The Indian government announced in June 2019 that only EVs will be sold in India beginning in 2030. The electric car is the car of the future, and everyone knows it. So how come electric vehicles don’t yet have a market share of 1%?
The electric car is a solution for environment pollution. Electric cars require long recharging times, and many people don’t find driving long distances appealing. Electric cars don’t work well in the low temperature area and bumpy roads so you can’t drive them everywhere. The batteries are heavy, so electric cars drive poorly, and that makes them unpopular. Electric cars run on electric motors which are battery driven. They do not produce carbon dioxide, and they release no toxic pollutants or poisonous fumes which makes them environment friendly.
Electric vehicles make sense for another reason. They are quiet. Noise is an issue. Noise pollution produces urban sprawl, noise pollution in traffic causes accidents, and it can interfere with sleep.
Advantages of using EV
Low Air pollution: The atmosphere is intricate. Our environment is being harmed by air pollution. Carbon dioxide is a primary pollutant created by the combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel, which causes ozone layer depletion. All these problems have a common root: burning fossil fuels. When coal, oil, or gases are burned, they release carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the chief greenhouse gas. It makes the greenhouse effect, which causes global warming.
EVs are a major component of a “green technology” movement that aims to reduce air pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, and create new industries. These are pollution free and have less maintenance cost. The demand for electric vehicles is growing every day. These have low running cost. The electric vehicle has low CO2 emission. The electric vehicle is safe. The electric vehicle has low noise. Because they don’t burn fuel, they emit no pollution, and over time they will emit no pollution at all. Electric cars are environment friendly. Electric vehicles are still new technology, and as with any new piece of technology, they can behave in unexpected ways.
Reduced crude oil (Petrol/Diesel/gas) dependency:
Oil, coal, and natural gas are nonrenewable resources. They take millions of years to form, and they can’t simply be dug up and burned. Sooner or later, the oil will run out, and fossil fuels will start to become scarce. We can reduce our reliance on other countries for oil imports by using EVs. The increase in oil-prices and limited fossil fuel gave car makers an incentive to switch to electric cars, because electric-car batteries are more environments friendly and utilizes green energy. The cars also appeal to environmentalists, because electric power is cleaner. Renewable source of energy is used to produce the electricity that will be used for recharging of vehicle. They have significantly low running costs than petrol/diesel oil vehicles.
Low Maintenance: vehicle ownership involves a lot of maintenance. You have to change oil, fix brakes, and change tires, and so on. But electric cars require low maintenance. The manufacturer replaces the battery every 10 years, and that’s it. It runs on battery power instead of an internal combustion engine, so it costs less to make and it’s cheaper to run. Electric cars don’t need oil changes or tune-ups, or (in most cars) the wires, spark plugs, carburetor, gas tank, or muffler. They don’t emit pollutants, so they don’t pollute the air. They’re quieter, so they cause less pollution and noise. Electric cars can be charged from a normal electrical outlet, or can be recharged overnight. They don’t use gasoline and they don’t produce the poisonous gases that escape during gasoline combustion. These cars can be recharged while parked, so they save a lot of time. They run quietly, so they don’t disturb people at nighttime. EV offers plenty of other advantages too.
Is the use of electric vehicles a viable option in India? The government has adopted a number of initiatives to promote EV.
Govt. Subsidy: It’s worth noting that the central government recently increased the financial incentive for electric two-wheelers from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per kWh, subject to a cap of 40% of the vehicle’s cost. EV purchasers across the country can take advantage of this incentive, and several governments, such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi, are offering additional subsidies on top of the Rs 15000/kWh incentive rebate offered by the federal government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles scheme.
Infrastructure building: The Indian government and numerous private companies have constructed Bharat DC-001 standard EV charging stations across the country in recent years, anticipating carmakers to follow suit. Chargers in the DC-001 series are designed to be low-cost, environmentally friendly, and suitable for vehicles with entry-level power requirement. More than 300 DC-001 charging stations have been installed in Delhi alone.
R&D in Battery Technology:
Electric vehicles are just now becoming practical. The battery is at the heart of any electric vehicle. It is powered by batteries, which are charged from an external source, typically a charging station or charging device. These batteries, however, are not likely to be replaced on a regular basis; rather, they are expected to be charged and then used again. A typical battery lasts 3 to 5 years and breaks down after many cycles of recharging and discharging. Development in this area is much needed and Govt. is taking initiative for research and development in battery technology.
Disadvantages of EV Over Petrol/Diesel Cars:
Charging time: The main problems with electric vehicles: how long it takes to charge the battery. The problem can be solved with fast-charge batteries, which charge up to 80% of capacity in 30 minutes. That solves the first part of the problem.
Specialized repairing center: As a lot of technology is involved in EV’s and software is involved, so the repair service is a bit particular specialized as per need. You need skilled people to get repair done on any EV.
Speed limit: Because the size of the battery is proportional to the speed, electronic vehicles have a limited speed range. The faster we get the bigger and more efficient the battery is.
Technical dependency on other countries: The largest technical consumer’s product innovators of electronics in the world are the U.S., China, and Japan. The electronics industry has invented clusters of factories around the world that specialize in producing electronics that other countries need. As a developing country, we have a lot to learn. We are also technology importers from rich countries. We must break the monopoly and create technology in-house in order to become self-sufficient.
Market Share: According to an independent analysis conducted by CEEW Centre for Energy Finance (CEEW-CEF), India’s electric vehicle market will be worth US$206 billion by 2030 if the country meets its ambitious 2030 objective. This would necessitate a total investment in car production and charging infrastructure of about US$180 billion. According to another report from the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), the Indian EV market will develop at a CAGR of 36% until 2026. During the same time period, the EV battery market is expected to develop at a CAGR of 30%.
