Public sentiment regarding India's EV exports is predominantly optimistic, yet tempered by skepticism towards domestic manufacturing capabilities and reliance on foreign technology. Commenters express a strong desire for self-sufficiency, innovation, and necessary improvements in infrastructure, indicating hope for future collaboration in the EV landscape despite acknowledging existing challenges.

Indian Government

Local Manufacturers

Foreign Technology Providers

Its not really crazy prediction. Most of the countries outside the west will get to EV faster. As they are now cheaper to make and now with solar prices dropping so much very cheap to run as well. So as long as you have cheap skilled and unskilled labour which most of Asia and Africa do ev will make transport a lot more affordable and accessible to a larger population of the world. The ev and solar boom will be in the next decade as battery and solar prices keep dropping.

whatthehell7

This isn't a bold prediction at all.  Poorer countries often skip outdated technology. India doesn't have to worry about the industry supporting ICE vehicles like the US does. You saw this in Africa with digital and mobile payments. They skipped the outdated parts of the western banking system

LoverOfGayContent

You know what? I think you might be right

Benjiyanyi

[deleted]

The curve ball in this is the number of city dwellers in the U.S. that are discovering that electric scooters are pretty doggone good ideas.  For a few hundred bucks you can leave your car parked in that prime spot for a week at a time and bring the scooter in the apartment to plug in.  I've seen a growth in my neighborhood in just the past year.

Might be hard to count those numbers though.

Sagrilarus

I don't think that is a very wild prediction. I think most countries will probably beat America to 50% market share. Especially once Chinese companies really start ramping up production and export of cheap EVs. 


Most people in most countries don't say things like "I drive 600 miles a day without peeing while towing my boat up hill in the snow, so EVs didn't work for me."

Additional-Sky-7436

India and China have urgent air quality crisis, it’s not just climate change. They also don’t have 5 generations of irrational nostalgia about pumping gas.

Snoo93550

Just the other day I saw an EV Tuk Tuk…in Tokyo. (It literally said “EV Tuk Tuk” on its back.)

I was taken aback like, “What? Aren’t those things seen in India?” But then I was “…sure why the hell not”. Sure seemed pretty practical for a 3-person solution with minimal storage space required.

needle1

The main difference between India and the US on this front is the lack of anti EV sentiment folks are bombarded with. I know many electricians that rag on EVs and the grid can't handle it blah blah while *being paid* to install wiring for one. Bitch, upgrading the grid to handle them is your entire job.

twoaspensimages

EV's are inevitable. Electricity is cheaper and more stable than gasoline. And India will be more independent. Plus, their population is bigger than America.

rbetterkids

Of course, America is not developing but a deteriorating country.

Morfe

Right now, I don’t think it is a crazy prediction.   The US is not taking EV and infrastructure seriously yet.

Remote_Diamond_1373

Of course they will, they haven't banned Chinese cars from their roads. I think even Australia which had been lagging will also beat the USA to 50%, I bet the USA will be the slowest transition to BEVs in the developed world, and will be slower than MANY developing nations. 

Next362

India does not have oil, it has lots of sunshine/solar potential. I expect nearly all countries without oil to surpass the US to 50% marketshare.

conor34

the United States has joined a very small club of countries that are acting like global warming is not a serious problem for the future of humanity

everyone else seems to be in agreement it's happening, is a very big deal, and should be the top priority

Salt-Analysis1319

There was a fascinating Volts episode recently about how a combination of a crappy grid and an oversupply of cheap panels out of China means that solar is currently blowing up in Pakistan.

I could totally see a model of cheap solar panels charging up small electric transit options (bikes, 3-wheelers) as a common thing in lower GDP markets.

Upset_Region8582

America is held back by its addiction to oil.  That America has vast reserves and ability to refine fossil fuels means it is not as incented to move to electrification as other countries are.  It's a prime reason China has invested so heavily in electrification: it lacks huge oil reserves.

