A whole city dedicated to EVs? Karnataka plans to establish a hub two hours from Bengaluru for electric mobility testing, innovation, skilling, and startups.
Karnataka plans to establish a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) city near Bengaluru as part of efforts to deepen the State’s electric mobility ecosystem. The proposal was discussed at an industry consultation held on Thursday, February 5, 2026, by the state’s Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology. The meeting was chaired by IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge.
The proposed EV City will be developed across more than 100 acres (about 40.46 hectares) of land within a two-hour drive from Bengaluru. It is envisioned as a comprehensive hub for innovation, testing and validation for the electric vehicle industry. The government aims to establish a single location to support the entire EV value chain.
More than 30 companies participated in the consultation, including electric vehicle manufacturers, battery technology firms, component suppliers, and mobility start-ups. Officials said industry feedback would inform the final design and implementation model for the project.
A central feature of the EV City will be a 50-acre (approximately 20.23 hectares) integrated proving and testing facility. Planned infrastructure includes outdoor test tracks, simulated urban roads, gradient- and hill-testing zones, and facilities for validating advanced driver assistance systems.
The project also includes provisions for EV software development and cybersecurity testing.
The proposed city will host original equipment manufacturers, MSMEs and SME suppliers, as well as incubators and shared facilities. Charging infrastructure testbeds, vehicle performance evaluation, roadworthiness certification and benchmarking of EV components are also planned.
In addition, the project will include a Centre of Excellence focused on EVs and battery technologies, as well as a skilling and talent academy. Training programmes will cater to both engineering professionals and shop-floor workers. Common facilities will be offered on a pay-as-you-use basis to lower entry barriers for start-ups.
Kharge said Karnataka was among the first States to introduce a dedicated EV and energy storage policy. He noted that the State accounts for nearly a fifth of India’s EV sales and hosts about 5400 public charging stations.
He added that partnerships with national testing agencies such as Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) would help local companies reduce time and costs associated with testing and certification, which currently often require travel outside the State.
