Increased push is translating into increased hiring.

Sitaram Kandi, chief human resources officer at Tata Motors said during June-December 2024, the automaker hired a significant number of personnel for the EV vertical to support rapid growth. “Looking ahead, we plan to continue this momentum by hiring even more talented individuals to drive our EV initiatives forward,” he said.

Explaining the company’s recruitment strategy, Kandi said, “Tata Motors follows a global talent approach and actively hires professionals across industries to bring in specialised expertise and diverse perspectives. We've hired expats for EV positions and are looking for more.”

At Mahindra & Mahindra, fresh talent is being hired for its ‘Electric Origin’ SUV range for functions such as sales, customer support, and product development with a focus on advanced engineering, battery technology, and mechatronics, said Veejay Nakra, president, automotive division.

“Our goal is to build a future-ready workforce that will drive innovation and sustainable growth in the EV space,” he said.

In a recent interview, K N Radhakrishnan, CEO at TVS Motor said the company has hired nearly 500 people to bolster its capabilities in software and digital functions.

TVS is looking to explore global markets with EVs and some ICE (internal combustion engine) products. “The topline can come only with the right kind of people and investment behind people,” said Radhakrishnan.

Electric bike startup Ultraviolette Automotive will continue investing in talent across embedded systems, battery engineering, power electronics, and software development. At the same time, it is doubling down on commercial functions—strengthening sales, service, and operations to support its expansion in India besides entering the European market.

“Our hiring efforts will be aligned with this dual focus, ensuring we have the best minds driving both innovation and business growth,” said Niraj Rajmohan, chief technology officer.

Ultraviolette is tapping talent worldwide including expats and professionals returning to India, bringing in expertise from companies such as Tesla, Rivian, Samsung, and Honda, said Rajmohan.

Mandates Galore

Amol Gangaramany, partner, automotive practice at ABC Consultants said there has been a sharp uptick in hirings and enquiries from EV makers. The recruitment firm is currently running 12-15 CXO-level searches.

Multiple factors are contributing to the surge, said Gangaramany. These include a focus by companies on growing the EV portfolio, launch of pure EV platform-based vehicles, and increased focus on electronics/ electrical components requiring related talent. “CTOs are the hottest property currently.”

According to Anshul Lodha, managing director of Michael Page India, with many EV & EV ancillary makers reaching a stage of growing their businesses, there is likely to be a further increase in mid-senior hirings.

“We are currently running around 50+ active mandates with EV & EV infra organisations, spread across finance, R&D, operations, international business, manufacturing, projects, etc,” he said.