LEM1978

indian here. i feel like this is a pretty misguided take.

every once in a while, i go on a road trip of about \~400km, which is quite a bit out of range of most EVs on sale here (for the most part, they use modified IC platforms. very few dedicated EVs here). there are some DCFCs on the route - but most of them are slow 50-100kW chargers with poorly maintained facilities and unreliable power supply. i've seen the backup generator for these chargers run for the entire duration of charging sometimes. many people here live in apartment-style housing and the local electricity boards are VERY reluctant in installing L2 chargers in apartments.

the US is many, \*many\* years ahead of us on EV infrastructure and has way more advanced EV tech. two wheeler EVs here may get more popular due to the density of urban areas, but I feel like the US will continue to stay ahead when it comes to long-distance four-wheelers and innovation in the EV space

Additional_Tale9340

I think india might be quick to adopt EV two wheelers. As a country with a severely under employed youth, and educated youth working food delivery jobs, the ev two wheelers would be a necessity. Would they be good quality? No. Indian products rarely are. But they will be used.

If you are saying that India will have the same quality and type of EVs as America, I would call you delusional. 

I think India will be richer and it will grow, but the people will remain poor for the most part because india, as a society, lacks critical thinking. While the world has moved on, they are still stuck in their medieval ways....drinking cow urine, fighting over castes, rioting over religion, rejected educated students over "low caste" students who barely make any effort. They are still electing for a government looking to create a theocracy and I doubt things will change. Its a shame because unfortunately I have to visit in the near future as my in-laws are from there, and I really really dread being there.

Inkuisitive_Minds

America will be left with gasoline and the imperial system. It will be a strange place to visit in 50 years

chronocapybara

I suspect the USA will be one of the last countries to hit 50% EV usage. What other countries have their government actively working against their adaptation? The USA is going to be decades behind.

OBoile

I completely buy it. I’ve been to India a few times now, earliest being 2020, latest being a few weeks ago, and while stats say EV penetration is still only 3%, it’s a *very* noticeable uptick on the ground. Partly because many EVs there [proudly announce](https://i0.wp.com/emobilityplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/05.png?fit=2768%2C1848&amp;ssl=1
) what they are, but still. They don’t seem to have as many Chinese EVs as neighboring countries, but with Tata and now Mahindra getting into the game, it may not matter. Someone on this forum posted a few weeks ago about his Mahindra EV, so I [checked it out myself](https://imgur.com/a/kOxpS2w
) and honestly, it seemed really solid. Interior seemed kind of… Peugeot-inspired? Also seemed to be a big step up for Mahindra in general, versus the other dated-feeling products they had in their showroom. 

And this is to say nothing about all the chargers I’ve seen springing up. I do think the government’s goals aren’t agressive enough— they’re targeting net zero by 2070, which is kinda late— but still way better than the current US’ seeming non-goals. So yes, I could totally see them overtaking us.

hutacars

EV’s are cheaper. You’ve been able to get a used leaf for like $6k in the US for a decade and they can be almost free to operate. In a lower income country it would make total sense they wouldn’t be wasting thousands per year for the convenience of gas station fills.

9Implements

USA is already at 10 percent of EV sales while india is stuck at 2 percent. So USA has to increase the sales of EVs 5 times to reach 50 percent while india has to increase the sales 25 times. USA was a pioneer for EVs with Tesla and now Ford and GM have also jumped into the game and a lot of new models are available in USA. Suzuki India has dragged it's feet as far as EVs are concerned . Suzuki being a major player in india could have made a difference if it had gone into EV manufacturing with a little more enthusiasm.

chilladipa

Every market with access to Chinese Automakers is going to be majority EV in three years. The combination of price, quality and overall affordability are too great. There is a slight chance the European automakers will be able to compete. 

The Japanese are trying to pivot after hoping they could ride out the storm with hybrids, but they may have waited too long. 

Trump being elected was a death sentence for the US big three. The inflation reduction act could have provided them with a financial road map forward. Now all of the incentives and political will are working against them. Ford has already been passed by BYD in terms of sales, and there are other Chinese companies that will push past them this year. They will cling to the North American markets as long as they can, but the writing is on the wall.

