World EV Day is marked internationally on September 9 every year in celebration of e-mobility, and a day to shift the transition to sustainable transport with consumer, business and policy outcomes. In the Indian context, the day specifically takes on importance, especially with respect to the country’s 2070 net zero commitment.
At COP26, India committed to reaching 500GW non-fossil energy capacity by 2030 and pledged to source 50 percent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030. The country targets a reduction of total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030. These are particularly striking targets not only given the country’s size and the cost factor involved but also due to the fact that coal is the country’s top energy source with a share of 44 percent in 2021, followed by oil (24 percent). The concern then is whether EVs can really help in cutting down emission significantly and how Auto Inc plan to contribute to helping the country achieve these ambitious emission reduction objectives.
Here is a host of views from across industry stakeholders-
Sohinder Gill, Director General, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV)
“With many ups and downs in the past, we are finally seeing the industry blooming at the right pace. Hence, on the occasion of World EV Day, we invite all the industry players to come together and work towards strengthening the local supply chain market so that we can create a sustainable EV ecosystem in the country. Celebrating the day is another way to renew our commitment to sustainability.”
Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility
“World EV Day is indeed a special day for us, as we look back and reflect on our journey so far. We are proud to lead the EV market in India, with a lion’s share of 88 percent. As early entrants, we have shaped the market and seen it grow with Nexon EV and Tigor EV. We have over 40,000 Tata EVs plying on road and we are grateful to the early adopters who have shown faith in the brand.”
Mahesh Babu, CEO – Switch India & COO – Switch Mobility
“Electric buses are clearly the best and obvious solution to accelerate decarbonisation with increasing mass mobility. It is this imperative that guides us at Switch Mobility – to help India attain its ambitious Net Zero target by offering society smart, clean mass mobility solutions that are also technologically advanced, safe and comfortable for passengers. Our vision is to transform mass mobility across cities and highways and bring about a clean revolution in the way people travel. I take the opportunity on World EV Day 2022 to invite partners and people who share the same vision to jointly achieve this critical transition.”
Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Founder & CEO, Kinetic Green
“Keeping the larger goals in mind, the government of India has put in a positive and aggressive framework to promote electric vehicles for the population at large. More importantly, consumers are beginning to consider electric vehicles as one of their next purchases. This World EV Day I would like to urge all customers to continue to think about going Green. I would like to urge the policymakers of India to continuously support the electrification of the transport sector for the next five years with very stable policies so that the investments continue and the Indian customers continue to adopt electric vehicles.”
Kapil Shelke, CEO & Founder of Tork Motors
“While more and more manufacturers are coming out with saleable products in the domestic market, a robust network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure is the need of the hour. Companies should come together and create a durable charging infrastructure for the users. It is an essential pre-requisite for the progression and future penetration of electric two and three-wheelers.
Suman Mishra, CEO, Mahindra Electric Mobility
“On World EV Day, we celebrate India’s electrification journey. We are committed to promoting sustainable motoring with zero-emission products at Mahindra Last Mile Mobility. I am confident that we can enable a green and smarter tomorrow for India with our collective efforts.”
Tarun Mehta, Co-Founder & CEO Ather Energy
“This year’s World EV Day is particularly significant. EV demand has been increasing across the country in recent months. Electric vehicles are the single biggest hope for achieving a decarbonised world and faster adoption of EVs is the first step towards this goal. Each day, Ather users are riding more than 10 lakh kilometres saving 25,000 litres of petrol and 57.5 tonnes of C02. The rising demand makes it quite clear that consumers are open to shifting to EVs from ICE vehicles and the industry needs to support this by offering better performing electric vehicles.”
Chetan Maini, Co-Founder & Chairman- Sun Mobility
India, in the last few months, have made significant progress. Over 50% of all three-wheelers sold are electric and two-wheeler sales have risen 8x. We still have a long way to go but it is a very good start in the last 12 months. Right, where investments are going up, awareness is happening, and new products are coming out. I think that in the next three to five years, many segments will see 50% plus electrification, which would really make a huge impact, as we think of the two big challenges in the country of climate change and energy security. So very excited today, it’s good to see so many companies, it’s good to see so many products.”
