In a major push to strengthen India’s electric vehicle ecosystem, Union Heavy Industries Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy on Monday launched the Light Electric Vehicle Acceleration Forum (LEAF)—an industry-led platform aimed at enhancing EV charging infrastructure and accelerating adoption of electric mobility.
LEAF: A Neutral Platform for EV Stakeholders
The newly launched LEAF forum has been designed as a neutral and collaborative platform bringing together key stakeholders from the light electric vehicle (LEV) sector. This includes:
- Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
- Charging infrastructure operators
- Component manufacturers
- Technology providers
The initiative seeks to foster coordinated efforts across the ecosystem to address challenges and scale up EV infrastructure in India.
Focus on Two- and Three-Wheeler EV Adoption
The forum will work closely with government bodies, regulators, and industry associations to promote the development of EV charging infrastructure. A key focus area will be accelerating the adoption of electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers, which form a significant segment of India’s mobility landscape.
Driving Growth in Electric Mobility
Announcing the initiative on social media platform X, the minister highlighted that LEAF will:
- Strengthen EV ecosystem reliability
- Improve interoperability between charging networks
- Expand accessible charging infrastructure nationwide
He emphasized that the initiative will play a crucial role in advancing electric mobility and ensuring a seamless user experience for EV consumers.
Aligned with ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ Vision
The minister stated that the move aligns with the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, aiming to promote sustainable mobility and reduce carbon emissions.
He added that stronger collaboration between the government and industry will be essential to building a robust and globally competitive EV ecosystem.
Key Objective: Interoperability and Standardization
A major objective of LEAF is to ensure:
- Better interoperability across charging networks
- Increased system reliability
- Uniform user experience across platforms
- Expansion of public charging facilities
BIS-Approved Charging Standard to Support EV Growth
As part of this effort, the forum is promoting the Light Electric Combined Charging System (LECCS), which has been approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
This system will:
- Use a unified connector
- Support both slow and fast charging
- Help standardize EV charging infrastructure across India
Growing Industry Participation
The LEAF platform has already onboarded over 20 companies from the EV ecosystem, including manufacturers, charging operators, suppliers, and software firms. More organizations are expected to join in the coming months.
Industry Experts Highlight Need for Strong Charging Network
Industry experts note that while EV adoption is steadily rising in India, challenges such as uneven charging infrastructure and inconsistent user experience remain. They emphasize that improving interoperability and expanding reliable public charging networks will be key to accelerating electric mobility nationwide.