Constant_Question_48

India will mostly buy EVs that Americans wouldn’t buy, ultra cheap small ones

twolly84

I'd call this one a no-brainer. Countries like India went straight to mobile phones and skipped over landlines.  It's easier to adopt new technology if you don't have a legacy installed base. 

Especially with new tarriffs, the US can't afford to replace its ICE vehicle fleet, never mind adopt EVs.

anonyngineer

stumblingblock1914

Remember, the US is an un-developing nation.

psaux_grep

This makes sense given India has little in petroleum reserves for its population size while having a lot of other energy sources that can be used for generating electricity. It's unclear if this will mean significant declines in emissions for India from now until that 50% new vehicle market share mark though because of the related factors of:

\- population growth

\- increasing industrialization and energy usage

\- increasing private motorized vehicle usage

\- a large proportion and total amount of electricity generation coming from coal

I think India might do well with solar integrated into vehicles intended to run at lower speeds as both batteries and solar panels improve.

Chicoutimi

I don’t think it’s that crazy of a position.

The US is a fossil fuel producer with immense refining capacity, so gasoline is cheap, and the US already has a huge amount of gas and diesel infrastructure already built out. It has struggled with domestic EV manufacturing g due to inadequate government support for public charging and inadequate federal industrial supports to push manufacturers over to EVs early.

Now a lot of EV development is just combining commodity parts and getting manufacturing setup. That’s very feasible for Indian firms to be competitive at producing very quickly without long development cycles, and with the US deciding to abandon any pretense of having a competitive automobile industry and the Europeans focusing more on luxury segments, it leaves a large market gap for non-Chinese manufacturers to step into to meet EV demand for countries that are skeptical of permitting deeper Chinese market access. 

With the right government support for public charging and industrial planning to push domestic EVs, India could absolutely hit 50% before the US does. 

The real key there is government support for such a plan. 

Due_Satisfaction2167

It's not crazy. Most of the US is already developed and has many gas vehicles. Poorer countries has the advantage of being able to build infrastructure suited for EV while the US has a lot of changing and tearing down to do. Politics also is in play.

Dmo32

People mostly drive less than 15 miles a day in India in slow speeds. EVs are perfect for these environments.

stinger_02in

Meh, so be it. I'm sure the rest of the world be beat us too.

PersiusAlloy

Idk if this is how it works but I would imagine with all the new super cheap Chinese EV tech that those things will inevitably bleed into neighbouring countries. 

mordehuezer

EV drivers know how much less it costs compared to gasoline.  My electric rate makes EV driving equivalent to getting over 100 mpg in a gasoline car.


This is what will cause the delay switching to EVs in the US. Oil companies have so much more money to make selling oil. Oil companies are embedded in US radio talk shows, podcasts, youtube videos and politics to spread disinformation in their favor.

RollingAlong25

Mean_Humor_3495

I think you are wrong...India will get to 80% before the US gets to even 40%.

SomewhereBrilliant80

Not even a bold one. I would expect it to happen given how technically behind the average American is along with how the Oil industry in the US is still really powerful.

dreamingawake09

EV rickshaws would likely make big Indian cities more liveable.  Still crazy traffic, but cleaner air and less noise.

ThatBloodyPinko

One of the big reasons for the EV &amp; renewables push is energy independence. In a post globalization world you dont want to be dependent on a potential enemy for key resources. It enables countries to create completely closed energy ecosystems, similar to someone with a net zero home + EV. I hate that this is a driver of sustainability, but I'm happy with that outcome.

VegaGT-VZ

Yeah well my city of two and a half million people has four electric buses, with plans to continue purchasing electric buses sometime between 2035 and 2040.  They plan on being 25% electric buses before the year 2016. 


Our railroadership is less than 50,000 people per day which is 1/3 of what it was 5 years ago.


Go USA!!!

PersnickityPenguin

ajcamm

Keep in mind the middle class of India is likely double the size of the entire US population, and they may well be prime candidates for a future EV purchase.

