Karnataka Plans EV City Near Bengaluru to Strengthen Electric Mobility Ecosystem

The Karnataka government has proposed setting up an electric-vehicle (EV) City near Bengaluru as part of efforts to strengthen the State’s electric-mobility ecosystem.

The proposal was discussed during a high-level industry consultation meeting organised by the Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology (IT-BT). The meeting was chaired by IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge and saw participation from more than 30 EV and battery technology companies, including vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers and mobility start-ups.

The proposed EV City will be developed on over 100 acres of land within a two-hour drive from Bengaluru. It is envisioned as an end-to-end innovation and validation hub for the EV industry.

The facility will accommodate original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), small and medium enterprise (SME) suppliers, incubators and shared infrastructure providers. A key feature of the project will be a 50-acre integrated proving and testing zone.

Planned infrastructure includes outdoor test tracks, urban road simulations, gradient and hill-testing facilities, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) validation zones. The city will also provide facilities for EV software testing and cybersecurity assessments.

Other proposed facilities include fast and smart charging testbeds, vehicle performance testing centres, roadworthiness certification units and EV component benchmarking laboratories.

The EV City will also house a Centre of Excellence for EVs and battery technologies, along with a skilling and talent academy. Training programmes will cater to both white-collar professionals and shop-floor workers.

To encourage participation from start-ups and MSMEs, the government plans to offer common facilities on a pay-as-you-use basis, aimed at lowering entry barriers and reducing capital costs.

“Karnataka was among the first states to introduce a dedicated Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Policy,” Kharge said. He added that the State currently leads the country in EV adoption and start-up presence.

“With nearly 5,400 public charging stations and close to 20 per cent of all EVs sold in India, Karnataka continues to lead the country’s electric mobility adoption,” he said.

Kharge also said partnerships with agencies such as the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) would help reduce time and costs for local innovators. “At present, many companies have to go outside the State for testing and certification,” he said.

Officials and representatives from companies including Ather Energy, Bosch, Kinetic Group, Continental, BillionE Mobility, Indofast Energy, Yulu, Evotron Motorsports and Sun Mobility attended the consultation.