Myung-sik Sohn – Chief Sales Officer, Kia India
“India will see a huge demand for EVs going forward as customers are increasingly becoming aware of environmental-friendly mobility solutions and the government is laying the foundation for EV adoption. As for Kia, we have recently launched our globally successful electric vehicle, EV6, in India. Thanks to our esteemed customers, it has been a huge success with bookings already exceeding 3.5 times the allocated units for the year. In sync with our global brand vision, we are working towards providing sustainable mobility solutions and are committed to realizing carbon neutrality by 2045. We are also determined to launch our first locally produced EV by 2025 and take KIN’s EV growth story forward.”
Uday Narang, Founder & Chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility
“Electric Vehicle business is not a sprint it’s a marathon. We believe that this silent revolution will be possible only with determination and true “aatmanirbhar” production of electric vehicles. We are seeing good support from the Govt. in the form of State Policies, FAME and PLI Schemes. These are exciting times! Green energy and sustainability are in the DNA of OSM.”
Jeetender Sharma, Founder & MD, Okinawa Autotech
“We are committed to meeting the demand for electric vehicles by ramping up production and also concentrating on the innovation needed to revolutionize the entire sector. There is a steady demand from the Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets as well. The rising petrol prices and the government subsidies have played a vital role in making purchase decisions easier for the customers. In my opinion, five years from now, electric 2-wheelers will be 20 percent of the ICE scooter market. The overall market in 2025 will be around 26 million scooters, of which five million will be electric 2-wheelers.”
Satish Jain, Chairman, PMI Electro Mobility
“Electrification of buses is crucial for achieving the country’s clean mobility goals. It will require a mix of long-range electric buses and a robust charging infrastructure to facilitate long-distance travel. A robust policy framework can further help create the necessary roadmap for an efficient electric public transportation network. With over 720 e-buses running, we have helped India cover more than 4 crore kilometres with zero tail-pipe emissions and contribute to bringing down the carbon footprint. By expanding our portfolio with electric inter-city buses and e-trucks, we will further help India achieve clean mobility goals.”
Venkat S, Director – Automotive Business, SKF Group (India & SEA)
“Our hybrid and customised bearings are already solving some of the fundamental issues that can affect reliability in electric vehicles. Ceramic bearings are lighter, run at lower temperatures, are almost 10x stronger than steel, and therefore have a longer shelf life. We are also working on solutions like carbonitriding bearing raceways and special greases that maintain stable viscosity. As EVs continue to penetrate the Indian market, we will design and develop products and solutions that meet the specific needs of the industry.”
Christopher J Lanker, Vice President and General Manager, Asia, BorgWarner Emissions, Thermal & Turbo Systems
“At BorgWarner, we’re accelerating the transformation to a net-zero world where we all benefit from cleaner vehicles. We are applying cutting-edge technology and working hand in hand each day with the world’s foremost technologists, engineers and OEMs to shape a new mobility paradigm. Empowering everyone to drive sustainably.”
Gajanan Gandhe, Country Head & Vice President, Dana India
“Dana is a leading global manufacturer of Electrified products and the Dana Technology centre in Pune supports the development of new products and is a major part of our global technology development centres. Dana strongly believes in the localization of most of its products in support of the Make In India “Atmanirbhar” policy and is well placed under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to meet the growing electrification needs of its Indian and global customers.”
Samarth Kholkar, CEO & Co-founder, Blive
“The need for to focus on clean mobility is more relevant and urgent than ever before. While the government is making efforts both in terms of policy push and infrastructure, efforts should be made by individuals as well as enterprises to embrace sustainable mobility. There is a need to create awareness in the market, along with accessibility for EVs. This should be done while also maintaining affordability to ensure consumers make the switch towards a greener future.”
