CHANDIGARH: Despite a sharp increase in electric vehicle (EV) sales and the extension of its three-year EV policy by another year until 2027, Punjab has been ranked 21st among 36 states and Union Territories overall and 16th among the 17 large states in the India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025, compiled by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI) India.
Punjab remained in the “Emerging Performer” category, while the Union Territory of Chandigarh slipped to fourth place despite improving its overall score by six points. It remained in the “Top Performer” category.
Haryana, meanwhile, topped the country in the charging infrastructure category with a score of 91. However, its transport electrification score of 19 contributed to a four-place drop in its overall ranking. The IEMI report also identified transport electrification as the biggest area for improvement across all states. This theme measures private and commercial EV adoption, along with government initiatives and incentives supporting the transition.
According to data released by NITI Aayog and WRI India, Punjab scored 39 out of 100, down from 44 in 2024. Only Gujarat, with 38 points, scored lower than Punjab among the large states. Maharashtra topped the large-state category with 78 points, followed by Karnataka with 73 and Tamil Nadu with 61.
The index assesses three broad parameters: transport electrification progress, charging infrastructure readiness, and EV research and innovation.
Punjab scored 36 in transport electrification, 43 in charging infrastructure readiness and 39 in research and innovation. The state was placed in the “Emerging Performer” category and slipped seven places in the rankings. It has introduced financial incentives for electric tractor manufacturing and is expanding pole-mounted charging infrastructure in major hubs, including Ludhiana and Amritsar.
The state performed weakest in transport electrification, scoring 49 on private EV adoption and just 15 on commercial EV adoption, while its governance initiatives score stood at 67. Its charger-to-vehicle ratio received a score of 40.
In the charging infrastructure assessment, which measures infrastructure development through indicators including charger availability, state support, building regulations, renewable energy capacity and power availability, Punjab scored zero on capital subsidies for public charging infrastructure and transition initiatives, but 100 on building bye-laws for EV charging.
The report recommended that Punjab step up measures to accelerate EV adoption and strengthen the supporting ecosystem. These include incentives such as lower electricity tariffs for charging stations, greater support for charging infrastructure, vehicle scrapping and retrofitting, and permit exemptions for commercial EVs. It also called for stronger support for EV-related research, innovation and skill development, including the establishment of centres of excellence for EV skill development.
There has been a steady increase in EV sales in Punjab. The state recorded more than 7,540 EV sales during the first three months of this year, while 35,631 EVs were sold in 2025, compared with 24,008 in 2024, according to data from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
In the two-wheeler category, 5,322 electric two-wheelers were registered between January and March this year, compared with 27,264 in 2025, 19,858 in 2024 and 8,758 in 2023.
The four-wheeler segment also witnessed significant growth, with 2,218 electric cars registered during the first quarter of this year, compared with 8,367 in 2025, 4,150 in 2024 and 791 in 2023.
The transition, however, remains uneven across vehicle categories, with no electric buses registered in the state during the first quarter of this year. One electric bus was registered in 2025 and 13 in 2024.
Interestingly, the three-year EV policy introduced in February 2023 to promote electric mobility and EV and component manufacturing has been extended by one year until February 20, 2027. The policy provides purchase incentives and includes provisions for charging stations and EV infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh’s ranking slipped to fourth place despite the city improving its overall score by six points. Its score rose from 65 in 2024 to 71 in 2025, keeping Chandigarh in the “Top Performer” category. Karnataka, with a score of 73, moved ahead of Chandigarh, which dropped one place from third to fourth in the national rankings.
Chandigarh scored 75 in vehicle registration and transport electrification, ranking second nationally behind Delhi. Its public charging infrastructure score was only 52. The city has 4.1 public charging points per lakh registered vehicles. Growth in EV adoption has also slowed slightly after the subsidy quota for electric cars was exhausted last year.
The city scored 90 in research and innovation and also received credit for governance initiatives, scrapping support and parking fee exemptions. The average purchase incentive was Rs 93 per person annually. The index put fuel price parity at 22.3, indicating a cost advantage for EVs over petrol vehicles. Electric vehicles accounted for 7 per cent of private vehicle registrations and 18 per cent of commercial vehicle registrations.
EV penetration increased from 9.64 per cent in 2022-23, when Chandigarh ranked second nationally, to 14.27 per cent in 2023-24, when it ranked first. It stood at 14.82 per cent in 2024-25, when the city ranked second, before declining to 13.27 per cent in 2025-26, when it ranked third. The Chandigarh Administration has decided not to reopen the subsidy scheme for now.
Only three of the 36 states and Union Territories were classified as “Top Performers” in transport electrification, with Delhi ranking first with 77 points. As many as 14 states were in the “Aspirant” category, making transport electrification the largest opportunity for improving overall IEMI performance, the report said.
At the same time, the report found that charging infrastructure was not necessarily translating into EV adoption at the same pace. Haryana, for instance, scored 91 on charging infrastructure readiness but only 19 on transport electrification progress, the lowest among large states.
The report said the availability of charging infrastructure in Haryana had not yet translated into vehicle adoption. Uttar Pradesh showed the reverse pattern, with a transport electrification score of 58 but a charging infrastructure readiness score of only 36, the lowest among large states.
Karnataka had the highest charging infrastructure readiness score among large states at 97, followed by Maharashtra and Haryana at 91 each, and Tamil Nadu at 73. “Thus, charging infrastructure and vehicle adoption are progressing at different speeds in different states,” the report said.
The report also flagged research and innovation as a major gap. This theme looks at EV start-ups, research and development initiatives and patents. Half of the hill states and Northeastern states scored 10 or below on this measure, with the report identifying research and innovation as the principal constraint for the region.
