Did you know the first Indian Electric Vehicle- Lovebird, was manufactured in 1993? The car was a two-seater and hence named Lovebird for the same. The Government also provided full subsidy support making cars quite affordable. Still, the car sale couldn’t even cross three digits figure, which led to the withdrawal of all support and manufacturing of the vehicle likewise stopped.
But it is to be noted that it occurred 29 years back when many parts of India were not introduced to electricity even. In that era, a made-in-India electric car was launched but eventually, due to a lack of an electric vehicle-friendly ecosystem, it failed miserably.
We can induce from this that India’s automobile has always opened its arm to innovations. Still, the condition is that the said innovations need to be practical to the infrastructure reality and come at an affordable price also.
However, the main question is, after 29 years, are EVs future-proof, or can we anticipate the repeat of Lovebird?
India has the potential to become one of the top 3 manufacturers of cars by 2030, with more than 40 crores of customer share to cater to their transport/mobility needs. It is also noteworthy that when we talk about countries with maximum carbon emissions, India stands at 3rd place in the world. With worsening climate change conditions and India’s significant role in the same, it is high time we change our way of seeing our automobile sector.
To sum up, India awaits a transportation revolution.
At present, most of our transport depends on petrol/ diesel for fuel requirements. The fuel is now imported from overseas at costly rates, increasing the burden on end customers and emptying our forex reserves. The increasing number of vehicles with an expanding population is only cluttering already oversaturated cities, making it easier circumstances for an insane level of air pollution.
The Government has now recognized the need to rethink our mobility solutions and introduced the mission of “ India’s zero net emission by 2070”. This program primarily focused on decreasing carbon emissions caused by India through various means and providing a substantially cleaner and better environment with alternative transport options such as electric vehicles.
With the sudden boom of electric vehicles in the automobile ecosystem, many private companies have entered the game to capture the largest market share. However, the current scenario for electric vehicles still needs a lot of work to make things practical.
Let’s know some measures to help electric vehicles find space for themselves in the Indian automation market.
Informing the Public.
The present Government is doing its best to keep the public in the loop about the benefits they could get by switching to electric vehicles but adopting new things always takes time. Additionally, due to resistance and fear of unemployment after the arrival of electric vehicles in the automobile industry, Government has to limit its targets. Thus, a systematic and better method of educating the Indian masses needs to be developed that help in breaking all the myths. E- Amrit was launched with the same vision, to educate the public about the different advantages of choosing electric vehicles. You can look up the nearest charging station and choose an electric vehicle that suits your needs. If you plan to invest in electric vehicles, you can also explore business models on the website.
Viable charging options.
Electric vehicles charging stations currently present in India are far too few to cater to the ambitious target of fulfilling 5 crore+ electric vehicle availability by 2030. It is estimated that at least 20 lakh charging stations are needed for the smooth functioning of electric vehicles in India. To secure electric vehicles’ future in India, the Government is also providing lucrative incentive models for individuals or companies to invest. With incentives, a reliable power supply and supply chain are also needed.
Thorough R&D.
Electric vehicles are not new for the rest of the world. We can easily collaborate with countries like the U.K, Japan, and the U.S, to name a few, to understand the EV ecosystem and requirements a little better. It can also lead to discovering favorable indigenous arrangements to support the frictionless working of electric vehicles in India and may also reduce the charging cost of electric vehicles.
Revamping the whole transportation system is surely a tough task. Still, with proper planning, execution, and Government support, the day is not far when India can become the top country with the highest number of electric vehicle running. All that is needed is some grit and acceptance from the Indian public. Many giant companies like TATA, Hyundai, Hero, and KIA have already joined the race by launching electric variants cars. With worsening climatic conditions, toxic gases emission, and global warming, it is just a matter of time before EVs become the mainstream and most News preferred way of transportation.
