Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said wider adoption of electric vehicles can help India reduce its dependence on imported petroleum. He has also called for lower charging rates to make electric vehicles cheaper to run.
Gadkari suggested that Maharashtra charge ₹3 per unit of electricity for EV charging at night and ₹5 per unit during the day. The proposed rates would give drivers who can charge overnight a lower-cost option.
Speaking at the ENRich 2026 energy forum in New Delhi on Monday, the minister said India spends about ₹22 lakh crore annually on fossil fuel imports. He said swings in global energy prices make it important for India to develop more of its energy sources at home.
Gadkari also pointed to ethanol, compressed biogas and green hydrogen as options for reducing reliance on imported fuels. He cited India’s use of petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol as an example of how domestically produced fuels can replace part of the petroleum used in transport.
