Kolkata: Bengal is accelerating on the road to cleaner mobility, with electric vehicle adoption witnessing a robust surge despite the continued gap in the charging infrastructure.EV registration in Bengal increased by 154.7%, rising from 52,327 units in 2023-24 to 1,33,388 in 2025-26, showed a study by Environcatalysts, which tracked the transport sector’s transition. The jump has pushed up EV penetration in Bengal to 9.8%, more than the national average of 8.2%, marking a significant shift in consumer preference. “The pace of electrification in Bengal is significant, especially when the public charging network is limited,” said Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at Environcatalysts. “It reflects both policy momentum and strong grassroots adoption, especially in shared mobility segments.”The broader automotive market is also expanding steadily. Total vehicle registrations in Bengal grew by 13.1% year-on-year, from 1.2 million units in FY 2024-25 to 1.4 million units in FY 2025-26. While petrol vehicles continue to dominate, accounting for 81.9% of total registrations in Bengal, much higher than the national average, their share has declined from 87.4% a year earlier. Diesel remains a niche but steady segment at 5.8%, largely concentrated in goods carriers, tractors and some private vehicles. Hybrid vehicles gained traction among premium buyers, growing by 52% year-on-year, showed the report.Industry observers said the most transformative change was happening within the EV ecosystem. E-rickshaws, known as toto’ in Bengal, were driving the state’s electric revolution. With 89,203 registrations in 2025-26, they accounted for nearly 67% of all EVs on the road. “The e-rickshaw segment has become the backbone of electrification in Bengal,” said a transport department official. “It’s affordable, efficient and well-suited to both urban and rural mobility needs.“But this growth is not solely market-driven. A major state-led regularisation drive played a crucial role. Beginning Oct 2025, authorities mandated digital enrolment for over one million unregistered e-rickshaws, bringing a large informal sector into the official fold, added Dahiya.Beyond three-wheelers, other EV segments were also gaining momentum. Electric two-wheelers rose 15% to 27,769 units, while electric cars nearly doubled, with registrations increasing by 89.8% to 5,535 units. Passenger electric three-wheelers more than doubled as well.But infrastructure challenges remained a concern. Experts warned that the current pace of EV growth could outstrip charging availability if investments did not keep up. “Charging infrastructure is the next critical frontier,” said an industry expert. “Without rapid expansion, it could become a bottleneck to sustained EV growth.”
