The rising concerns of climate change have made electric vehicles (EVs) a crucial part of the future of transportation. EVs have seen a significant increase in sales both in India and globally. In 2022, EV sales in India surged to 10.54 lakh units, more than triple the previous year’s sales.
During the India Energy Storage Week (IESW) 2023, Abhay Bakre, the Director General of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), addressed the e-mobility day as the guest of honour, highlighting the importance of generating public awareness for EV adoption. Bakre stated that the key challenge in e-mobility is replacing a well-established ICE vehicle system, which relies on a strong distribution network of fossil fuels. He emphasised that a robust public charging infrastructure is necessary for a successful transition to EVs. Bakre further suggested that wide adoption and economies of scale could help bring down the costs of batteries and EV charging components, leading to a successful EV transition similar to India’s smartphone revolution.
Dr Rahul Walawalkar, the President of IESA, delivered the welcome speech at e-mobility day of IESW 2023, highlighting the significant growth of India’s electric 2-wheeler industry in recent years due to government support and policies such as FAME 2. Dr Walawalkar also acknowledged the leading role of promising startups in the EV space and the introduction of innovative EVs by Indian OEMs. He stressed the need for collaboration between industry and academia to establish India as a global hub for R&D, manufacturing, and adoption of e-mobility, with the potential to export solutions to other countries. He emphasised that such collaboration could create a sustainable future and contribute to the world’s transition towards clean energy.
Vishal Kapoor, CEO of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), addressed the audience as the Guest of Honour at IESW 2023 and emphasised the importance of electric vehicles in reaching net zero emissions. He emphasised the need to establish a complete charging infrastructure ecosystem in India, from battery production units to service centres and charging stations, to build a thriving EV market.
The government has also been playing its part with schemes like the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) to boost the EV ecosystem in the country and encourage more people to switch to cleaner modes of transportation.
Vikram Gulati, Country Head & Sr V.P. (Corporate Affairs & Governance), Toyota Kirloskar Motors, highlights that the collaboration between the government and the industry resulted in the launch of the pilot program FAME, with a small corpus of Rs 800 crore. He further adds that the industry is witnessing substantial growth in the electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers segment, while the four-wheelers segment is expected to face more challenges. However, momentum has been created, and it is critical to upgrade the backend infrastructure to support the growth of the electric vehicle industry.