Need to accelerate e-vehicle deployment
ELECTRIC VEHICLES ONLY MAKE SENSE IF THE MAJORITY OF THE ELECTRICITY DOES NOT COME FROM POLLUTING COALBASED FUELS
charged electric vehicle can be run compared to fuel-based cars and the time taken to charge batteries. The high cost of batteries is another issue.
The recent push for electric vehicles seems to have come from four emerging trends. First, the price of electric batteries has been falling and electric vehicles are getting cheaper. Second, the energy density of batteries has been increasing, with the result that vehicles can now be driven over longer distances before they need to be charged again.
Third, many countries are increasing the share of renewable electricity in their overall electrical energy mix. Finally, there has been a growing use of shared vehicles like the appbased “on-demand” taxis, that drive for longer distances and so EV versions are more economical than the IC engine versions, on a per km basis.
In India’s context, electric vehicles make sense for several reasons. First, many of our cities are extremely polluted, with air quality being among the worst in the world. Second, a very large share of our import bill is on account of oil, whose price is often determined by international political factors well beyond our control. Third, we are increasing the share of renewable energy, which will mean lower GHG emissions if EVS are deployed.
It is for these reasons that we need to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles in India. Several issues need supporting policies before EVS can occupy visible market space. WRI India is working with a number of cities to make this happen.