Priyank Kharge, karnataka IT-BT Minister (File photo)
| Photo Credit:
KSL
The Karnataka government plans to set up an electric-vehicle (EV) city near Bengaluru 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 on Thursday. IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge chaired the meeting.
More than 30 EV and battery technology companies participated in the consultation, including major 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 planned as an end-to-end innovation and validation hub for the EV industry.
The facility will house original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and small and medium enterprise (SME) suppliers, incubators and shared infrastructure. A key component is a 50-acre integrated proving and testing zone.
Planned infrastructure includes outdoor test tracks, urban road simulations, gradient and hill-testing facilities, and validation of advanced driver assistance systems. The city will also support EV software and cybersecurity testing.
Fast and smart charging testbeds, vehicle performance testing, roadworthiness certification and EV component benchmarking facilities are also planned.
The EV City will host a Centre of Excellence for EVs and battery technologies, along with a skilling and talent academy. Training will cover both white-collar and shop-floor roles.
The government plans to offer pay-as-you-use common facilities to reduce entry barriers for start-ups and MSMEs.
“Karnataka was among the first states to bring a dedicated Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Policy,” Kharge said. He added that the state leads India in EV adoption and start-up presence.
“With nearly 5,400 public charging stations and almost 20 per cent of all EVs sold in the country, Karnataka continues to lead India’s electric mobility adoption,” he said.
Kharge said partnerships with agencies such as the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) would reduce time and costs for local innovators. “Currently, many 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 meeting.
With inputs from BL intern Tejaswini S
Published on February 5, 2026
