The automobile industry is planning to shift its focus from fossil fuels powered vehicles to electric powered vehicles.
What are the challenges?
Affordability of e-vehicles (EVs) as they are presently costly
Range they can cover on a single battery charge is currently limited.
Finding the natural resources such as lithium, cobalt and nickel to make recyclable batteries is difficult.
There is also the question of the sustainability of making millions of batteries that must be recycled.
What has been the progress so far?
The technological limits of the power source are being pushed constantly i.e less material is being used to produce higher energy density, and at lower cost.
Tesla had set its goal to mass-market electric cars that are efficient on range, and offer a minimum of 340 km on one charge.
Many major automobile manufacturers have announced plans for electrics.
France, announced recently that it will end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040.
What should be done?
India, could give electro-mobility a boost through declaring its policy on EVs soon.
Electric two-wheelers and public transport buses can be made attractive through tax incentives.