Suhas Rajkumar, Founder & CEO, Simple Energy
As we celebrate World EV Day today, we at Simple believe now is the time for EVs. Between now and 2030, we hope to see widespread adoption of all clean energy technologies, including renewables, and electric vehicles that would contribute towards a greener, more sustainable planet. Over the past few years, the Indian EV market has grown at an exponential rate. Government initiatives like FAME-II and strict regulations on emissions and fuel economy, along with rising consumer demand, have made it possible for the market for EVs grow at a faster pace.”
Vamsi Gaddam, Founder of Automobile & JMD at Visaka Industries
“Our electric bikes are made in India with indigenously sourced components only. Through Automobile, we have initiated to achieve our goal of making green biking accessible to all. Adding to our quest for sustainability and decarbonisation, we’re proud to share that not only our bikes, but our entire manufacturing ecosystem is green and sustainable. Furthermore, Autmobile has also tied up with ATUM Charge – a vast network of EV charging stations powered by ATUM Solar Roof, helping make customers’ transition to electric truly clean, green, and carbon-free.”
Amit Lakhotia, Founder & CEO, Park+
“The Indian EV industry is primed to lead the charge in making India #CarbonMukt, by encouraging EV adoption rates across – two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers. At Park+ we are playing a pivotal role in building and strengthening the EV charging network and will continue to work closely with our business partners and government agencies to make India carbon-free in the foreseeable future.”
Aditi Bhosale Walunj, Founder and CEO, Repos
“The world needs to move towards a carbon neutral future and EVs will play a crucial part. Our lookout should be getting green power.
We all need to focus on the generation of power from renewables and focus on generating green power for EVs.”
Sayantan Chakraborti, Managing Director & Co-Founder, goEgoNetwork
“To electrify public places with robust EV charging infrastructure, in 2022, we have been tying up with malls, educational institutes, and branded parking spaces across regions in India. We are just getting started and are bullish to reach more locations in India to elevate India’s prowess in revolutionizing EV adoption, hence strategically contributing to the aforementioned motto of World EV Day.”
Kunal Gupta, Co-founder & CEO, Emotorad
“In India, we have sold over 16,000 e-bikes within two years, and more individuals are opening up riding our e-bikes. And that’s just the beginning for us as the EV Industry keeps growing. We are witnessing a huge shift as people have started giving up their ICE mopeds and motorbikes to commute on our e-bikes. With proper EV adoption, we can move a step closer to net zero emissions by 2070 for India. The future is EVs not only here but across the globe.”
Prasad Sreeram, Co-founder & CEO, COGOS
“The current numbers in vehicle registrations show greater acceptance of EVs in India and with PLI, FAME, and other schemes from Govt, there would be steeper price reductions in the future creating a positive cycle of EV adaption. On this World EV day, we at COGOS are doubling down on our commitment to digitally transform the City logistics towards sustainability by strengthening the EV ecosystem and greater EV deployment.”
KK Paul, MD, TI Clean Mobility
“As consumers become more aware of how fossil fuel-powered vehicles affect the environment and economics both at an individual and social level, the adoption of EVs will significantly increase in the years ahead. At TI Clean Mobility, our vision is to provide our customers with products and solutions that make economic and business sense and truly improve quality of life for all stakeholders.”
Rajiv K. Vij, Founder, Plug Mobility
“We already have a sizable customer base of over 600 major corporations, government agencies, PSUs, hotels, and airlines, and we provide EV mobility to all of them across India, offering them the same with added advantages in terms of reduced CO2 emissions, Carbon saving certification from an accredited agency, as well as cost savings. We have no doubt that we will induct over 20000 strong EV fleets soon and assist/support the transition of 4 wheeler Mobility industry which operates over 1.6 MN cars to EV’s by 2030.”
https://www.financialexpress.com/express-mobility/world-ev-day-auto-inc-charged-up/2661131/
