India’s EV sector is growing, but smart and connected technology remains underdeveloped. Enhancing AI-driven features, data integration, and intelligent infrastructure can improve efficiency, reliability, and user experience, positioning the country as a leader in smart electric mobility.
03 Mar 2025 | 848 Views | By Mohal Lalbhai, Matter Motor
EVs are often seen as a greener alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles, but their true potential lies beyond just being electric. Smart, AI-driven EVs can transform urban mobility, optimizing energy use, reducing congestion, and improving user experience. Yet, India has lagged in integrating intelligence into its EV ecosystem. What will ...
This is an Autocar Pro Plus article. Subscribe to continue reading.
EVs are often seen as a greener alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles, but their true potential lies beyond just being electric. Smart, AI-driven EVs can transform urban mobility, optimizing energy use, reducing congestion, and improving user experience. Yet, India has lagged in integrating intelligence into its EV ecosystem. What will it take to change that?
Driven by government support and increased investments, there has been a great advancement in EV adoption in India but smart and connected technology remains an afterthought. The ‘e-mobility R&D Roadmap for India’ report charts a course towards future independence and self-sufficiency, outlining critical research initiatives that will position us as a leader in the global value and supply chains within the next five to seven years.
Gaps in current Smart EVs:
Many EVs today collect vast amounts of data but fail to translate it into meaningful insights for users. Features like ride efficiency, range optimization, and predictive maintenance remain underdeveloped. Thus, for increased reliability and technological upgrade, it is necessary that instead of just displaying information, the vehicles should actively assist riders in making informed decisions that enhance efficiency and longevity.
Another important component that can enhance the intelligence of EVs is the battery passport. It brings a new level of transparency to the global battery value chain by providing detailed information about a battery throughout its entire lifecycle. This transparency is beneficial for the industry, as it enables better understanding of the battery’s health and enables the tracking of the environmental impact of batteries, particularly for recycling initiatives.
Achievable Targets:
Range anxiety is a key challenge that needs our attention. Around 58% of potential buyers are deterred from purchasing an EV because they fear that they will run out of charging.
While charge point mapping exists, issues such as unavailable slots, incompatible charging standards, and inaccurate real-time updates persist. Addressing this requires the introduction of real-time charging slot reservations, dynamic pricing insights, and intelligent rerouting suggestions when stations are occupied.
It is also imperative that the manufacturers now incorporate self-learning algorithms that adapt to individual user behavior over time, offering more precise and realistic range predictions. Currently, range estimates are often inaccurate due to variable real-world conditions such as terrain, weather, and driving habits.
Furthermore, tech-based insurance models should be explored to meet the growing number of connected vehicles on the roads. The introduction of Pay-as-you-Drive (PAYD) and Pay-How-You-Drive (PHYD) concepts could make insurance more tailored to individual driving behaviors, paying only for the kms driven and encouraging safer driving habits.
Data Strategy: Enabling Smart EV Growth:
The next step in the evolution of EVs is a robust data strategy which can be formalized as Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). A unified data-sharing framework can support initiatives such as circular economy models, where valuable data is used to enhance battery recycling and reuse. By standardizing and democratizing access to such anonymized data across different stakeholders in the electrical mobility industry, India can accelerate its transition to a more efficient, smarter, and sustainable EV ecosystem.
Why this matters now:
Indian consumers, especially two-wheeler buyers, are more tech-savvy than ever and expect intelligent features beyond basic connectivity. While policies like FAME-II and PLI have helped scale EV production, there is a critical need for dedicated support in smart EV technology development. The government should incentivize software-driven R&D in e-mobility to foster local innovation, ensuring that India doesn’t just follow global trends but sets new benchmarks in smart EV intelligence.
Conclusion- Smarter, not just electric:
India stands at an important threshold of electrical mobility. The next phase of EV growth is not about just increasing sales, but about making EVs a smarter choice than ICE vehicles in every way. By utilising its IT prowess, it has the ability to set the global standard for smart, connected EVs and lead the way in the electric vehicle revolution.
Mohal Lalbhai is Founder & Group CEO at Matter Motor. Views expressed are personal.