Flightwise

People do what feels easiest for the most part. Gasoline is so easy here because we adopted culture of driving decades ago.

itstreeman

India — everyone wants to save on petrol diesel costs, so the incentive is there to live to EV

US most people live in suburbs commuting substantial distances EVs simply don’t make sense for them. Also they are very tied to their big guzzling trucks emotionally

So there is a practical and emotional element too

BalanceCharacter5840

India needs to remove more their economic protections. They don’t really welcome EVs from China.

V8-Turbo-Hybrid

Good points but unf india biggest problem is following: 

lack of reliable power supply even in major cities we seen power outages and if you go to tier 2 city good luck with having power to recharge your cars especially as people living there have to rely on inverters and generators.

Most folks on cities live in apartment style homes which means people can't charge at home  


Lack of government spend on EV charging stations and also lack of space to put them in, even gas stations are extremely cramped there and gas station workers quickly refuel vehicles.

Dmoan

I believe that the US will be almost like Cuba is today with their old cars. We will be mostly gasoline and diesel, while the rest of the word is electrified. Unless we jettison the GOP from power, this is almost a guarantee.

The thing is tata and mahindra are just releasing half baked product to get ahead of the curve, they have always used patriotism to promote their subpar products, whereas in China BYD has done extensive R&amp;D and is welcoming to customer reviews, even the top manufacturers like toyota which have wide market is still doing R&amp;D and mostly still leaning towards Hybrids. 

manufacturers cannot outright manufacture in india and since the board which dictates tax on foreign manufacturers ( which tata and mahindra are part of) will not let them price the vehicle competitively.

Capable-Window-7951

It's because of Tata and Mahindra lobbying the government to prevent better products being introduced into the country so that they can sell mediocre machines for high prices and profit both themselves and the pooliticians.

Lazyres

No-Level8294

Windsor is a good EV. Rest are trash. Mahindra is basically a beta product

Exciting_Strike5598

DeadIndianDemocracy

MG has done far more than most to bring feature-rich, value-for-money EVs to Indian roads. The ZS EV and now the Windsor Pro offer global tech like ADAS, V2L, and big battery packs at very competitive prices. Yes, China has more options, but MG is adapting and localizing for Indian needs, which no other international brand has done at this scale yet. It’s easy to criticize, but MG is actually pushing the EV segment forward here.

OrderOdd8627

MG and BYD are shaping up to be key global players in the automotive world, and it's time we acknowledge their contributions — especially in markets like India. Unfortunately, Indian car buyers often can’t afford high-quality vehicles, not because of a lack of options, but because of a broken tax system that penalizes innovation and makes well-engineered cars unnecessarily expensive.

At the same time, domestic brands like Tata and Mahindra are heavily leaning on patriotism to sell vehicles, rather than delivering consistently high-quality products. This kind of marketing distracts from the real issues: rushed, underdeveloped cars that often end up in service centers for months, while unsold inventory piles up in garages and showrooms. Their mass production strategies not only flood the market with outdated tech but also contribute to environmental waste.

In contrast, MG has been consistently offering feature-rich, well-priced vehicles since 2019. Their limited and controlled production ensures that what they manufacture actually ends up being used — not abandoned in stockyards. Their focus on innovation and customer value sets them apart.

It's time Indian consumers demand better — not just from carmakers, but from the system. We should challenge a tax structure that penalizes quality and stop falling for emotionally charged marketing. Choosing a car should be about technology, safety, and long-term value — not empty slogans. Do the research. Demand better. Don’t settle for less in the name of patriotism.

Few-Effort-4869

China and India automobile markets are not comparable directly. The dynamics are vastly different.

In India, there is still IMMENSE amounts of anti-EV rhetoric. People actively discourage other people from buying EVs. And this is not theoretical. This actually happens in real life.

If people weren't actively against EVs, things would've been different. We actually do have EVs that suit most of the realistic use cases.

