Barriers to Smooth Electric Vehicle Charging in India Due to App Overuse and Payment Difficulties
In a significant stride towards addressing the challenges faced by electric vehicle (EV) users in India, Tata Motors has unveiled the iRA.ev app, a comprehensive platform designed to streamline the process of finding and paying for charging stations.
According to Tata Motors' 2025 India Charging Report, app fatigue and frustration among users have been identified as major concerns in the current charging system. Nearly two in five EV users in India have cited unreliable chargers as a major obstacle, and the digital payment process has been found to be daunting for elderly and chauffeur-driven vehicle owners.
To overcome these issues, Tata Motors' iRA.ev app offers a centralized platform for live charger status updates and seamless payments. This innovative solution aims to reduce consumer anxiety and encourage wider adoption of EVs.
The digital divide is another challenge that Tata Motors is addressing. Offline payment options like cash or UPI at the charger are frequently requested by certain demographics, and the app offers these options to ensure inclusivity.
Solving the hidden barriers of app fatigue and payment friction is a socio-economic imperative for inclusion, convenience, and trust in EV infrastructure in India.
Tata.ev's open collaboration framework has added 18,000+ public charging stations in just 15 months, making it one of the most expansive charging service ecosystems in India. This growth is evident in the fourfold increase in public charging stations in India over the past two years, with the current number standing at 24,000.
However, the charging network and app ecosystem of MG's app is relatively narrower in scope compared to Tata.ev's comprehensive nationwide partner network. MG's app focuses heavily on brand-exclusive charging solutions and fewer public interoperable networks, which can limit convenience for users traversing multiple cities or brands.
Besides Tata Motors, key players addressing fragmentation in the discovery and payment of EV charging stations in India include major energy companies like Indian Oil Corporation, private charging network providers such as Fortum India and Magenta Power, and digital platforms integrating charging infrastructure. All these entities are working towards unified solutions to improve the EV charging experience in India.
The chaotic experience of locating and paying for charging services is a lesser-known issue in India's EV adoption. On average, consumers in India juggle 17-20 separate apps to find chargers and complete transactions. Streamlining app interfaces, unifying payment methods through UPI and RFID integration, and improving charger reliability are critical to reducing consumer anxiety and encouraging wider adoption of EVs.
In India, 65% of pin codes now have at least one registered electric vehicle (EV), and road coverage by EVs now extends to 95% of India's motorable network. Moreover, 84% of EV owners in India use their EVs as their primary vehicles, covering 1,600 km on average each month, which is 40% higher than internal combustion engine vehicle owners.
Besides Tata Motors, MG Motor India also offers an EV charger locator and payment functionality within its i-SMART app. More than half of Tata EV users have completed journeys over 500 km on key corridors like Delhi-Manali and Mumbai-Goa, demonstrating the growing confidence and acceptance of EVs in India.
As India continues to embrace electric vehicles, solutions like Tata.ev's iRA.ev app are playing a crucial role in making the transition smoother and more accessible for all.
