Battery swapping networks: India’s EV infrastructure

Battery swapping networks in India have become a critical component of the electric mobility transition, particularly for two-wheelers and three-wheelers, which make up the majority of the country’s EV sales. Unlike conventional charging which often requires hours of downtime, battery swapping enables depleted batteries to be exchanged for fully charged units within minutes, minimizing vehicle waiting times. This approach lowers the upfront cost of EVs by separating battery ownership and relieves pressure on public charging infrastructure, especially in congested urban areas.

According to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), India operated 2,611 battery swapping stations as of January 2025 a sharp increase from fewer than 1,000 two years prior. This expansion reflects focused policy support and rising demand from fleet operators, most notably in the two- and three-wheeler segments. Nevertheless, station deployment remains uneven, with the majority concentrated in large urban centers such as Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, leaving smaller cities and rural regions underserved. The BEE data highlights both the strong recent momentum and the significant shortfall compared to long-term infrastructure targets.

In January 2025, the Ministry of Power issued the “Guidelines for Installation and Operation of Battery Swapping and Battery Charging Stations,” formally including battery swapping within India’s EV infrastructure policy. These guidelines permit the use of existing electricity connections for new stations, thus reducing initial setup costs. Electricity tariffs for charging and swapping are capped at or below the average cost of supply (ACoS) until March 2028. To encourage renewable energy use, the framework sets differential rates: 0.7× ACoS during solar hours and 1.3× ACoS during non-solar hours. It also permits the use of liquid-cooled swappable batteries for larger vehicles, establishes safety and technical standards for battery swapping stations (BSS) and battery charging stations (BCS), and directs state governments to appoint nodal agencies to coordinate with distribution companies and regulators. This comprehensive policy framework aims to drive private investment and expand deployment well beyond the 2,611 stations currently reported, with long-term projections exceeding 275,000 stations by 2040.

Despite recent gains, the required infrastructure scale vastly exceeds current capacity. An analysis by the Rocky Mountain Institute, in collaboration with NITI Aayog, predicts India will need approximately 275,000 battery swapping stations and 1.9 million public EV chargers by 2040 to meet its electrification goals. Today, just a small fraction of this capacity exists, highlighting the nearly hundredfold growth required. This urgency is reinforced by the accelerating pace of EV adoption: according to VAHAN data, India sold 1.96 million EVs in fiscal year 2025, predominantly two- and three-wheelers. Data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association shows EVs made up 6.4 percent of total vehicle sales in 2023, with government roadmaps targeting a 30 percent share by 2030.

Private operators play a vital role in supplementing public and government infrastructure for battery swapping. Companies such as Sun Mobility and Battery Smart have established hundreds of stations across major cities, supporting delivery fleets, auto-rickshaws, and other commercial vehicles. Although no comprehensive public data on national swap volumes is available, the presence and activity of these private operators are key factors in bridging the gap between current operations and the projected future need for over 275,000 stations.

The financial sustainability of battery swapping stations depends on high utilization and careful management of capital expenditures. Maintaining a large inventory of swappable batteries is expensive, but can become cost-effective with high daily throughput. The Ministry of Power’s recent tariff framework reduces uncertainty by capping electricity costs for swapping stations at or below the average cost of supply until March 2028. Solar-hour differential pricing (0.7× ACoS during solar hours, 1.3× ACoS during non-solar hours) encourages daytime charging aligned with renewable energy availability, helping lower overall operational costs.

Centralized battery swapping improves operational efficiency and environmental outcomes. It enables systematic monitoring of battery health, safer handling and disposal of degraded units, and facilitation of battery recycling or second-life applications. Safety protocols enforced at licensed stations mitigate risks of overheating and faulty charging. However, interoperability between different operators remains a challenge due to proprietary battery formats, connectors, and voltage architectures. The Ministry of Power’s guidelines introduce safety, handling, and interoperability standards, yet widespread adoption and enforcement remain works in progress.

Deployment remains most concentrated in large metropolitan areas, where demand from two- and three-wheeler fleets is highest. Rural and semi-urban areas lag behind, hampered by challenges in land acquisition, grid reliability, and commercial prospects. To address these gaps, central guidelines task state governments with creating nodal agencies and steering committees for local coordination. States such as Delhi, Maharashtra, and Karnataka have supplemented national efforts with incentives, including concessional electricity rates, reduced GST on swapping services, and subsidized land for stations. Some cities have also piloted swapping kiosks in public parking spaces, but scaling these initiatives will be vital for future growth.

The sector is advancing through pilot projects, urban deployments, and regulatory innovation. Operators are increasingly using digital management systems for inventory tracking, predictive maintenance, and real-time battery health monitoring measures that boost reliability and efficiency. Early experiences have provided operational insights into station placement, peak usage patterns, and integration with fleet operations. While the Ministry of Power’s 2025 guidelines provide a pathway to standardization, uneven state-level adoption and permitting delays continue to shape outcomes. Scaling battery swapping will require coordinated governance, continuous learning, and integration with emerging fleet and grid management practices over the coming years.

India’s trajectory in battery swapping shows substantial progress, sustained by urban deployments, regulatory frameworks, and private-sector leadership. Nonetheless, meeting long-term EV adoption targets will demand increased investment, effective enforcement of technical standards, and ongoing operational innovation. Achieving these objectives will enable battery swapping networks to minimize vehicle downtime, support renewable energy goals, and accelerate India’s transition to clean mobility.

The featured photograph is for representation only.