For reducing carbon footprint union government promotes electric vehicles.
But the government is not pursuing plans for a separate policy on electric vehicles (EVs).
What is the plan of India to promote electric vehicles?
Union government has left to the automotive industry to determine the scale and pace of a transition from fossil fuels to electric motors.
Union Ministry for Road Transport announced that the move towards EVs would be accelerated by the higher efficiencies and lower cost of EVs compared to those with internal combustion engines.
Recently ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises also clarified that there is no target for a shift to electric vehicles by the year 2030.
Union government isincentivising purchase of electric vehicles through the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) programme.
Under this scheme the end users and consumers pay a reduced price.
What are the benefits of Electric vehicles?
Converting a significant part of the transport fleet, led by public transport, to electric or hybrid vehicles is predicted to sharply cut dependence on imported oil, and reduce carbon emissions.
The current economics of EVs favour larger vehicles in the longer term, given the high capital expenditure involved.
Which has good cost-benefit outcomes even now for two-wheelers and rickshaws.
What are challenges in electric vehicles transition?
The level of growth means India’s plan to only sell electric cars by 2030, would require nearly eight times the global stock of such vehicles.
There is no plan for the government to develop nationwide charging infrastructure.
Instead, the government hopes that by promoting the uptake of electric vehicles, it will create the ecosystem by which charging networks will become a necessity.
India has only 222 community EV charging stations when compared withnearly 56,000 traditional fuel stations.
In developing India's EV charging infrastructure there are other predominant dilemmas ranging from
Business model - Free or revenue generating,
User type -Mass transit or private EV owner,
Charging mechanism -Battery swap, community charger or high-speed super-charger.
What measures needs to be taken?
Developing India’ electric vehicle charging infrastructure is of utmost importance, to see a growth rate in electric vehicles.
Infrastructure is needed to produce, maintain and recycle a large number of batteries as the population of EVs rises.
Infrastructures with considerable expertise in both power generation and power supply projects from both grid and renewable sources needs to be established.
Whether operating on a commercial business model, charging a bus fleet, or ministerial cars, EV charging stations and networks demand a reliable power supply, this must be ensured.
Public Private Partnership needs to be made with experience of delivering EV charging programmes for both mass transit as well as private ownership.