First off, the boogeyman of range anxiety. Everyone yaps on and on about range, even though the average Joe is going to use their car as a purely city car. For which, every single EV on sale currently is more than sufficient.

Second, we have good up and coming EVs. Mahindra did a great job breaking through the entry level premium EV market. Tata is soon following suit. Their specs already outclass both the Chinese and European offerings. The Mahindra twins can easily deliver 450-500km of real world range, making it sufficiently practical even for usage beyond just city driving.

How about MSIL and Toyota? Why have they not brought any of their electric products here?

Because they don't have any. Japanese companies are very much regressive, still stuck in the ICE mindset.

Suzuki is launching their first EV car in the form of the e-vitara, and it's already seeing delay upon delay.

We have plenty of practical EVs available in India, if you look outside the negativity of the online reviews.

MG, Tata have the lower to mid tier market covered. Mahindra has the mid-upper covered, and Tata will be joining them shortly.

And if you are going to now crib about quality, read about how first gen Kia EV6 and Hyundai ioniq owners suffered.

CrispyCouchPotato1

China is way ahead of India. Do not compare.

Street_Fruit_7218

China has always been a pioneer in manufacturing especially when compared to India and hence the technology they have is cheaper. Now it's only a matter of how long lasting the tech is going to be. Indian manufacturers on the other hand have not been able to self source the Li-ion batteries in itself for starters.

OverallAd6616

BYD, SAIC, GWM are the leading EV manufacturing groups in China.

Our minds are going to boggle when we get to see all their brands in India (never going to happen due to government).

Electric is the future and BYD is the king in this game.

soumitra_sg

We just bought the Volvo EC40. It is a great car for the money and based on our priorities. We picked it over the Sealion 7 from BYD.

PawsomePat

Our purchasing power is low, and taxes / protectionism is high. There's no big incentive for foreign players to bring products to India.

One_Opportunity_8527

Coz people in power care about their wallet more than country's progression. TaTa mahindra simply bribe their way into not letting good tech come to India (read BYD localization stopped).

Some fools fall for the Godi media "boycott China" bullshit too.

Sumedik

In a way what trump is doing is a good thing, get rid of those tariffs show the competition to Tatas mahindras marutis

lonerblues

This was always the case with ICE as well tbh. Don’t see why EV was going to be any exception…

AntiSapein

The difference is in india we have companies trying to sell subpar product under the disguise of desh ka loha and the the chinise actually make products which are of global standards, plus if u ever get to visit china, u will see what we get for chinise cars are literally bottom barrel for them. In my time there was this car we got from the hotel we were staying at, the hongqi E-HS9 and trust me, that car was no less than the big 3 Germans.

Inevitable_Fact9624

Sigh, here we go again comparing our brands with China

GarageGyal

Chery has a JV with JLR.The features will come over time.

nasevyon2



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* [m.economictimes.com](https://archive.is/submit/?submitid=&amp;url=https://m.economictimes.com/industry/renewables/mahindra-plans-to-export-evs-to-uk-with-trade-agreement-in-place/articleshow/123277345.cms)

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&gt; SS: 
&gt;
&gt;Mahindra &amp; Mahindra is gearing up to export electric vehicles to the UK, capitalising on the India-UK FTA. The company anticipates EVs constituting 30% of sales by 2030 and views competition, including potential entries from Tesla and Vinfast, as a growth opportunity. 
&gt;
&gt;The company, a leading player in India’s domestic EV segment, expects electric vehicles to account for 30 per cent of its overall sales by 2030.  

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SS: 

Mahindra &amp; Mahindra is gearing up to export electric vehicles to the UK, capitalising on the India-UK FTA. The company anticipates EVs constituting 30% of sales by 2030 and views competition, including potential entries from Tesla and Vinfast, as a growth opportunity. 
The company, a leading player in India’s domestic EV segment, expects electric vehicles to account for 30 per cent of its overall sales by 2030. 

