Maharashtra has inaugurated six new electric vehicle manufacturing facilities in Pune as the state moves to expand local production, charging infrastructure and electric public transport, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday. The government will also develop a network of electric vehicle charging stations along major highways in collaboration with vehicle manufacturers.
Fadnavis was speaking at the inauguration programme for facilities established by EKA Mobility and the Pinnacle Group in Pune. He said Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur were emerging as important centres for electric vehicle manufacturing and that Maharashtra was positioned to become one of India’s leading EV hubs.
The Chief Minister said the state would facilitate land, permissions and infrastructure required for expanding charging facilities. He also said Maharashtra would need around 50,000 electric buses over the next three years and urged manufacturers based in the state to increase production capacity to meet that demand.
Fadnavis linked the expansion of electric mobility to lower air pollution and reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels. He said the state was also working to increase the share of renewable energy in electricity generation and to make electricity more affordable for electric vehicle users. The announcement places charging access and power costs alongside vehicle manufacturing as key requirements for the state’s EV expansion.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said India should aim to become a global leader in electric vehicle manufacturing, particularly in electric buses and trucks. He called for greater investment in battery technology, research, indigenous technologies and production capacity. Gadkari also said manufacturers would need to improve the payload capacity of electric commercial vehicles while addressing the additional weight of their batteries.
Gadkari urged collaboration between startups, young engineers, researchers and educational institutions to accelerate technological development. He also called for expanded highway charging infrastructure and more affordable electricity for EV users. Alongside electric mobility, he highlighted biofuels, ethanol and hydrogen as indigenous alternatives that could reduce India’s dependence on fossil fuel imports.
Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy said companies should invest in electric vehicles, batteries, power electronics, automotive software, lightweight materials and hydrogen technology. He described the expansion of electric commercial vehicle, auto-component and engineering capabilities as part of India’s broader manufacturing and employment growth.
Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar said Pune’s industrial infrastructure, skilled workforce and business policies were helping Maharashtra attract international investment. She described the joint venture between the VDL Group and Pinnacle Industries as an important milestone and said electric buses manufactured by the company would soon be seen on the roads of Pune and Mumbai.
Pawar said the five manufacturing projects in Pune were generating thousands of employment opportunities and providing young people with industry-relevant skills. Fadnavis also highlighted Pinnacle Group’s employment model, under which women account for 50 per cent of the workforce at one manufacturing facility, and said employees there were provided specialised training and opportunities to become shareholders.
The inauguration was attended by senior state and Union ministers, industrialist Dr Abhay Firodia, EKA Mobility Founder and Chairman Dr Sudhir Mehta and representatives of industry groups. The state government’s next stated steps are to support the expansion of charging facilities, increase renewable power supply and enable manufacturers to build capacity for the projected demand for electric buses.
