Industry
With FAME Harder to Come by, Electric 2-Wheeler Sales Crashedit
Electric two-wheeler sales under a government incentive programme crashed by 94% in the first six months of FY20 after policy changes led customers to opt for more affordable models. About 3,000 electric two-wheelers were sold through phase-II of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) initiative from April to September, a decline from 48,671 units in the year-ago period, according to Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV).
Plug and play | Automakers’ EV dream passes through the ‘hybrid’ routeedit
The stated target of the NITI Aayog to have 30 per cent electric vehicles in India by 2030 and all three-wheelers running on batteries has prompted the government to offer heavy incentives for companies to comply. In light of this, both local and global automobile manufacturers are carving their way into this exciting opportunity towards a greener future for India.
EV battery prices fall sharply, but local manufacturing yet to take offedit
Manufacturing of battery cells for electric vehicles (EV) is yet to take off in India in the absence of a strong local market despite a steep fall in prices of battery cells and the recent thrust by the government and some players to promote EVs. Batteries comprise 30 per cent of the cost of an EV.
Govt to offer e-vehicle makers, buyers sops to boost salesedit
To promote electric vehicles, the state government has decided to offer subsidies and incentives to both its manufacturers and buyers. While reviewing the progress of the formulation of Odisha Electric Vehicle (EV) policy, chief secretary Asit Tripathy had recently asked the secretaries of different departments to make concerted efforts to turn Odisha into an ideal destination for e-vehicle manufacturers.
Gujarat has put just one e-vehicle on the road in last six months: Govt dataedit
Electric vehicles (EVs) have garnered a lot of focus in India of late, but the rate at which its states have added EVs on the roads hasn’t been encouraging. Gujarat, which leads the EV chart, managed to add only one car to an existing base of 31,576 in the past six months, according to the dashboard on the website of FAME — Faster Adoption and Manufacture of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles — scheme. The state’s target is to have 100,000 EVs by 2022.
West Bengal govt plans to switch to electric mode in public transportation in Kolkata by 2030edit
West Bengal government has prepared a road map for switching to electric mode in public transportation sector in Kolkata by 2030. The state transport department will be overseeing the project. It was for this project that Kolkata has received the C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Award in the green mobility category in Copenhagen, Denmark recently.
Chandigarh Drafts Electric Vehicle Policy, Only EVs to Get Registration Post 2030edit
To cater to the rising interest in electric mobility across India, many states are gearing up to adopt mass-scale electric mobility, with some willing to take precedence over others. According to a report, Chandigarh administration has chalked out a draft Electric Vehicle Policy or EV policy. With this, Chandigarh becomes the latest entrant in the list of states that have either come out with or already have a draft EV policy. The others include Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Bihar.
Cost gap between EVs and ICEs are beginning to shrink: Reportedit
Millennials and Generation Z have started inclining towards the economic benefits of owning electric vehicles. Attributing a study by Cox Automotive, the report shows that 65 per cent of Gen Z consumers feel that charging an EV costs less than fueling a gas car.
India’s Trilemma: Balancing energy security, access & sustainabilityedit
India is being pragmatic about its energy use, looking for alternatives but not sacrificing energy consumption that’s vital for a growing economy. Data from the World Energy Institute shows India scores 50 in sustainable energy, a mid-point score that fits with its current realities.
Competition
About incumbents and challengersedit
A recent statement by Rajiv Bajaj, the gutsy chief of Bajaj Auto, at the launch of the company’s first electric offering got me thinking on the issue of core competence. Bajaj said that he was surprised that battery and motor makers, even “television, fridge, mobile” importers had rushed into the electric vehicles or EV space.
International
Electric cars to get green number plates under government planedit
Green coloured number plates will be issued for electric cars under government plans to encourage drivers to buy zero-emission vehicles. The government said the new licence plates would make the least polluting cars easily identifiable and help their drivers benefit from incentives such as free parking or access to clean air zones.
Are electric cars as ‘green’ as you think?edit
It’s predicted that by 2030, over 125 million electric vehicles will be owned by people worldwide. But where’s the lithium that powers their batteries coming from? Most of the world’s stocks of this lightest of metals are found in brine deep beneath salt flats, high in the Andes.