Amid rising concerns over petrol and diesel, the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is steadily increasing across the state, with sales growing day by day.

However, despite buying EVs, many people are still hesitant to rely on them for long-distance travel due to the lack of charging infrastructure.

Apart from a few charging stations in Bhubaneswar, most parts of the state still do not have sufficient EV charging facilities. In such a situation, questions are being raised over how EVs can emerge as a viable alternative to conventional fuel-powered vehicles.

Brundaban Sahoo from Berhampur has been using an EV for nearly two years. While he is satisfied with the vehicle, its use remains limited to city travel and specific purposes, as Berhampur still does not have even a single charging station.

“There are no charging stations in Berhampur, forcing us to fully charge the vehicle before leaving home and return before the battery runs out,” he said.

Similarly, Adhip Jena from Balasore purchased an EV around six months ago. However, due to the lack of government charging stations in the city, he is still unable to depend on it like a petrol vehicle. The few private charging stations run by vehicle companies are insufficient to meet public demand.

“I charge my vehicle at home as there are no charging stations in the town. A few chargers provided by the companies are available at some places, but those are not very useful. If there are multiple charging points across the city and even on the outskirts, it will become easier for everyone to commute,” he said.

A similar situation exists in Rourkela, known as the Mini India of Odisha. People in the city are showing interest in EVs, and some have already started using them. However, due to the absence of even a single charging station in the city so far, people are still unable to fully depend on EVs.

Nihar Das, a resident from Rourkela said, “There are no EV charging stations outside in the city, due to which we are facing a lot of difficulties. There are no service centres either.”

Sirial Subrat Patel, Executive Officer, Balasore Municipality said, “We have sought permission from the tehsildar for land acquisition to set up EV charging points. The work will begin as soon as approval is received.”

On the other hand, people across all sections are increasingly viewing EVs as the best alternative amid petrol shortages, rising prices and growing pollution concerns. As a result, EV demand in the state is rising day by day. In cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri, customers are even facing months-long waiting periods after booking. Many now believe EVs will emerge as a major mode of transport in the future.

Srichandan Patra, a resident from Bhubaneswar said, “There is zero pollution associated with this, and people should start switching to EVs as there will be no fuel-related issues in the future.”

Another resident said that he charges his vehicle at home and can travel approximately 300 km after a full charge, with no issues in local commuting. He added that his electricity bill has also reduced significantly.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said Odisha is progressing strongly in the EV sector, with over 9 lakh EVs registered in the state so far. He added that the government is offering subsidies for two-wheelers, four-wheelers and commercial vehicles.

The minister also said steps are being taken to address the shortage of charging stations. Private organisations are expected to set up over 1,000 charging stations across the state, with the process already started for 100. Currently, 17 charging stations are operational in Bhubaneswar.

He further said that under the PM E-Drive scheme, 190 EV charging stations are also being planned, and the network is expected to expand to rural areas in the coming days.

“We assigned Electriva, an EV company, the responsibility of setting up 100 EV charging stations, of which 25–30 have already been established. Of these, 15 are in Bhubaneswar, and the remaining will be gradually set up in other cities and rural areas as well,” he said.