India’s electric vehicle (EV) industry is expected to generate 30 million to 40 million jobs by 2030, with hiring projected to grow 15-20% annually, according to a report by talent solutions company Adecco India.
The report says the industry’s rapid expansion is shifting employment beyond vehicle manufacturing, creating opportunities across battery technology, energy systems, charging infrastructure, recycling, and advanced engineering.
Majority of Jobs Will Be Indirect
The report estimates that 10-15% of the new jobs will be direct employment, while 85-90% will come from indirect roles across the wider EV ecosystem.
Based on insights from more than 100 companies, the report suggests India’s EV industry is entering its most employment-intensive phase as adoption grows across passenger vehicles, commercial fleets, two-wheelers, and public transport.
Hiring Shifts Towards High-Skill Roles
Adecco India expects the next decade to be defined less by assembly-line jobs and more by demand for specialised professionals in battery technologies, energy systems, electronics, software, and engineering.
Deepesh Gupta, Director and Head of General Staffing at Adecco India, said India’s long-term opportunity lies in securing a larger share of the global EV value chain, not just expanding vehicle production.
He added that state-level initiatives, including Delhi’s Rs 7,000-crore EV Policy 2026, are moving the sector from incentive-led adoption towards industrial-scale growth, making workforce development increasingly important.
Manufacturing Remains the Largest Employment Driver
Manufacturing is expected to account for 50-55% of total hiring, with the strongest demand coming from established automotive hubs such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana, and the National Capital Region (NCR).
However, the report highlights that future growth will increasingly come from Tier II and Tier III cities, where new gigafactories, battery plants, component manufacturing units, and recycling facilities are being developed.
Industrial corridors including Hosur, Sanand, and Dholera are expected to emerge as major employment centres as India’s domestic EV supply chain expands.
Contract Hiring Expected to Lead Early Growth
According to the report, nearly 70% of new hiring mandates are likely to originate outside traditional automotive hubs.
Around 40-50% of these positions are expected to begin as contractual or flexible staffing roles before transitioning into permanent employment as production scales.
The products and components segment is projected to account for 40-45% of hiring, driven by increasing localisation of battery cells, motors, controllers, semiconductors, and power electronics.
Battery Recycling and EV Infrastructure Drive New Opportunities
The report identifies battery recycling as one of the fastest-growing employment segments, noting that the market expanded at a 55% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between FY22 and FY26.
Demand for talent in EV charging and related infrastructure is also expected to rise significantly, with employment in the segment projected to grow by 45% over the next decade.
Adecco said the sector’s expansion, supported by the Make in India initiative, is expected to reduce India’s dependence on crude oil imports, strengthen energy security, support the country’s net-zero emissions target by 2070, and create new employment opportunities across emerging industrial regions.
