In the year 2024 my present BS-III Hyundai petrol (BS-III) hatchback would reach its end of life, 15 years after its first drive out of the showroom. Given all the buzz from the Electric Vehicle (EV) space, this would very likely be my last petrol car. At some level, most of us have next to zero attachment with the fuel that powers the vehicle under the hood (petrol, cng, electricity, etc.). What we care about is that the new vehicle shouldn't be a downgrade in terms of reliability, comfort, features, looks, pricing, drivability, power, pickup, etc and an increase in terms of purchase & running costs.
Battery operated EVs seem to be getting better by the day. There's good traction seen in the three-wheelers (battery operated autos/ totos) space. Two- & four-wheelers are likely to hit mass markets soon, with pricing that would be lucrative (perhaps tax incentivized). Further, widespread infrastructural & service support need to be introduced to give people the confidence to switch to EVs.
Yet, at the moment, EV technologies - battery, chargers, fire & safety protocols, instrumentation, cabling & connectors, etc. - are at early-to-mid maturity level. Driving range per charge is about 100 Kms for the entry segment cars which is not enough. It's quite common for people to drive ~150 Kms daily for work. On highways, the range could be much more. So a sub-300 Km range would simply not do!
At the same time, the mass market pricing levels (INR 3 to 6 lacs) should not be breached in any way. The existing coverage of mechanics & service centres of various manufacturers (Maruti, Hyundai, Mahindra, Tata, etc.) needs to be upgraded to support EVs as well.
Reliable electricity remains a constraint in most cities including the metros. On the generation side, renewables would need a wider push. Residential solar rooftop set-ups could be one area of focus. Through such set-ups, individual households & complexes could achieve self-sufficiency for their growing energy needs, including the EV burden/ load (@20-30 Units for full charge per vehicle X 30 days = 600-900 units per vehicle per month). Standard practices to popularize rooftop solar set-ups employed the world over such as PayGo models, incentives/ tax breaks, quality controls, support & maintenance, etc. should be introduced here as well. If possible, it would be great to have the EVs themselves equipped with solar panels on the body to auto-charge whenever required under direct sunlight. Eagerly waiting for these clean green technologies to evolve and make inroads very soon!
Update 1 (09-Oct-19):
- An assessment of the current state of EV adoption in India by Business Standard.
Update 2 (23-Oct-19):
- Bajaj Chetak to be relaunched in an Electric avatar.
- Blu-Smart all electric cabs visible on Delhi roads.
Battery operated EVs seem to be getting better by the day. There's good traction seen in the three-wheelers (battery operated autos/ totos) space. Two- & four-wheelers are likely to hit mass markets soon, with pricing that would be lucrative (perhaps tax incentivized). Further, widespread infrastructural & service support need to be introduced to give people the confidence to switch to EVs.
Yet, at the moment, EV technologies - battery, chargers, fire & safety protocols, instrumentation, cabling & connectors, etc. - are at early-to-mid maturity level. Driving range per charge is about 100 Kms for the entry segment cars which is not enough. It's quite common for people to drive ~150 Kms daily for work. On highways, the range could be much more. So a sub-300 Km range would simply not do!
At the same time, the mass market pricing levels (INR 3 to 6 lacs) should not be breached in any way. The existing coverage of mechanics & service centres of various manufacturers (Maruti, Hyundai, Mahindra, Tata, etc.) needs to be upgraded to support EVs as well.
Reliable electricity remains a constraint in most cities including the metros. On the generation side, renewables would need a wider push. Residential solar rooftop set-ups could be one area of focus. Through such set-ups, individual households & complexes could achieve self-sufficiency for their growing energy needs, including the EV burden/ load (@20-30 Units for full charge per vehicle X 30 days = 600-900 units per vehicle per month). Standard practices to popularize rooftop solar set-ups employed the world over such as PayGo models, incentives/ tax breaks, quality controls, support & maintenance, etc. should be introduced here as well. If possible, it would be great to have the EVs themselves equipped with solar panels on the body to auto-charge whenever required under direct sunlight. Eagerly waiting for these clean green technologies to evolve and make inroads very soon!
Update 1 (09-Oct-19):
- An assessment of the current state of EV adoption in India by Business Standard.
Update 2 (23-Oct-19):
- Bajaj Chetak to be relaunched in an Electric avatar.
- Blu-Smart all electric cabs visible on Delhi roads.
