EV revolution in the country interrupted by 'ghost chargers'

THE "GHOST CHARGER" SAGA ENCAPSULATES INDIA'S COMPLEX DANCE BETWEEN VISIONARY ASPIRATIONS AND THE EXECUTION OF DURABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

- Charles Assisi

Beneath India's roads, if you listen close enough, there are some jarring sounds—the hum of "ghost chargers." These chargers were engineered to be silent. But as things are, they appear to be yelping in pain as all kinds of powers flog India's ambitious electric vehicle (EV) revolution. The cables are straining and it would appear to many their purpose is forgotten. And why may that be?

Picture this: You navigate to a charging station confidently highlighted as "active" on your app. On getting there, you find the place either stripped of essential components or repurposed into a garbage bin. In Delhi alone, 84% of surveyed chargers are non-functional. Casualties if you will, of theft, negligence, or unreliable power. Nationally, half of all chargers lie idle, failing EV owners who placed their trust in India's electric promise.

Yet, rewind to May 2025. India proudly announced nearly 30,000 public chargers, a significant jump in infrastructure. The numbers painted progress. But they masked an unsettling truth: there's always a chasm between promise and gritty ground realities.