Highway EV charging reliability in India: why uptime claims differ

Highway EV charging reliability in India is under scrutiny after industry leaders offered sharply different assessments of how often public chargers work. At a New Delhi industry panel on 27 October 2026, FADA president Sai Giridhar said at least half of highway chargers were non-functional. Tata Power's Deepak Jain estimated industry uptime at about 80%, and his company's network at 95%. These are attributed estimates with different scopes, not three results from a common nationwide audit. For drivers, the practical question is whether the charger on their route can deliver a successful session when they arrive.

What you need to know

• The estimates are disputed: a highway-focused assessment cannot be directly compared with a broader network uptime claim.

• Outages have several causes: the operator cited vandalism, electricity-supply interruptions and the cost of maintaining unattended locations.

• More charging points do not guarantee reliable journeys: live status and a workable alternative stop remain important.

Why the uptime figures do not tell the same story

Giridhar's assessment concerned highway chargers. Jain's industry estimate included chargers installed by government agencies and oil marketing companies, while the 95% figure concerned Tata Power's own network. The discussion did not establish a shared reporting period, station sample or definition of availability.

It would therefore be misleading to average these percentages or describe one as an independently established national failure rate. A charger may have electricity available but still fail to start a session; a site with several connectors may remain partly usable when one is down. Without a common measurement method, those situations can be counted differently.

Why an installed charger can be unavailable

Jain linked reliability problems to thin operating margins and unreliable power supply on some rural highway connections. Staffing every station can be difficult to justify commercially, leaving unattended equipment vulnerable to damage. A functioning charger also cannot dispense power during a supply outage.

The operator described central monitoring and local technician dispatch as its response. Its app indicates whether power is available, helping drivers consider another location. Such information is useful, but it is a snapshot rather than a guarantee that the next charging attempt will succeed.

What electric car drivers can do before a highway trip

For buyers comparing electric cars, the strength of the charging route matters alongside the vehicle's advertised range. A practical trip plan should account for alternatives rather than depend on a single site.

1. Check the connector and access: confirm that the location supports your car and is accessible at your expected arrival time.

2. Check recent status: use the operator's live information and look for recent successful-session updates where available.

3. Choose a backup: identify another compatible site before committing to a stretch with limited options.

4. Keep a reserve: avoid planning to reach the only available charger with almost no usable battery remaining.

5. Prepare session access: check the required app, payment method and support number before setting off.

Expansion and maintenance need to advance together

Jain projected growth from roughly 52,000 public charging points to about 70,000 in the following year. That remains an industry projection, and a point count should not be confused with the number of reliably usable highway stops.

Public support also extends beyond equipment installation. PM E-DRIVE earmarks ₹2,000 crore for public charging infrastructure. Funding and installed capacity alone cannot establish day-to-day uptime; operations, electricity supply and repair response determine whether the network is dependable.

FAQs

Is half of India's entire charging network broken?

The panel discussion does not establish that. The FADA statement concerned highway chargers, while the operator supplied different estimates for broader networks. No common nationwide audit was presented.

Does a green app status guarantee a working charge?

No. It is useful current information, but conditions can change and session-level problems can still occur. A backup stop remains sensible.

The debate over highway EV charging reliability in India highlights the difference between building a larger network and delivering dependable journeys. Clearer uptime reporting would help buyers compare infrastructure; until then, route planning should include live checks and realistic alternatives.