Rickshaws to jump-start India’s all-electric drive into the future
Country has one of the most ambitious plans to kick its fossil fuel addiction
ISUVs
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supreme ndia will roll out nearly 100,000 battery-powered buses and autorickshaws onto its sulphurous city streets in the coming weeks, setting it on the bumpy road to making new vehicle sales all-electric by 2030.
India, one of the world’s most polluted nations, has one of the most ambitious plans to kick its fossil fuel addiction.
Analysts say the “daunting”.
Transport is a major source of India’s carbon emissions and the Greenpeace group blames at least 1.2 million deaths a year in the country on pollution.
Getting off diesel and petrol would improve the nation’s health and bolster India’s bid to meet the bold climate change targets it pledged in Paris in 2015. target is Visitors in the exhibition hall for Jaguar, Land Rover and Ferrari at the Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany. at this year’s IAA. Accounting for more than two thirds of the model launches, they cater to all tastes and wallets, from Volkswagen’s sporty T-Roc to the updated budget Dacia Duster.
Chinese automakers are increasingly muscling in on the action, with Chery and highend Wey both unveiling compact 4x4s.
They may be the wheels of choice for soccer moms everywhere but SUVs are “over-represented” at the IAA, according to the Inovev consultancy.
Eager to turn the corner on the “dieselgate” emissions cheating scandal, carmakers are falling over themselves to present a futuristic vision of sleek, selfdriving electric cars that do all the work as you lean back and enjoy the ride.
But observers expressed frustration that most of the cars being dangled were years away from hitting the roads, while Nissan and Tesla — the only two carmakers actually mass producing electric cars — shunned the IAA.
“I don’t want some sexy electro-concept that will never happen,” said Bild car reporter Dennis Petermann, urging German carmakers to step on
Promises, promises:
India is not alone in wanting all-electric cars, though it is aiming to go faster than others.
Britain and France have said they want to end the sale of fossil fuel cars by 2040.
But electric and hybrid models make up just three per cent of all cars on the road worldwide, say London-based consultancy firm PwC.
That figure is even lower in India, underscoring the enormity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s electric challenge.
Tender issued
On top of gradually bringing in electric rickshaws and buses in New Delhi, the government has issued a tender to automakers for 10,000 cars to replace pollution producers at four government ministries.
“To go all electric is a daunting task,” said PwC partner Abdul Majeed.
“Electric vehicles have a few huge challenges to deal with before they can take off in a big way.”
The government does not the gas in the race against Tesla.
Trip down memory lane:
Those who prefer the roar of a souped-up classic motor to the gentle purr of an electric engine should head over to the IAA’s “Wild 70s” display to check out the red-and-white Gran Torino made famous by the Starsky and Hutch TV series, or a cult 911 Porsche Turbo Targa with rainbow trimming.
“That car has never felt a drop of rain,” said Josef Lonsky of the Automobilclub of Germany. want to pay for a network of charging stations for millions of future green motorists to power up depleted car batteries.
Instead it hopes private energy companies will invest in “swapping bays”, where drivers can exchange empty batteries for fresh ones, Ashok Jhunjhunwala, principal adviser to the
If you’re nostalgic for the era’s more mellow vibe you may want to check out Volkswagen’s new ID Buzz, a reimagined — and of course, electric — version of the world’s best-loved hippiemobile.
With surfboards strapped to its roof and, somewhat bafflingly, a floating, meditating gnome for a dashboard ornament, the neon yellow-andgrey van could be coming to a beach near you in 2020. power minister and the official spearheading the efforts, said.
It plans to lease batteries separately for public transport and taxi fleets. It also wants more work on smaller, easier to use batteries.
Amara Raja Batteries, an Indian battery manufacturer, would be part of the “swapping
Low cost
Other ideas include setting tougher efficiency standards so new vehicles use less power.
“The idea is to keep it as lowcost as possible,” Jhunjhunwala said. “Vehicles and chargers must happen without subsidies and must make business sense.”
Mahesh Babu, chief executive at Indian conglomerate Mahindra, said it was an exciting project but government efficiency targets are “idealistic and might lead to compromise on consumer needs and safety.” Others are more optimistic. Reductions in the size and cost of electric vehicles, coupled with rapid technological advances, mean India’s ambitions were “very feasible”, said Bill Hare, chief executive of the Berlin-based Climate Analytics consultancy.
Foreign car majors are not ready to bring their electric offerings to India.
Mercedes said it needs a reasonable timeline and improved incentives for motorists — currently a tiny sum that could be withdrawn at any time — to bring in electric cars.