India now boasts the world’s fifth-largest car market and has the potential to quickly become one of the top three. The global climate agenda of the Paris Agreement is pushing demand for electric automobiles. It seeks to minimise carbon emissions in order to mitigate global warming.
Electric cars are vehicles that run totally or largely on electricity. Electric cars are very good to the environment. They use little to no fossil fuels, have fewer moving parts that must be maintained, and have low running costs. A transportation revolution is required in India. And the transition to electric vehicles is a great step in that direction.
Because they have fewer moving components, electric vehicles require less maintenance. They are a viable alternative to combustion engines that run on fossil fuels and emit damaging greenhouse gases into the sky. India has committed to reducing Green House Gas emissions intensity by 33% to 35% below 2005 levels by 2030.
The use of electric vehicles is compatible with India’s goal to reduce carbon emissions and boost renewable energy sources. Electric vehicles are cost-effective and unaffected by increased geopolitical tensions or oil costs. They have the potential to reduce India’s dependency on gulf nations for petroleum imports. It serves as a catalyst for future transportation and hybrid-based technology innovation.
Electric vehicle manufacture would boost regional businesses while also expanding India’s domestic manufacturing sector. Building new infrastructure for manufacturing and charging systems will strengthen skill-building programmes and create more employment. As a result, employment is created. It will help to provide more efficient transportation, such as e-rickshaws, which may benefit rural economies. Because of expanding urbanisation, there is a desire for more ecologically friendly and sustainable transportation alternatives.
With FAME, the government first focused automotive standardisation. This endeavour, however, was overlooked in lieu of a focus on production. The average price of an electric car in India is over 13 lakh, which is much more than the 5 lakh average for fuel-efficient automobiles. The infrastructure for charging these cars, as well as the land for charging stations and the components, are highly expensive.
India relies on China for electric car parts since China is the world’s largest exporter of those components. Manufacturing such cars necessitates highly technical skills, which are currently in low supply in India. These skills must be cultivated on a massive basis. The development of charging infrastructure is difficult in certain locations of India owing to insufficient electricity supply.
Eleven communities are getting subsidies as part of the scheme to adopt electric buses, taxis, and three-wheelers. 2020 National Electric Mobility Mission Plan: It wants to deploy 5 to 7 million electric vehicles across the country by 2020, highlighting the need of government incentives and collaboration between industry and universities.
The government offers a 5% tax break for electric automobiles. Internal combustion autos, on the other hand, are subject to a 28% GST. Campaign for Going Electric: The government initiated the Go Electric campaign in early 2021 to encourage the usage of electric automobiles and household appliances while also ensuring the nation’s energy security.
The NITI Aayog has proposed priority and non-priority lanes, as well as specific charging stations. Urban planning is necessary. Integrated public transit planning by region, promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy sources, variable power pricing, and tools for monitoring and regulating the Smart Grid.
Battery management and handling standards have been tightly enforced since 2001 in order to prevent any negative environmental consequences. To fulfil industrial requirements, skill development plans and education curricula should be changed. The Make in India initiative can aid in the development of EVs and their components. According to some assessments, this might enhance the country’s GDP in the next years.
Other efforts that might help cities scale up EVs include municipal EV plans, subsidies, allocated parking, and associated incentives. Electric cars may make a substantial contribution to the global effort to avert climate change by reducing emissions and dependency on fossil fuels. India has emerged as a global leader in the fight against climate change. Because transportation accounts for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions, a gradual transition to electric cars is critical for a sustainable environment.