EV transition must be Inclusive, affordable, scalable: H.D. Kumaraswamy at LEAF rollout

India’s electric mobility transition must remain inclusive, affordable and scalable across both urban and rural markets, stated Union Minister of Heavy Industries; and Minister of Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy on Monday, as he inaugurated the Light Electric-Vehicle Acceleration Forum (LEAF), an industry-led consortium aimed at strengthening the EV charging ecosystem.

Positioning the next phase of Electric Vehicle (EV) growth beyond simply adding charging stations, Kumaraswamy underscored the need for reliability, ease of access and interoperability across networks. He emphasised that the transition must be economically sustainable for both consumers and industry, with light electric vehicles—particularly two- and three-wheelers—remaining central to India’s mobility landscape.

Last month, he stated that India’s transition to electric mobility has entered a phase of large-scale execution, underpinned by improving manufacturing depth, clearer policy frameworks and growing industry participation.

Charging the next phase of EV growth

LEAF has been set up as a neutral platform to bring together stakeholders across the value chain, including vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure operators, suppliers and technology providers. The initiative is jointly driven by Hero MotoCorp, Ather Energy and IPEC India, with over 20 organisations already onboard as part of its initial ecosystem.

The consortium will work closely with government bodies, regulators and industry associations to accelerate the development of a cohesive charging network. A key focus area is interoperability—ensuring that users can seamlessly access multiple charging networks without compatibility constraints.

At the launch, LEAF’s founding members—Kausalya Nandakumar, Chief Business Officer, Emerging Mobility Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp; Ravneet S Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy; and Zohra Khan-also shared their perspectives.

Fixing fragmentation through common standards

Kumaraswamy also highlighted India’s potential to emerge as a global hub for light electric mobility solutions. If cost-effective and scalable models are successfully developed domestically, they could be replicated across emerging markets in Asia, Africa and Latin America, he noted.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the minister said policy support, innovation and a strong manufacturing ecosystem will remain key enablers. However, he stressed that industry collaboration—through platforms like LEAF—will ultimately determine how effectively India can translate policy intent into on-ground impact.