Bolt.Earth, a key player in India’s electric vehicle (EV) charging space, has announced an ambitious and comprehensive plan to deploy one million (10 lakh) EV charging points across India by the year 2028. This aggressive expansion is strategically focused on the high-volume two-wheeler (2W) and three-wheeler (3W) segments, which dominate India’s roads and are rapidly transitioning to electric power.
Bolt.Earth’s strategy is built around the distinct nature of the Indian EV market, which differs significantly from Western countries where four-wheelers lead the charge.
Prioritizing 2W & 3W: Currently, electric 2Ws and 3Ws account for the majority of EV sales and require convenient, low-cost charging solutions in high-density urban areas, commercial complexes, and residential zones.
Vertical Integration: The company maintains an end-to-end approach, designing and controlling its own hardware, software (via its proprietary Charger Management System or CMS), and a dedicated nationwide service network of over 5,000 certified technicians. This control is crucial for ensuring high uptime and network reliability across diverse geographical locations and power grid conditions.
Leveraging Existing Success: Bolt.Earth already commands a significant presence in India’s public EV charging space, having deployed over 100,000 chargers across more than 1,800 towns and cities. The new plan aims for an annual deployment rate of 1 million chargers per year by 2028.
A critical component of the expansion is the deployment of fast-charging technology specifically for the smaller EV segments:
Blaze DC Charger: Bolt.Earth introduced the Blaze DC charger, one of the first universal DC fast chargers designed for electric 2Ws and 3Ws. This innovation cuts the charging time dramatically—reducing it from the standard 4-6 hours to as little as 80 minutes. This addresses the critical need for faster turnaround times for delivery riders and auto-rickshaw drivers.
Smart App & CMS: The Charger Management System (CMS) and user app enable real-time monitoring of charger status, utilization, and dynamic pricing, helping the company place new chargers optimally based on demand (e.g., at metro stations or fleet hubs) and ensuring a seamless scan-pay-charge experience for users.
The 1-million-charger roadmap involves a multi-pronged deployment strategy:
Tier-II and Tier-III Cities: While metropolitan cities are covered, a major focus is on expanding deep into smaller towns and cities to reduce “range anxiety” and make EV adoption truly accessible nationwide.
Residential & Home Charging: The company is partnering with OEMs (like the recent collaboration with Atul Greentech) to bundle professionally installed home chargers with vehicle purchases. Since 90-95% of charging happens in private environments (homes and workplaces), this is essential for mass adoption.
OEM Partnerships: Existing collaborations with manufacturers like Bajaj and Mahindra have already resulted in the integration of over 20,000 chargers, making charging a seamless part of the EV ownership journey.
Bolt.Earth is positioning itself for major financial growth and is aiming to be the first Indian EV charging network to achieve profitability.
Profitability Target: The company aims to achieve profitability by FY27 (with some projections as early as FY26).
IPO Plan: Following the profitability milestone, the company has announced plans for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2026.
This ambitious plan underscores the growing confidence in India’s EV transition and is seen as a foundational step toward achieving the national target of 30% vehicle electrification by 2030.