Industry
Pragmatism should accompany ambitionedit
The draft electric vehicle (EV) policy that mandates the transition of all commercial vehicles to be electric by 2026 is an unsound directive. Unsound because the policy in its quest to bringing in electric mobility also proposed banning the sale of all internal-combustion engine (ICE)-based three-wheelers by 2023 and two-wheelers below 150 cc by 2025 subsequently.
Thiruvananthapuram: E-vehicles in vogueedit
The theme of this year’s World Environment Day was ‘Beat Air Pollution’. There is much talk about electric vehicles that are carbon-neutral. Inquiries have increased significantly at the electric vehicle showrooms in the city.
Assam: Electric buses to be introduced in Guwahati soonedit
In an effort to reduce pollution, Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) will deploy 15 electric buses in the city under government’s FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric vehicles) scheme.
UP invites companies to set up EV charging stations across key cities and expresswaysedit
The state of Uttar Pradesh has become the first in India to formally invite EoIs (expression of interest) from companies to set up electric vehicle charging stations. This is the first proposal after the Union Power Ministry issued guidelines over setting up of such EV charging stations in December 2018 to promote the use of battery electric autorickshaws.
Two-wheeler makers feel EV switchover by 2025 impracticaledit
Two-wheeler majors such as TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto have expressed their displeasure over the Union government’s move to mandate mass adoption of electric two and three-wheelers in a short span of time, which they consider unrealistic and have sought gradual adoption. However, they support the government’s ambitious programme.
Small towns may hold the key to India’s future of sustainabilityedit
India has witnessed unprecedented population growth and urbanization in recent decades, with the country’s rapidly expanding cities and towns offering abundant opportunities for economic growth and development.
The diesel disruptionedit
The recent decision by Maruti Suzuki, which has a 51 per cent market share, to stop producing and selling diesel cars from April 2020 onwards represents a very significant inflexion point in an otherwise hidebound industry.
Companies may soon be invited to set up battery plantsedit
The government is likely to soon issue tenders inviting companies to set up 50-GW battery manufacturing base in India at $50-billion investment with attractive financial incentives as the Cabinet is expected to consider the proposal in a week.
Competition
Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar’s son joins Ola in policy and corporate affairs wingedit
Ola has great plans for its electric-vehicles business. The slowing core cab business is making it seek cost-optimisation methods. At the other end, Niti Aayog has been working on a draft policy on EVs for some time now.
International
Electric Models To Dominate Car Sales By 2040, Wiping Out 13m Barrels A Day Of Oil Demandedit
It may not seem like it now, but we may now be living in a world where sales of conventional passenger cars have already peaked, a development that will have widespread implications not just for the automotive sector but also oil and gas companies and metals and mining groups.
Switch to electric cars hit by ‘poor’ charging infrastructureedit
To test the UK’s readiness for electric vehicles, David Wright, chief electricity engineer at National Grid, sent some colleagues on a 565-mile round trip from the utility’s offices in Wokingham, Berkshire, to Teesside.
Electric Vehicles Are Driving Demand For Lithium – With Environmental Consequencesedit
As the world moves towards a low-carbon future, there is a growing range of technological advancements facilitating the transition away from fossil fuels. Transportation and energy production are two sectors that desperately need to reduce emissions, and developments in electric vehicles and battery storage are rapidly changing both markets.