We need EVs OR EVs need us?

India among top 5 fastest growing economy and in aim to become $ 5 trillion economy till 2025 is boosting each and every sector to reach the target. Tax rate down, “Make in India “campaign and various initiatives are taken to reach the target.  But what about EVs sector, Are we doing enough to boost the sector? In 2018 as per statistics around 4.4 million motor vehicles sold in country, and 56 thousand EVs sold in same year.  So by analyzing this data my mind ask me, do we need EVs or EVs need us?

Why we need EVs? In recent years India has emerged as the most polluted countries in the world, in top 10 most polluted cities, we have 7 cities of ours. In this list one of our competitor is our neighbor Pakistan which has 2 cities, here also we are far ahead of them. Winter season is coming up and again we will see Delhi as gas chamber. As per the Source Apportionment study carried out by IIT Kanpur, transport sector contributes 20% towards air pollution in Delhi. It is expected that till 2022 transport will produce 346 TMT of CO2. Not only about pollution, we are importing 80% of our oil, and we have spent USD 111.9 billion as per PPAC report in 2018.  Our aims are high but our efforts are very low. If we focus more on EVs, not only it will reduce air pollution but also our oil import will also reduce.

Why EVs need us? This is a crucial question, whenever we talk about EVs in India; we talk about lack of infrastructure, battery manufacturing issues, affordability issues, more charging time etc. but if we look around are these problems seems to be real issue? I don’t think so; let’s talk about two main issues affordability and more charging time.  As per IJSR report 2016 “Saving and Lifestyle of Young Indians”, 22%  male and 8% female  go to cafes and restaurants every day, 24% male and 38% female once in a week. 22% male and 12% female go for movies once a week. These numbers are of 2016 and now in 2019 these must have increase. We talk about affordability in a country whose per capita income is increasing year by year. We have affordability, but we are investing our money and time in wrong way. We should invest on nature, EVs instead off so much on food, movies, internet and other entertainments. As per Deloitte mobile consumer survey 2016 report we spent 2.5 hours/ day on net looking around social media, messaging, entertainment etc.  Now this must have increased to 4-5 hours/ day and then we talk about charging time of EVs. On an average a 7 KWh charger can add 30 miles distance for an hour charging in small EVs. So we can use of our entertainment time during EV charging.  So it’s not affordability, charging time or infrastructure due to which we are lacking behind in EVs but also the priority and neglecting attitude towards motherland environment which resisting us adopting EVs.

So, “We need EVs” is more important part but it cannot possible without “EVs need us”. It’s time to pay back to our nature, we already exploited it and if we will play with nature and nature will play around us.

You can follow my article on LinkedIn as well : https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/we-need-evs-us-vijay-kumar