E-vehicles in India

What is an electric vehicle?

A vehicle that operates using an electric motor instead of a internal combustion engine that is powered by fuel or gases, is called an electric vehicle (EV). Electric vehicles are the answer for countries to address the problems of climate change, fast rising pollution levels, global warming and depletion of natural resources.

The concept of EVs has existed for a long time but with the world becoming more environmentally conscious, the buzz around EVs has gained significant momentum as governments the world over including India have become cognizant of the alarming level of carbon emissions which has detrimental effects on the environment, health and sustainable goals of economies.

Factors that are driving growth of EVs:

There are several advantages in using EVs namely:

• No fuel so no damage to the environment through emissions helping to lower the overall carbon footprint.
• Not having to pay for petrol or diesel will help to lower the running costs of the vehicle and increase overall savings of the owner.
• Maintenance costs in EVs are reduced to the bare minimum as the number of parts needing maintenance is only 20 in comparison to Petrol and diesel engines that have hundreds of parts.
• The most modern Electric cars are lighter and surprisingly more powerful that a lot of the fuel powered cars due to the fact that the power in the EVs comes from a standing start leading to super quick acceleration.
• EVs offer more space due to the lack of a large engine. Companies utilise all the extra space to develop larger, more comfortable and plush interiors.
• Due to the reduction in the level of overall friction in the engine, the drive in an EV is a lot smoother and more comfortable.

Roadmap to promote growth of EVs in India:

• 2010: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) approved a Rs. 95-crore scheme which offered financial incentives to manufacturers selling EVs in India of up to a maximum of 20 per cent on ex-factory prices of vehicles.
• 2012: Subsidy scheme started in November 2010 was withdrawn by the MNRE in March
• 2013: Unveiling of the ‘National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020’ urging the adoption of EVs to address the burning issues of climate change, global warming, auto emissions and pollution, national energy security, and growth of domestic manufacturing capabilities
• 2015–2016 — With an initial target of having 7 million EVs on the roads of India, FAME or Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles was announced in the Union Budget with an outlay of Rs. 75 crore comprising incentives for sales of EVs or clean-fuel technology vehicles.
• 2017: Minister of Transport, highlighted in a statement India’s conscious push to move to 100% electric cars by 2030 which due to concerns raised by the automobile industry was slashed to 30%
• 2019: Rs 10,000-crore programme under the FAME-II scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet on April 1, to promote a faster adoption of EVs and Hybrids. In this scheme, incentives were offered up front on the purchase of EVs and for manufacturers and OEM’s for setting up the charging ecosystem needed for EVs.

Fastest adoption of EVs across India:

For EVs to become the preferred choice of commute in post-Covid India, the current uncertainty in the space with regards to policies, infrastructure requirements, financing options, etc needs be removed through clear long-term strategies and plans rolled out by the government.

According to a report from the Centre of Energy Finance, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Karnataka were the top three states in terms of sales of EVs in India. However, when it comes to comparing the number of EVs sold against fuel powered vehicles, then Tripura is a clear leader with 52 EVs sold for every 1,000 ICE vehicles.

A key player in the manufacturing space of electric vehicle is E-trio, with a wide-ranging portfolio of various EVs ranging from e-bikes, electric three wheelers, electric cars, and even electric light commercial vehicles. As a company, E-trio is working tirelessly to change the common perception about electric vehicles and the importance of switching to electric mobility for a greener and more sustainable future.