CEO - eMobility.Careers
If you're weighing a career switch into EV from IT or traditional automotive, the salary question matters. Headlines suggest EV pays 30-50% more — the reality is more textured. Here's the comparison across 12 roles.
Software roles — EV vs IT
Embedded engineers earn 10-25% above generic IT backend at the mid level, but 5-15% below at very senior levels because top-end IT (Google, Microsoft, FAANG-India) outpays everyone. Cloud engineers in EV earn at parity with IT at mid level, fall 10-20% behind at senior.
Hardware roles — EV vs auto
Battery, BMS, power electronics roles pay 20-35% above their ICE counterparts. Vehicle integration and chassis are at parity. NVH and manufacturing engineers earn at parity, with EV-side premium only for senior managers in scarce sub-specialisms.
Where EV pays best
- Battery cell, BMS firmware, power electronics — 20-30% above market
- Functional safety (ISO 26262) — 15-25% above market
- Charging hardware + OCPP firmware — at parity with EV software market
- Senior CXO roles at venture-funded EV — variable comp + ESOPs add 50-100%
Where IT or auto still wins
- Generic web / mobile development — IT premium
- Senior management at established auto OEMs — comparable base + stability
- FAANG-India software roles — out-pay even premium EV software
Where to go from here
Switch to EV if you want long-term skill compounding in a sector that's still expanding. Don't switch just for a salary bump — the headline-grabbing premiums show up only in specific sub-specialisms.
Make this real: create a free emobility.careers account to match with EV jobs, see live salary medians and unlock 200+ JD templates. Want hands-on training? Check out the AICTE-approved EV programs at DIYguru — the largest EV academy in India with placement support across OEMs, charging operators and Tier-1 suppliers.