India‘s locally produced electric vehicles stood out amid foreign EV giant’s high-end products at the Electric Vehicle Expo 2023 on February 3 to 5 in Chandigarh.
PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (PHDCCI) Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh chapters organized the special event, which was attended by the Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatreya.
The event aligns with the Union government’s strategy for promoting green mobility to achieve net zero emissions in the transport industry.
EV Expo 2023 exhibits
The expo displayed numerous electric vehicles of various types, such as two-wheelers, cars, buses, e-rickshaws, cycles, and garbage collection vans.
Despite the presence of other major automakers like Mercedes, Jaguar, Audi, and Toyota, Indian automakers’ unique EVs held the attention of the attendees.
HIM Teknoforge Limited’s electric golf cart fascinated the audience with its novel concept, which allows the EV to be used as an open jeep. As per director Mannan Aggarwal, the EVs are now under production at the company’s Baddi factory.
“The golf cart was launched at the expo by UT administrator Banwari Lal Purohit on Friday. Costing around ₹2.5 lakh, the cart is much cheaper than other electric carts. It can be used by four golf players at a time, with space for golf bags. Its unique shape is similar to jeeps and has a removable roof.”
HIM Teknoforge Limited’s Director Mannan Aggarwal
Another interesting EV from HIM Teknoforge Limited was the garbage collecting van, which amazed the government officials who attended the event.
“Our e-garbage vehicle is already being used under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, by the civic body and rural bodies in Rajasthan, Gujarat, UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and other states. The loading area is 600 kg and it has a much-lower cost from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹2 lakh. This is a low-cost maintenance vehicle and driver just requires a licence of two-wheeler.”
HIM Teknoforge Limited’s Director Mannan Aggarwal
Apart from HIM Teknoforge Limited’s EV products, there were also Pastiche Mobility Solutions Limited’s cycles. The EV starts at only ₹25,000, attracting the attention of the attendees.
Haryana government’s EVs efforts
Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatreya claimed that EVs are the future of mobility, which needs to be focused on. He further stated EVs are a “basic necessity” while addressing automakers, clients, and other major stakeholders.
As per the governor, India deploys 1.8 crore new vehicles annually. Then, he emphasized the government’s initiatives to adopt only electric vehicles by 2030.
“The Centre has reduced the customs duty on electric vehicles from 21% to 13% in the budget of 2023-24. The Centre has started a new scrapping policy, under which vehicles older than 15 years will be scrapped, and there is a system to encourage vehicle owners.”
Bandaru Dattatreya, Haryana governor
Apart from that, the governor also stated that the government of Haryana has already signed the Electric Vehicle Policy 2022. He went on to say that they opened an online portal to provide easy access to the government’s move in the said policy.
“The Haryana government has made a provision to give subsidies ranging from ₹15 lakh to ₹20 crore for the promotion of micro to mega industries.”
Bandaru Dattatreya, Haryana governor
It is exciting to learn that the chamber will also have similar EV expos in other Haryana cities, according to PHDCCI Haryana chapter chairperson Pranav Gupta.
