Electric Vehicles in India - A far Fetched Dream

Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Carbon Footprint are some of the words that you would have come across at some point or the other in time. Recently too we've been seeing a lot of support for the environment and why not. From the daring act of Greta Thunberg who made her way not only into the headlines but also the United Nations. More recently Mumbaikars have been upset over the felling of trees in Arey Colony paving way for Metro works. So there's a lot happening, however Electric Vehicles in India is still is a far fetched dream.

Electric Vehicles in India - A Far Fetched Dream

All of us would agree to the fact that Electric Vehicles in India are still not affordable. To counter that, it's good to see that a lot of cab companies or governments are upgrading their vehicles to EV. We see a lot of city and airport buses in Hyderabad running on battery. Even a lot of cabs are opting for EV which is definitely a welcome move. However as per a survey conducted recently, India has 150 Million drivers and only 8000 want an EV ! That's the sad truth we all have to face. But there are a lot of reasons for the unpopularity of EVs in India. So why exactly is Electric Vehicles in India a far fetched dream ?

Electric Vehicles in India - A far fetched dream. Courtesy: Mint

Challenges for Electric Vehicles India

There aren't many EV manufacturers in India when it comes to 4 wheelers. The most common EV car one would see on roads is the Mahindra Verito or Mahindra E2O. Hyundai too launched an EV called Kona while Tata Motors recently launched Tiago EV. There are manufacturers in place, but why people in India don't opt Electric Vehicle ?

Underdeveloped Infrastructure

One of the major challenges for electric vehicles in India is the lack of infrastructure. EVs require good batteries and equally good number of charging stations. Most of the EVs in India give an average of anywhere between 90-110kms average on single charge. Which is good enough for daily commute. However anything longer is risky. We've seen quite a few charging stations in Hyderabad at strategic locations and it is a welcome move. Until unless we have a solid infrastructure in place, electric vehicles in India will be a far fetched dream.

High Running Costs

The operating cost of an electric vehicle in India still remains one of the highest. The Li-ion battery packs cost are high because they are imported. One top of that there's a 28% GST that makes the prices even higher. Considering the range on each charge, it makes it much costly to own an EV than a normal car. Any EV in India costs around 6-8L which would fetch a much better non-ev car.

Lack of Renewable Power Generation and Distribution

Major chunk of electricity produced in India is by burning coal which contributes a lot to greenhouse emissions. Renewable energy power generation is still not matured in India. The energy requirement of India as a nation is too much and we are in deficit already. Imagine if we have EVs coming into picture, would people prefer powering their house or cars ? We feel that until unless renewable power doesn't mature, EVs are going to be a problem.

Those were the 3 reasons why Electric Vehicles in India are still a far fetched dream. What are your thoughts on this ? Would you want to buy an electric car in India ? Share your views in the comments below.