Electric three- and two-wheel vehicles continue facilitating the transition to sustainable and green mobility in India. According to VOA, ride-hailing and last-mile mobility are the main booster of these small vehicles.
Interestingly, they account for a whopping 90% of the country’s almost three million electric vehicles as of today.
CleanTechnica also indicated that India’s 2/3 wheeler vehicle sales reached 13.6 million units in 2021. Of that total, electric models accounted for 1%. That figure grew to 15 million in 2022, and 5% were electric. The government expects the 5% market share to continue increasing with the right incentives to promote the technology.
Benefits
Electric three-wheelers like rickshaws are remarkably greener and cheaper than traditional internal combustion engine-powered vehicles.
They are also now more reliable and capable to last a day of operation than initial models.
“It is much better than a petrol vehicle. It does not create pollution and it is cheaper to run. After charging, my battery lasts for 80 to 120 kilometers.”
Abdul Alam, an Indian commuter
Moreover, they also substantially decarbonize short trips as they have no pipe.
“The market is basically pushing it and it’s taking care of last mile mobility.”
Moushumi Mohanty, head of Electric Vehicle Technology at the Center for Science and Environment
Meanwhile, two-wheelers like electric bikes enable Indian people to save money on gas expenses. They were also prevalently used in delivery services like FoodPanda and Grab.
Factors stimulating three- and two-wheeler EVs
The report emphasized that the growth of these type of electric vehicles are largely enabled by significant government support through federal and statewide subsidies.
The government also offers tax incentives for local automakers that help lower ownership costs for these EVs.
Moreover, the increasing petrol prices also urged more Indian customers to shift to battery-powered vehicles. Through this, they were able to save money as charging EVs is more affordable than buying petrol.
“I spend about $25 in a month to charge the batteries. It gives a good income to provide for my family.”
Adhir Bhiya, rickshaw owner
The flourishing industry of e-commerce also propels the adoption of three-wheeler EVs. Startup Zyngo EV Mobility reportedly makes approximately 20,000 daily deliveries using an all-electric fleet.
“We wanted to adopt something which is more futuristic. Sustainability is something which is very close to our heart. We are all new-age people, we are a very young and aggressive team, we think that somewhere we are contributing to the eco-system back then why not? So we adopted EV’s as the core technology, so that we help reduce carbon emissions.”
Prateek Rao, Zyngo founder
Meanwhile, India’s four-wheeler EVs will increase by only 15% to 20% by 2030, CNBC reports, citing consulting firm Bain & Company.
Challenges
The lack of sufficient and reliable charging infrastructures continues to be the top barrier that impedes the adoption of e-mobility in India.
“Charging infrastructure is a pain point. It is being ramped up, especially in Delhi but if we need faster adoption of EV’s across India, we need to improve the pace.”
Prateek Rao, Zyngo founder
Industry experts further call for the government to accelerate local battery production and advance battery technology. As of now, battery makers mostly import battery parts to support domestic production.
“We need to reduce the dependence on imports of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, graphite, etc. from China. We have to de-risk the supply chain and look at other countries also.”
NC. Thirumalai at the Center for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy in Bengaluru
The country must also explore battery developments that adapt to local conditions to ensure the reliability and safety of EVs.
“It is hot and humid here, and we have roads which don’t always give you a smooth ride. So clearly you need batteries that have high-temperature tolerance and can withstand high vibrations.”
Moushumi Mohanty, head of Electric Vehicle Technology at the Center for Science and Environment
See Also:
- Six major states dominated 60% of the Indian EV market in Jan to August period
- Battery-swapping industry continues to expand but lacks necessary support from the Indian Government
- Tesla drives India to contemplate import tax cut on one condition, sources reveal
- Renault to produce and sell affordable electric cars in India
- Indian EV industry enjoys 120% growth thanks to hybrids’ 400% sale increase in Q2 2O23
India indeed has the potential to advance in the global electric vehicle industry. However, it must also first work on adopting renewable energy resources to generate power for EV charging instead of utilizing fossil fuels.
