Electric Vehicles

The hill state in northern India has added the electric bus footprint with the service flagged off in the capital city Dehradun. The state government plans to start 30 such eco-friendly electric buses in this financial year. The buses, supplied by Olectra Greentech, will run in Dehradun, Mussoorie, Rishikesh and Haridwar.

An underdeveloped charging ecosystem is one of the many factors restricting the uptake of electric four-wheelers in India. A limited number of products and higher costs than combustion-engine powered vehicles are the other deterrents.

The engagement covers software development, integration, and maintenance of combined powertrain coordination unit including charging control, and extends over several years.

Contractors will be required to identify sites and develop, operate and maintain interoperable electric chargers in more than 75 cities.

The second phase of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles program offers purchase incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles and also supports charging infrastructure.

The region could, by 2050, cut greenhouse gas emissions from power, heat, transport and desalination which are expected to add up to more than 825 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent this year. Such a transition could be perfectly possible, technically and financially.

The electric vehicles—150 units of Nexon XZ+ and 100 Kona electric—will replace Central and State Governments’ existing fleet of petrol and diesel vehicles.

We increasingly need safe, affordable, and powerful batteries as we move to greener technologies. Battery-powered electric cars, for example, have much higher safety standards than our phones, and for such vehicles to travel long distances, lighter batteries with higher energy density and rapid-charging capabilities would make a world of difference. Majid Rasool, a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University, discusses a potential solution.

The program aims at supporting the development of innovative electric vehicle (EV) solutions like extending range through battery capacity improvements, and battery management, fast charging infrastructure, and mobile charging solutions for emergencies. Two startups shall be supported each year with up to INR 80 lakh each to complete proof of concept and develop prototypes. 

Delinking the battery (which accounts for 30-40% of the total vehicle cost) will bring the upfront cost of the electric 2-wheelers (2W) and 3-wheelers (3W) to be lower than internal combustion engine counterparts. The battery could be provided separately by the original equipment manufacturer or the energy service provider.