The thing about revolutions is that they do not just change what we make – they transform who makes it.

Right now, as you read this, India’s electric vehicle sector is not just manufacturing cars whose engines are completely silent. It is quietly engineering one of the largest employment transformations we have seen in the automobile sector.

We are talking millions of jobs. Not someday or in the distant future, right now. But as the ones tasked with actually finding these people, what is your role in all this? Let’s discuss.

The New Kids on the Employment Block

A few years ago, few people were aware of roles such as Battery Engineer or Charging Infrastructure Manager. Today, these are a few of the hottest roles in the country, right alongside EV Systems Engineers, Embedded Software Engineers, Data Scientists, and more.

These roles did not exist five years ago. Some did not exist even two years ago. And here we are, desperately trying to fill positions that require expertise in both the automobile industry and the energy sector – a combination that feels like hunting for a unicorn.

If you think about it, you are trying to find someone who understands lithium-ion battery chemistry and vehicle dynamics and can code in Python. Where exactly does one find this unicorn? LinkedIn? A very specific engineering college in Pune?

Everyone is Fighting Over the Same Fifty People

The talent pool for specialised EV roles in India right now resembles a kiddie talent pool more than a talent ocean. You have got traditional automotive giants pivoting fast into EV, startups promising to be the “next big thing”, and international players setting up GCCs in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

And they are all hunting the same professionals.

You finally hire a brilliant Battery Engineer after three months of searching? You have got about six weeks before another company tries to poach them with a 40% salary bump and stock options that may or may not be worth something someday.

The Perks Problem

Most companies think that they can win this war with the usual playbook: competitive salary, health insurance, gym membership, maybe some stock options, and that intangible “we are changing the world” pitch that sounds great only in a LinkedIn post.

While these things matter, if that is all you are offering, you are bringing a knife to a gunfight. Or more accurately, bringing a petrol engine to an EV race.

Every single one of your competitors is offering the same things.

Same salary range. Same benefits. Same “we are revolutionising mobility” mission statement. Same open office with the same bean bags and the same artisanal coffee machine.

What Actually Keeps Talent from Jumping Ship

We need to talk about what actually makes people stay.

Learning That Actually Means Something

Your Embedded Software Engineer does not just want “training opportunities”. They want to work on problems that do not have solutions on GitHub yet. They want to publish papers. They want to file patents. They want to look back five years from now and say, “I helped figure that out”.

Are you giving them projects that stretch their capabilities, or are you giving them the corporate equivalent of busy work? Because they can tell the difference. And so can the recruiter who is about to slide into their DMs.

Actual Career Trajectories

Can you give them a real answer when the candidates ask, “Where will I be in three years?” Not a simple statement like “There are opportunities for growth”, or “We have a promotion system” or other phrases that mean absolutely nothing.

Can you point to specific people who have made specific moves? Can you show them a clear path from Battery Engineer to Team Lead to Department Head? Or are you asking them to take it on faith while your org chart looks like abstract art?

The Autonomy They Are Actually Craving

Top talent in the EV sector is not looking for micromanagement. They are not children who need someone to check if they have completed their homework. They are professionals who have spent years acquiring very specific, very valuable skills.

Give them the problem. Give them the resources. Allow them to solve it their way. Then let them work their magic and watch what happens. You might be surprised.

Building Something That Matters

Everyone claims they are changing the world. But are you actually involving your engineers in decisions that matter? Are they in the room when you are discussing product strategy? Do they get to influence what gets built and how?

Or are they just cogs in a machine, implementing someone else’s vision while being told they should feel grateful for the opportunity?

The Infrastructure Nobody Wants to Talk About

The EV sector is not just about making cars. It is about building an entire ecosystem. Charging stations need managers who understand both electrical engineering and customer service. Supply chains need specialists who know logistics and sustainable sourcing. Sales teams need people who can explain kilowatt-hours without putting customers to sleep.

Every single one of these roles is critical. Every single one is hard to fill. And every single one requires you to rethink how you attract and retain talent.

Are you offering Charging Infrastructure Managers the chance to literally shape how India refuels its vehicles? Because that is a pretty compelling pitch. Are you giving your Data Scientists access to real-world driving data that could influence policy? Because that beats analysing shopping cart abandonment rates any day.

The Retention Strategy – It is Not Really About Money

Want to know the secret? It is extremely simple.

Treat your specialised EV talent like the rare assets they are.

This means:

• Giving them work that challenges them
• Creating clear paths for growth. Paths that do not force them into becoming managers if they do not want to
• Involving them in strategic decisions
• Respecting their time and autonomy
• Building a culture where expertise is valued over hierarchy
• And paying them fairly – but recognising that money alone will not keep them.

It also means accepting that some people will leave. But you can still benefit from it. Build an alumni network. Stay in touch. The person who leaves might come back in three years with twice the experience and new perspectives you desperately need.

The Bottom Line

India’s EV sector is creating millions of jobs, reshaping everything from manufacturing to infrastructure development. The opportunities are massive, and the talent competition is fierce.

You cannot win this war with the same old tactics. Perks are table stakes. Purpose is background noise. Everyone is offering the same thing. What will set you apart? Giving your people real challenges, real growth, real autonomy, and real impact. It is not complicated. It is just a little hard.

So, what is your next move? Are you ready to rethink how you attract and retain the talent that is literally building the future? Because while you are thinking about it, someone else is probably making an offer to that Battery Engineer you have been trying to onboard for three months.