E-Rickshaw drivers in Delhi struggle with high costs of recharging

Often highlighted as best examples of India’s adoption of e-mobility, hundreds of thousands of e-rickshaw drivers in India, notably in Delhi, struggle to support their families as high charging costs and a lack of public charging stations severely impact their earnings, threatening their financial stability.  

At the break of dawn every day, Deepak Yadav, a 38-year-old e-rickshaw driver and resident of Sarita Vihar in South Delhi, begins his day, navigating Delhi’s bustling streets. For the past three years, Yadav has rented an e-rickshaw, hoping to secure a better future for his family.

Yet, his life is riddled with challenges, as a severe shortage of government-owned charging stations forces him to rely on costly private facilities. With just 543 public charging points in all of Delhi, for over 120,000 e-rickshaws, not to mention other e-vehicles, affordable options are scarce, adding to the daily struggles of drivers like Yadav.

Each morning, Yadav sets out to earn between INR 800 to 900, but the numbers don’t add up. His daily expenses are crushing as INR 400 goes for the rickshaw’s daily rent and INR 150 for each charging session at private charging point and his total daily expenses for rent and charging climb to INR 600. This leaves him with only INR 300 to 400 in net earnings to take home. Over a month, he spends INR 12,000 on rent and INR 6,000 on charging, well over 67 pc of his total earnings.

While private charging stations cost INR 150 per session, a  government-owned charging stations would cost just INR 30–40 per session, but with so few available across the city, drivers like Yadav rarely get the chance to use them.

The lack of public charging infrastructure has become a glaring issue for Delhi’s e-rickshaw drivers, many of whom spend hours searching for affordable options. Private hubs exploit this shortage, charging exorbitant rates that eat into the meagre incomes of drivers.

Yadav’s story is not unique. It echoes across Delhi, where an estimated 120,000 e-rickshaws ply the city’s chaotic streets, ferrying passengers to and fro. Introduced as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional auto-rickshaws, these vehicles were hailed as a solution to the city’s mounting air pollution. However, the dream of sustainable urban transport has been ruined by a glaring lack of public charging infrastructure and put in peril the livelihood of millions across the country who depend on e-rickshaws for their earnings.

“Three years ago, when I first started driving an e-rickshaw, I was so hopeful. I thought I had finally found a way to earn a stable income and support my family without worrying about the rising costs of petrol or diesel. Back then, things were better there weren’t so many e-rickshaws on the roads, and I could make decent money every day. But now, everything has changed. These private charging centres keep hiking their rates, and with so few government charging points available, I have no choice but to pay them. On top of that, the number of e-rickshaws has exploded. At every turn, there is another driver waiting for passengers. Some days I end up earning only INR 300 to 400 and for the last three years, I have been striving to save enough money to buy my own e-rickshaw. But if I continue earning like this, and if the situation remains the same, I don’t think I will ever be able to save that much,” Yadav adds.

Yadav’s tale is repeated by many other e-rickshaw drivers. “I bought this e-rickshaw with hope, thinking it would change my life. But now, things are getting worse instead of better. There are hardly any Government charging stations in my area, and I am forced to rely on private charging points. They charge me INR 150 a day on average and by the end of the month, I end up spending nearly INR 5000 just on charging,” Vinod Kumar, 48-year-old, an e-rickshaw driver from Lajpat Nagar, also in South Delhi tells Media India Group.

“I hardly save anything after paying for the charging, the maintenance of the rickshaw, and other daily expenses. I work long hours, from morning till night, but it feels like I am running in circles. I am the only breadwinner in my family. My wife and kids depend on me, and sometimes, it feels like I am letting them down. I bought this vehicle to build a better future for them, but it is becoming harder with each passing month. I just want a fair chance to earn and save, but right now, it feels like the system is stacked against us,” Kumar adds.

The challenges faced by e-rickshaw drivers are not confined to specific areas, they are widespread across Delhi. Not only are the public charging points fewer, but they also lack basic facilities like parking and security, making them inconvenient for drivers.

“In my area, we don’t even have a proper charging station. The nearest one is in Sarita Vihar, but using it is not easy. There is no parking facility, and there is no security. We can’t leave our vehicles there overnight to charge, which means we have to sit and wait, wasting precious time that we could spend working or resting. At private charging points, they charge more, but at least they have parking where I can leave my e-rickshaw overnight and pick it up in the morning fully charged,” Dharam Veer, e-rickshaw driver from Jasola Vihar in Delhi, tells Media India Group.

Many of these government stations also impose strict conditions, such as requiring drivers to use only government-approved batteries.

“On top of that, the government charging points have strange rules. They demand that we use only government-approved batteries if we want to charge at their stations. It is unfair and feels like we are being forced into something we don’t want or can’t afford. We are just trying to earn a living, but the lack of facilities and these conditions make it so much harder for us,” Veer adds.

For many rickshaw drivers in Delhi, the journey begins far from home, driven by the hope of earning a livelihood to support their families. Migrants from states like Bihar come to bustling areas like Karol Bagh, Vasant Vihar and Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, where the demand for e-rickshaws is high. However, the financial strain of paying rent for both their living spaces and vehicles, coupled with high charging costs, leaves them with little to send back to their families, turning their dreams into a daily struggle for survival.

“I came to Delhi from Bihar with big dreams. Back in my village, there were hardly any jobs, and I thought I could earn well here to take care of my family. I started driving an E-rickshaw in Jama Masjid because the demand is good, but it is so difficult to save anything. Every month, I pay INR 3,000 for the rent of the room where I stay, INR 5,000 to rent the e-rickshaw, and then there is the charging cost, which is another INR 5,000 or more. By the time I cover these expenses, I am left with barely anything,” Vikram Singh, a resident of Bihar tells Media India Group.

“My wife and children back home depend on me. Every month, they wait for the money I send, but sometimes it is so little that I feel ashamed. I work from early morning till late at night, navigating the narrow, crowded streets of Old Delhi, hoping to make a little extra, but it is never enough. This city is supposed to offer opportunities, but for people like me, it feels like we are just surviving, not living,” he adds.

The high charging costs are draining the livelihoods of drivers, in addition to the cost, the lack of charging stations leads to long queues at private charging facilities, further extending working hours and reducing the amount of time drivers can spend ferrying passengers. This also puts an added strain on their physical and mental health, especially when drivers have to wait hours to charge their vehicles after long working hours.

“Now, with so few government charging points, all the rickshaw drivers like me have no choice but to rely on private charging stations. But even there, the situation is tough. We have to wait in long queues for our turn, sometimes for hours. In this chilly winter, we stand in line, shivering, just so we can get our rickshaws charged and earn something to feed our families. It is exhausting, but we have no other option. Every day feels like a struggle, but we keep pushing through because our families depend on us,” Ramesh Tiwari, a resident of Shaheen Bagh in Delhi tells Media India Group.

The e-rickshaw drivers say that the government needs to act swiftly to address these infrastructure challenges. Without a reliable and affordable charging infrastructure, the growth of e-rickshaws could be stunted and leave the drivers to bear an unfair financial burden, putting a big question mark on India’s so-called green mobility initiatives.