When more green cars are predicted to join the road in 2023 as a result of growing efforts toward environmental sustainability, rising gas prices and policy measures garnering significant expenditures, electric vehicle (EV) makers and the EV industry are planning to go on a hiring spree.
According to business executives and staffing firms, hiring in the industry is anticipated to increase by 40–50% over the next six months as companies look to bolster their teams’ capabilities to support capacity expansion and new product launches.
The entire EV ecosystem, which includes manufacturers, suppliers of components and batteries, infrastructure providers for charging and swapping, and providers of auto maintenance services, is in need of knowledge, according to experts.
Data compiled for ET by staffing firm Ciel HR Services show a rise in “desire to hire” across the industry in the current quarter, with the number of open positions currently 35% higher than the need for labor during the period of January to March. According to Ciel, which is now working on 200 such mandates, companies that may be looking to rent include Hero Electric, Ather Energy, Mahindra Electric, Ola Electric, River, Fisker, Log9 Materials, ZF, Maruti Suzuki, and ChargePoint, among others.
Aditya Narayan Mishra, chief executive officer of Ciel HR Services, stated that “the share of EVs in the overall market of automotive has been on the rise due to several factors, including the growth in awareness towards environmental sustainability, soaring fuel prices, the influx of several startups bringing in innovative offerings, entry of global players, and several policy measures.”
For its EV business, Hero Electric is hiring people in manufacturing, sourcing, and R&D. According to Sohinder Gill, CEO of Hero Electric, “We will be hiring 3,000 personnel starting March 2023 for our two million EV scooter plant coming up in Rajasthan.”
He said that the hiring process will probably take two years to complete. Gill continued, “We are immediately employing 100 more individuals, bringing the total in the R&D section to 180, and ten for our overseas company.”
Ather Energy’s chief human resources officer, Sunitha Lal, stated that the company has quadrupled its staff this year and intends to increase it by an additional 50% in 2023.
We will keep hiring across all areas as we grow our business and make investments in new products, she said. “As we begin to work on several programs, it is extremely essential that we hire strong product managers. We plan to fill positions in firmware, hardware, and software in the engineering department.
With 50% of all vacant positions, Bengaluru leads the way in terms of demand, while Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, and Mumbai are emerging as new hotspots.
“Many of the firms establishing hubs here are wanting to hire, and India is on its way to emerging as a hub for battery manufacture.” Mishra of Ciel was referred to.
Engineering, design, and IT-related job profiles account for over 67% of all recruiting. Other prominent fields include quality control, operations, sales, and advertising. According to experts, the increase in petrol prices may also hasten the adoption of EVs and boost the EV industry, particularly in the two- and three-wheeler classes, which would increase the demand for labor.
