Is India ready for EV technology?
Electric
Vehicles (EV’s) are the newest technology to be adopted by the world as the
fight continues for a sustainable future. The transport sector is seeing a
gradual shift towards EV’s as more people become aware of the problems related
to pollution and climate change. That has led to the advent of electric
bikes and cars in the world. India too has not shied away from the
revolution and are an active participant in the overall effort to transition
into a cleaner and greener transportation system.
However, India
is yet to gain a lot more momentum when
it comes to embracing the whole concept of EV’s. In 2019, the total number of
EV’s in stock was 7.2 million. However, India accounted
for a paltry 170,000 of that which
is roughly 2.3%. Other nations such as China (47%), the USA (21%) and so on
have taken the lead in the revolution. When put into context that India is the 4th
largest manufacturer of automobiles and 5th biggest market for the same, it does
not paint a great picture. Another alarming stat is the fact that only 1% of
the total automobile sales have been electric bikes or cars.
While India is
clearly looking to made advances on those numbers by targeting a 30% EV share
in the automobile sector, there are numerous challenges to overcome.
Challenges for
the EV sector in India
Lack
of Awareness
Perhaps a
glaring issue is the lack of awareness among the masses. Many are aware of the
climate and pollution-related issues and they might be trying to do their bit.
However, a large chunk of the populace is not really familiar with the whole
situation and what they can do to help. Hence, it’s a common sight that the
average Indian household has a fuel-based form of transport instead of electricbikes or cars.
Relatively
higher cost
EV’s come with
their own set of issues. One of them is the cost. Some of the new electricscooters in India tend to cost far more than their fuel-based counterparts.
That is a major reason why people might not choose to go for the greener option
as it digs a bit deeper in their pockets. While there are EV’s that are priced
lower than some of the more expensive options in traditional automobiles, the
larger portion might keep to a type of transport they know and have probably
used before.
More
development needed in terms of infrastructure
Another problem
is the lack of proper infrastructure to help EV owners. Imagine running out of
charge in your EV’s battery on-road and the nearest charging dock is rather far
off. Back in 2018, India had 650 charging stations when compared to our neighboring
countries that had more than 5million in number. Such inconveniences do play a
part in making the decision to buy or rather not buy an electric bike or
car.
It is not just
the consumers who face hassles. To encourage production in India, the
Government has implemented the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid
& Electric Vehicles Policy (FAME Policy). The stipulation is that
manufacturers must source 50% of the EV components locally in order to receive
subsidies. With a lack on that front, manufacturers have not been able to
produce on a larger scale and reduce the price points. That has directly gone
on to affect sales and adoption of EV’s.
Why does India
need to embrace EV technology?
The answer is
plain and simple. EV’s are far better for the environment when applied to a
larger scale. A rather astounding 25% of global emissions are produced due
to transportation. Given India’s share in the same market, it does not take a
genius to figure how much of an impact India’s fuel-based automobiles are
having on the environment.
Not only are
traditional methods of transport hurting the environment, but it’s also a huge
burden on India’s crude oil imports and subsequent bills. Over 2020-21, India
had a staggering $62.7
billion spend on crude oil import. Even a 30% transition towards electric
bikes and cars can reduce the same by $14.2 billion, studies
have shown.
Given the road
infrastructure and network in India, it is a prospective market for electric
bikes if not cars. Almost 97% of all EV’s sold in India were two-wheelers
as companies like Gemopai have readily made electric bikes and scooters
available in India. It shows that the sector does have enormous potential for
growth as Gemopai have stepped up to fulfil the demand with their range of
products.
The Indian
Government is encouraging the adoption of electric bikes and cars
India has not
always had a smooth record when it comes to the adoption of newer technologies.
In the same way, EV’s are still trying to make their way to the common
household. The Government has largely encouraged the whole concept with various
policies, centrally and through states.
Deployment of
electric buses has been incentivized while states like Telangana, Delhi and
Gujarat have made the acquisition of electric bikes more feasible. The
market has also attracted investment from abroad as automobile giants Tesla
have made investments worth USD 300 million in various EV companies.
An encouraging
factor that must be kept in mind is that India has the market for EV’s to be
adopted. Manufacturers like Gemopai have made some of the best e-bikes inIndia available to the average consumer which has seen a marked improvement
in India’s adoption of the whole EV revolution.
India can be
ready for EV technology with certain steps
There is likely
to be a demand as more and more people become aware of the benefits and need to
switch to EV’s. The Government has planned to increase the share of EV’s in the
automobile sector to 30% by 2030 as they are required to reduce emissions. If
one were to be optimistic, India does have the resources and infrastructure to
be ready and embrace the EV revolution. However, it will require research,
streamlining of policies and implementation for India to be truly ready when it
comes to EV technology.
Reference
Links-
https://www.iisd.org/articles/india-electric-vehicle-revolution
http://www.businessworld.in/article/EV-Decade-Is-Here-Is-India-Ready-/27-06-2021-394599/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0972262919875548
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