AI is the Missing Piece: EVs Alone Can't Solve India's Energy Challenge

• India's Union Budget 2026 shifts focus from EV subsidies to long-term enablers like semiconductor manufacturing and critical mineral supply chains.
• EV penetration reached 8% in 2025, with sales exceeding 2.3 million units, indicating a maturing market driven by innovation.
• AI is crucial for boosting consumer confidence by providing personalized total cost of ownership models and enhancing battery intelligence.
• AI transforms EVs into active energy system participants, enabling grid services, optimizing charging, and identifying ideal infrastructure locations.
• Policy and regulation must evolve to recognize EVs as grid assets, allow bidirectional charging, and establish robust, interoperable data layers for AI-enabled EVs.