Emphasising that electric vehicles (EVs) will play a critical role in addressing climate change, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) Director General Abhay Bakre on Thursday said that the challenge is to replace the well-entrenched system of internal combustion engines (ICE).

“The biggest challenge for e-mobility is to replace a well-established ICE vehicle system. A major concern is how we shift a widely distributed, well-managed, and strong distribution network of fossil fuel, gasoline, or diesel to e-mobility,” Bakre said at the India Energy Storage Week (IESW) 2023.

Success story

The solution lies in a robust public charging infrastructure. With a wide adoption and the economy of scale, India can bring down the costs of batteries, EV charging components, etc., and make the EV transition a success story just as India did with the smartphone revolution, he pointed out.

He also stressed on the need to generate “high-decibel” public awareness for EV adoption.

Speaking as the guest of honour at IESW 2023, Energy Efficiency Services (EESL) CEO Vishal Kapoor said, “EVs have become increasingly relevant in the transport sector due to their indispensable role in reaching net zero emissions. To build a flourishing EV ecosystem in India, we must ensure that complete charging infrastructure pervades the market from battery production units to service centres and even charging stations.”

Government support

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 Indian EV ecosystem and encourage more people to switch to cleaner modes of transportation, he added.

Industry body India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) President Rahul Walawalkar said that with government support and policies such as FAME 2, India’s electric two-wheeler industry has grown exponentially in recent years. Promising start-ups in the EV space are now leading the way in innovation.

“Indian OEMs are also stepping up and have introduced path-breaking EVs. This is an opportune time for industry and academia to collaborate and make India a global hub for R&D, manufacturing, and adoption of e-mobility. The potential to export solutions to other countries also presents a significant opportunity for companies involved in this sector. Together, we can create a sustainable future for ourselves and contribute to the world’s transition towards clean energy,” he added.

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