Towards Electric mobility

What is the issue?

Despite policy uncertainties, companies in the transportation sector are spending big on infra and R&D to be part of the ongoing electric revolution.

What is the roadmap?

Transportation sector accounts for over 10% of India’s carbon emissions.
Thus the government is keen to switch from polluting internal combustion engines to electric vehicles.
However, it can’t dramatically alter the auto-industry landscape from two-wheelers to passenger vehicles and trucks.
Automobiles gulp 30% of the petroleum from its refineries and since electric vehicles have fewer components than an internal combustion vehicle, the components sector could be devastated by a rapid switch-over to electric road power.
Hence, the government has made a target that EVs will make up 33% of vehicles on the road only by 2030.

What are the initiatives taken in this regard?

New ride-sharing or motorbike-taxi companies have sprung up in India in the last few years, which help to boost electric two-wheeler sales.
Companies are getting involved in customising the vehicles to be made “stronger” to take the strain of multiple users in case of ride-sharing.
Along with that, the companies need to be spent on a mix of R&D, manufacturing facilities, marketing and awareness-creation on electric vehicles.
Automobile companies, along with ride-sharing ones, decided to set up charging networks in the metro cities like Delhi and Bengaluru.
Some companies have aimed to build a plant and localise battery production with their own funds.
They have even worked out an app to enable bookings at charging stations and say which ones have the right type of charger.
All these initiatives are a welcoming move in the complete switch over to electronic vehicles in the country.

What should be the immediate focus?

The auto majors are pushing for the government to give more support to hybrid vehicles in the coming years.
A hybrid vehicle is one that uses more than one means of propulsion, wherein a petrol or diesel engine will be combined with an electric motor.
Auto industry experts argue that hybrids would obviate the need for an extensive network of charging stations.
It would also be a way of saving a large number of components firms that might be put out of business if EVs take over the roads totally.
Thus, the immediate future of EVs lies with two-wheelers and public transport, focussing especially on hybrid vehicles.
But as battery prices fall, there will be a transition from hybrid to electric vehicles, along with an increasing number of electric four-wheelers in the country.

Source: Business Line