The seventh episode of the Shoonya Webinar Series convened leaders from industry, academia, and civil society to explore how India’s electric vehicle (EV) transition is reshaping workforce needs and what coordinated action across skilling systems, institutions, and support systems will be needed to prepare people for this shift. Moderated by Chetna Nagpal, Manager, RMI, the discussion highlighted that the EV transition is not only about vehicles, charging, and technology, but also about people, skills, institutions and systems.

From the demand side of the EV ecosystem, Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer at Eternal, drew on Zomato and Blinkit’s experience with over 100,000 delivery riders using EVs to underscore the systemic nature of skilling gaps across the EV value chain. With over 75% of EV riders on their platforms using rental vehicles, she emphasised that affordable vehicles, reliable servicing, and accessible financing must all advance together. She observed that, “there are skills missing across the value chain.” She also highlighted how the flexibility of gig work is opening new pathways for women and people with disabilities.

Bringing the academic perspective, Dr B.K. Panigrahi, Professor and Founder-Head of the Centre for Automotive Research and Tribology at IIT Delhi, outlined how institutions are aligning to meet the skilling needs of the ecosystem, highlighting that the ICE-to-EV transition demands both new capabilities and a reorientation of existing expertise. He stressed that, “the skilling and reskilling of the existing sector is an important aspect where we should work together.” He pointed to initiatives including dealer training through the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations and the Hyundai Centre of Excellence as promising models of industry-academia collaboration.

On building workforce capacity at scale, Dr Rajani Tiwari, Chief People Officer at GreenCell Mobility, shared that electrifying intercity bus operations requires sustained investment rather than short-term training programmes. Reflecting on GreenCell’s journey of training women coach captains and sourcing talent from workers’ home communities, she emphasised that “skilling in its own way is a journey. And when you want to create the right workforce, you first need to invest.”

Bringing ground-level evidence, Saudamini Zutshi, Business Development and Partnerships Manager at Purpose, shared insights from the Nai Soch ki Savari campaign, which engaged over 2,500 truck drivers, 1,000 fleet operators, and 500 mechanics across 13 states. With over 90% of mechanics surveyed expressing readiness to reskill, she underscored that, “it’s not a barrier of mindset, it’s a barrier of access and structural inclusion” — a finding that reframes the challenge as one of opportunity and institutional design rather than resistance.

Lastly, Sharif Qamar, Associate Director, Transport and Urban Governance, TERI, called for coordinated institutional action, noting that efforts across manufacturers, educational institutions, and government bodies remain fragmented. Proposing a dedicated EV skilling council, he emphasised that, “we require a massive, centralised effort towards EV skilling.”

The session concluded with broad agreement that India’s EV transition presents an extraordinary opportunity to build an inclusive, future-ready workforce. Panellists were united in the conviction that reskilling represents empowerment rather than displacement, and that collaboration across industry, government, and academia will define the pace and reach of this people-centred transformation.

You can revisit the discussion by accessing the webinar recording here.