The study found that home charging meets 90 per cent of India's electric vehicle energy demand and that overnight residential charging remains the most practical and cost effective option for most users. It said two and three-wheelers dominate the country's EV market and that public charging infrastructure, while expanding rapidly, remains concentrated in major cities and along highways. The report added that public networks are unlikely to supplant residential charging for daily needs given current deployment patterns.

The researchers identified five barriers to residential charging: inadequate electrical infrastructure, limited parking and rental housing, fragmented approvals, low consumer awareness and the cost of upgrades. It found many users rely on household sockets, extension cords and shared connections instead of dedicated chargers because of these constraints, increasing electrical and fire safety risks, reducing reliability and potentially affecting battery performance.

To address these gaps the report recommended establishing a National Residential EV Readiness Framework (NRERF) to bring together existing standards, regulations and guidelines into a single implementation roadmap for residential charging. It proposed introducing dedicated indicators such as charger installations, EV sub-meter approvals, load enhancement requests and electrical readiness assessments to track preparedness alongside EV adoption. The authors also urged promotion of dedicated EV metering and certified charging equipment and the integration of EV-ready provisions into building bye-laws, redevelopment projects and affordable housing schemes.

The study called for standardised guidelines for charger placement across housing types, improved coordination between vehicle purchases, charger installation and utility approvals, and targeted financial support for electrical upgrades in older buildings, rental housing and low-income households. It noted that aligning residential infrastructure with rising vehicle adoption will be crucial as more households switch to electric mobility and that managed home charging is key for grid resilience and energy planning. The report projected that EV-related electricity consumption will rise from zero point two per cent of India's total electricity demand in 2024 to around six per cent by 2035.