Consistent-Figure820

One very important thing. Nepal is a country that is mountainous. The higher you go the less oxygen is available in the air. That makes ICE vehicles have less power the higher they climb. There is no such problem with EVs.

woyteck

&gt; Nepal’s capital Kathmandu is one of the most polluted cities in the world. But it’s also one of the fastest growing markets for EVs: Nepal’s electric cars now outsell new fossil-fueled vehicles. In the U.S., around 9% of new cars sold last year were electric. In Nepal, that number was around 65%.
&gt; 
&gt; “There’s been a really remarkable transformation in the uptake of electric vehicles,” says David Sislen, the World Bank country director for Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. Only five years ago, EVs made up a tiny fraction of new car sales in Nepal. Three-wheeled minibuses, a popular vehicle in the country, were also mostly gas. For those vehicles now, “the adoption rate went from less than 1% to 83%,” Sislen says.
&gt; 
&gt; There was one main reason for the change. “So many public policy challenges are complicated and nuanced and hard to understand, but this one is the opposite,” he says. “It’s incredibly simple. In July of 2021, the government radically dropped the import duties and excise taxes on electric vehicles. You make it cheaper, and suddenly people will adopt them.” (The country has recently slightly increased taxes on EVs, likely because it was missing the revenue. But electric vehicles are still a better bargain.)
&gt; 
&gt; After someone owns an EV, it’s also cheaper to operate than a gas or diesel vehicle. That’s true anywhere, but especially in Nepal, where fuel is imported and expensive. Charging an EV could be a tenth of the cost of refueling another vehicle, or even less. The models that are available—from companies like China’s BYD and India’s Tata—are also desirable. (Tesla also recently started selling cars in Nepal, though Chinese alternatives are more affordable and arguably even better performing.)

OlympusMan

Kathmandu is pretty much smog city, since the valley is surrounded by the Himalayas that trap the pollution inside. Seems like a match made in heaven

bauhausy

it's not rocket science, favourable government policies + open market for competition = consumers benefit and adopt EVs

rTpure

Also people in Nepal remember the [2015 blockade](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Nepal_blockade) which stopped &gt;95% of fuels entering the country for months. 

ICE vehicles are a liability in a landlocked country.

ziddyzoo

Does anyone know how I can translate their YouTube reviews?

hadrian_afer

Is that 65% EV market share solely BEVs or is it a mix of PHEV and BEV? If the latter, what's the split?

impoverished so few people already own cars. Proximity to China makes their cars the best bet for those that can afford them

skygz

Dumping of cheap and experimental ev vehicles from India and China to Nepal LOL 😂 

Its the fact.

AncientClick8270

I don't think it's a big investment but getting it from Vietnam is some good sign for diversification

mercury_50

Summary: VinFast Sees India Factory as Key to Global Expansion

Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) maker VinFast Auto Ltd. has inaugurated its new manufacturing plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, viewing it as a strategic hub for exports to South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The company is investing $500 million into this project to enter the world’s third-largest car market.

Key Highlights:

Initial production capacity: 50,000 vehicles/year, scalable to 150,000.

The factory will produce premium electric SUVs, VF 6 and VF 7.

VinFast has already received orders from several countries in the region.

Plans include 35 dealerships in 27 Indian cities by year-end.

Opened first showroom in Surat in July 2025.

VinFast is securing financing from major banks and discussing partnerships with Indian companies.

Seeking up to $200 million loan from Indian state-owned banks.

Expansion focus shifted away from North America and Europe due to high logistics costs; focus now on India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Indonesia plant expected to open by October 2025.

In 2024, VinFast delivered 97,399 EVs globally, aiming to double deliveries in 2025, including 200,000 in Vietnam alone.


Strategic Vision:

VinFast aims to become a premium yet accessible global EV brand, leveraging India as a manufacturing and export base for its Asia and African operations.

BROWN-MUNDA_

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India will export electric vehicles to 100 countries, marking a significant milestone for the nation's EV sector. During his address at The Economic Times World Leaders Forum, he emphasized India's potential to become the third-largest economy and a developed nation by 2047.

India's Electric Vehicle Exports and Economic Growth

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