A new report on Kerala’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network has revealed ‘gaps,’ primarily in the hill regions, freight corridors and inter-district routes, underscoring the need to look beyond urban and other high-demand areas given the steady increase in EV penetration in the southern State.

The ‘Spearheading Kerala’s electric mobility transition: A study on spatial distribution and heatmap analysis of fast electric vehicle charging stations’ drawn up by the EV Accelerator Cell of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) with technical aid from think-tank Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) observed that cities like Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode exhibit strong coverage, while rural belts lag behind.

The report was unveiled at the ‘Shoonya EV Conclave 2025’ jointly organised by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), the NITI Aayog and think-tank Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) here on Thursday. The report observed that Kerala has made significant strides in developing charging infrastructure, with over 440 public fast-charging stations and pole-mounted units already operational. On the way forward, it suggested increased focus along tourism corridors, rural and interior State highways and inter-State linkages to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Among the districts, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram and Palakkad currently enjoy “favourable EV-to-charger ratios,” indicating infrastructure readiness ahead of demand, according to the report. “By contrast, Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod show higher infrastructure strain, where the pace of EV adoption is outpacing charging deployment,” it said.

The analysis which covered 14 districts revealed gaps in the EV charging network along the inter-State freight corridors, tourism and high-range routes, some stretches along National Highway 66 — the State’s main north-south artery — and parts of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts.

‘Under-served’ routes

The integrated district-level analysis identified the following routes as ‘under-served’ and demanding priority intervention: In the north, the Kasaragod-Kannur-Kozhikode NH 66 stretch, the State Highway section linking Kannur and Wayanad and the Wayanad-Mysuru hill routes were listed as ‘under-served’ by EV charging stations.

In Central Kerala, such routes included the Thrissur-Ernakulam-Alappuzha NH 66 stretch, the Thrissur-Palakkad-Coimbatore NH 544 stretch and the Malappuram-Palakkad-Coimbatore stretch. In the south, the NH 66 stretch linking Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram and the MC road linking Angamaly-Thiruvananthapuram have found mention in the report. Beyond these, the analysis also revealed gaps in the high-range and tourism corridors including several routes in Idukki district, and the routes to Vagamon, Thekkady, Kuttikanam, Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary and Sabarimala.

Kerala’s EV charging ecosystem has reached a pivotal stage where expansion must go beyond urban and high-demand pockets to ensure Statewide accessibility, the report said. “The identified under-served corridors are not only vital for passenger mobility but also critical for freight movement and tourism connectivity. Addressing these gaps will enable balanced growth, reduce range anxiety, and strengthen Kerala’s position as a leader in sustainable electric mobility,” it said.

EV penetration rate in Kerala has shown an increase from 1% in 2021 to 13% in 2025, according to the report. Till May 2025, EV registrations stood at 2,46,692, the report said, citing data from the Centre’s Vahan dashboard. Electric two-wheelers dominate the registrations followed by private four-wheelers.