Electric vehicles as a pathway to India’s sustainable development goals

The accelerating transition towards sustainable mobility has positioned the electric vehicles (EVs) as a cornerstone in realising India’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). As the transport sector has been a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and energy consumption, India’s transition toward electrification will offer both environmental and economic opportunities. Despite increased scholarly interest and policy attention, only a few studies have comprehensively analysed how EV expansion contributes to the attainment of SDGs in the Indian context. Drawing upon the secondary data, the study adopts a qualitative research design grounded in the integrative review. This study examines the role of EVs in attaining SDGs by integrating policy framework, market evaluation and analysing sustainability practices of leading automobile manufacturers in India. The findings revealed that EVs adoption contributes to the realisation of various SDGs through enhanced energy efficiency, innovation, emission reduction and green employment creation. EV adoption is directly associated with the SDG 7, 9, 11, 12 and 13. Moreover, the study also highlights how major automobile players in India, particularly Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors are integrating sustainability into their business operations. While the sector is progressing, certain challenges such as high initial costs, inadequate infrastructure facilities and policy fragmentation restrict the widespread adoption of EVs and sustainability measures.