EV Charging Reality Check: Promised Speeds Often Missing
Jatinder Singh owns a premium electric SUV. He voices a common frustration among EV users across India. Most public chargers fail to deliver the charge they advertise on their apps. I met Singh at a ChargeZone EV charging hub on Dharwad's outskirts in Karnataka.
The Popular Hub with Persistent Problems
This charging station sits within a large food court. It ranks among the most frequented points on the busy Pune-Bengaluru highway. Its popularity stems not just from nearby eateries where drivers can eat while charging. Users consider it one of the more reliable stations along this crucial route.
NITI Aayog's e-Amrit Charging Map portal reveals India has only 29,277 active public chargers. Maharashtra and Karnataka lead in functional charging infrastructure. The Pune-Bengaluru highway boasts the highest number of charging stations on any major Indian highway or expressway.
By December 2025, this route had 60 operational stations. Another 49 were commissioned. India's public EV charging infrastructure has improved dramatically in recent years. Higher-wattage chargers are becoming more common. They reduce average charging times significantly.
Firsthand Experience Reveals Reliability Gaps
Yet reliability remains a persistent concern. I experienced this firsthand during a nearly 3,000-kilometer test drive. The journey took me from Mumbai to Kochi via Bengaluru in a Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 450. This vehicle currently holds the title of India's longest-range electric SUV.
The EQS SUV 450 offers a real-world range around 600 kilometers. At launch, it was among the few EVs making relatively hassle-free interstate travel feasible. Today several home-grown EVs feature larger battery packs. They offer even longer ranges. This shift reshapes buyer preferences that were once limited to city-only use.
Naman Taneja is a Mumbai-based businessman. He frequently travels to Goa, Coonoor and Coorg in his long-range EV. He explains his purchase decision clearly. He bought his EQE primarily for long-distance drives.
Uneven Power Supply Disrupts Charging Sessions
In practice, charging speeds often fall short of promised rates. A 60 kW charger typically delivers closer to 49 kW. A 120 kW unit rarely exceeds 80 kW. This significantly prolongs charging times for impatient drivers.
Along my journey, several charging kiosks offered convenient highway access. They provided food options and ample parking. Yet the chargers appeared marked offline on their service apps. The ChargeZone hub near Dharwad remains popular for its relative reliability. It also offers access to a 120 kW DC charger.
Even there, however, output frequently gets halved. This sometimes happens when the second charging gun remains unoccupied. At Dharwad, the EQS received only 60 kW of charge. The vehicle queued behind it faced the same limitation.
Technical Glitches and User Frustrations
Most charging sessions proceed seamlessly. But spontaneous disconnections occur far too often. Users receive notifications via their apps. These often prompt anxious dashes back from food kiosks. Drivers rush to investigate what went wrong with their charging session.
A local security guard shared concerning observations. Technical issues have been increasing steadily. Stations typically provide a toll-free helpline. They offer contact numbers for technicians. Yet help can take several days to arrive.
Ironically, the guard revealed the most effective way to get attention. Shutting down the entire station forces ChargeZone headquarters to intervene on priority. Disappointed with low output at one location, I drove to a single 140 kW ChargeZone charger. Fortunately it was unoccupied.
After receiving a 40% charge at just 80 kW, the system malfunctioned. This added yet another delay to an already long journey. The core issue emerges clearly. The growth of public chargers has far outpaced grid planning.
Grid Challenges Across Multiple States
Across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala, load-shedding and power interruptions disrupted multiple charging sessions. Several commissioned chargers remain non-functional. This includes those installed by PSUs like Indian Oil. Unresolved issues with state electricity distribution companies cause these problems.
Navigating Multiple Apps with Many Glitches
Navigating India's charging ecosystem means navigating multiple apps. Statiq serves as a public charging aggregator. It ranks among the most widely used and preferred platforms by EV owners. Other commonly used platforms include Jio-BP, ChargeZone, and Tata Power EZ Charge.
Users frequently cite Tata Power EZ Charge as the most unreliable option. Each app comes with its own interface quirks and challenges. Some require a minimum non-refundable wallet balance. This balance cannot be used for actual charging.
Others, like ChargeZone, often show a station as occupied. This happens even when the same user attempts to initiate charging. The gun cannot be plugged in before selecting the station on the app. Most EV users eventually adapt to these complexities. But the learning curve remains steep for newcomers.
Manufacturer Attempts to Bridge the Gap
India lacks a seamless, unified charging network like Tesla's Supercharger system. Mercedes-Benz India attempts to bridge this gap. They are not installing ultra-high-voltage chargers. Instead they introduced a platform called MB.Charge.
This app allows Mercedes-Benz owners to access multiple public charging networks through a single interface. It offers seamless charging and automatic payment. Managing director Santosh Iyer explains upcoming features. Customers purchasing the upcoming CLA electric won't need to pay immediately.
The transaction will be handled through the car's operating system. Like Tesla's system, this service remains exclusive to Mercedes-Benz owners. Most manufacturers downplay public charging as a barrier to EV adoption. MB.Charge represents an implicit acknowledgement of reality.
Even though most EV owners rely primarily on home charging, a fragmented and unreliable public network continues to slow adoption rates across India.
The Anxious State of EV Highway Travel
Ajay Krishnakumar lives in Bengaluru. He shares his perspective openly. He bought his EV mainly for the performance. He can really enjoy this only on highways. But on highways, he feels constantly anxious about range.
There's no guarantee the next charging station will even work properly. Another passer-by shared a troubling experience. He once had to drive 24 kilometers out of his way. A charging hub malfunction forced this detour.
The promise of electric mobility came hand in hand with fast charging. In countries like China and the US, public chargers range from 50 kW to 350 kW. High-capacity chargers are widely available on highways.
In India today, nearly every new EV sold can accept up to 150 kW of charging. This means a 30-40% top-up should take no more than 20 minutes at a well-equipped charging station. Reality often falls short of this promise. Drivers continue facing unpredictable charging experiences across the nation's growing EV infrastructure.
