Electricity consumption at public charging stations (PCS) across India rose more than 72 per cent in FY26, reflecting growing use of electric vehicles across private and commercial segments. Data compiled by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) showed that public chargers consumed 1,460 million units (MU) of electricity in FY26, up from 848 MU in FY25.
Heavy-duty charging accounted for the bulk of consumption. More than 74 per cent of electricity used at public charging stations in FY26 went to heavy-duty chargers serving electric buses, trucks, high-capacity passenger coaches and commercial fleets. Light and medium personal and commercial electric vehicles accounted for the remaining 26 per cent. In FY25, the corresponding shares stood at 70 per cent for heavy-duty vehicles and 30 per cent for medium and light vehicles.
Maharashtra, Delhi Lead Consumption
Maharashtra recorded the highest electricity consumption at public charging stations at nearly 378 MU, accounting for about 26 per cent of the national total. Delhi followed with 359 MU, while Karnataka and Telangana recorded 213 MU and 111 MU, respectively. The CEA data, however, does not cover the entire country. Electricity consumption figures were unavailable for public chargers across the northeastern states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Chandigarh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, as distribution companies in these regions did not provide the relevant information.
The CEA said tracking electricity consumption at public charging stations is important for assessing the development of a reliable EV charging ecosystem, strengthening energy security and reducing emission intensity. Such data is also critical for load forecasting, distribution planning and integrated resource planning. India's EV market has meanwhile continued to expand. Total electric vehicle sales crossed 2.5 million units in 2025, rising 24.6 per cent year-on-year and accounting for nearly 8.5 per cent of all new vehicle registrations. Growth was led by electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers and passenger vehicles. The rise in charging demand comes as the government continues to promote EV adoption as part of its broader clean-mobility push and India's target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.