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There is a need for a public charging station every 50-100 kilometers to reassure customers on long journeys
| Photo Credit:
Albert Gea
The country’s passenger car leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) has stated that even though the electric vehicle (EV) segment is growing, customers still do not prefer EVs as their primary car due to range anxiety.
“Its [EV sales] are growing, but the total contribution to the industry is still 4.5 per cent, grown from 2.4 per cent earlier… The number-wise growth is 100 per cent. The reason is that customers still don’t take an EV as a primary car. The customer who wants to buy an EV doesn’t want to buy it as his/her first car because they feel they can’t travel far or can get stuck during the rains,” Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, MSIL, told businessline.
Banerjee noted that while many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are addressing range anxiety by launching EVs with a 500-kilometer range, the lack of public charging infrastructure remains a significant issue. This is because 95 per cent of people charge their vehicles at home.
“Cost of charging at home is ₹7 to ₹10 per unit, while charging outside [public chargers] costs them ₹20-21 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). So, till the time the infrastructure is not there, it will be a problem. Till the time you get the confidence and assurance, I may not be charging at public infrastructure,” he added.
Banerjee also stressed the need for a public charging station every 50-100 kilometers to reassure customers on long journeys. The time required to charge a vehicle should also be minimal, as this is equally important for long-distance travel.
Upcoming electric SUV
When asked about Maruti’s upcoming electric SUV — e-Vitara — which will be launched this fiscal year, he mentioned that the company is working to establish charging infrastructure in 100 cities, but affirmed that highways still lack adequate charging stations.
He also emphasised that all vehicular technologies should be available in the domestic market, allowing consumers to choose based on their needs. The government, he said, should not favour a single technology with incentives or tax benefits.
Currently, the total tax on EVs in India is 5 per cent (inclusive of GST), while a hybrid model is taxed at approximately 43 per cent.
“Fundamentally, all technologies are going to come and it should be the discretion of the customer based on his/ her need, and that is what it is going to happen. But, yes, one technology should not be given more weightage, and the options should be given to a customer. That is more important,” Banerjee added.
According to the latest data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), electric passenger vehicle retail sales saw a year-on-year jump of 93 per cent in July, reaching 15,528 units compared to 8,037 units in the same period a year ago.
Published on August 10, 2025
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