlighted several key challenges impeding India's EV transition, including the substantial price gap between EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Despite government support through subsidies and a 5% GST on EVs (compared to approximately 40% on ICE vehicles), and exemptions from state-level registration costs, EVs remain more expensive.
Another major hurdle identified is the inadequate charging infrastructure, which continues to be a significant barrier to wider EV adoption across the country. These factors suggest that while policies are in place to encourage electrification, the journey towards widespread EV adoption in India is still a long one, requiring further efforts to bridge cost differentials and expand essential infrastructure.
