[Pavan A K]

I think the projection may be right ! How many competent products are out there in the market currently? Not significant by large. Firstly, we should ramp up the infrastructure, have universal charging stations in urban areas as well as on highways and introduce rebates and other incentives to the buyer as well as manufacturer.

Secondly, we need to start transitioning right away. We need more Hybrid (Proper ones, not mini/micro) and PHEV options in India. Thats a start towards EV revolution. BMW/Audi/Merc/Renault/Honda/Toyota/Hyundai/Suzuki and the likes have brilliant Hybrid/PHEV options worldover. Bring them here! ( and price them right )


F.A.M.E can get fame, if they look around and step up their game

[PrasunBannerjee]

Originally Posted by locusjag

Given that 75% of India's power was from Coal as recent as in Financial Year 2017-18 (as per a pie-chart here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electr...ector_in_India), heavens no - I'd rather have India missing the bus in EVs. India is simply not reducing its dependence on Coal fast enough in order to render EVs in India a 'Green' solution for the planet.

I was under the same impression until I saw this video, TED Talk by 'The Elon Musk'. Watch the discussion at about 0:55. Turns out, its still better than burning the fuel in our cars directly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgKWPdJWuBQ

[vinodvayyat]

Originally Posted by locusjag

Power generation from Coal is the biggest greenhouse gas emission center for mankind to attack and China has been performing commendably. More non-coal power to them for switching to EVs!

While India still depends on Coal for majority of its power needs, why should EV entry to the market slow down? Both (Renewable energy transition and EV transition) should go in parallel. So there is a potential for your EVs to use renewable energy in future. If you make one wait for the other, things just won't happen.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by vinodvayyat

While India still depends on Coal for majority of its power needs, why should EV entry to the market slow down? Both (Renewable energy transition and EV transition) should go in parallel. So there is a potential for your EVs to use renewable energy in future. If you make one wait for the other, things just won't happen.

I hope everyone grasps the magnitude of the shift which looks set to impose itself upon us. While everyone here would agree that saving the planet matters, one needs to keep in mind the impending impact on the automobile industry as a whole (including a multitude of suppliers) - when a host of "old world" suppliers and small scale manufacturers who were relevant in the world of ICE automobiles go out of business, where will all those employees find themselves? Sustenance and well-being of so many of our fellow countrymen employed in this sector is no small matter either.

So given the magnitude of what seems to be coming our way, one tries to be sure that all this pain is worth it. I wanted to be sure that tailpipe emissions don't get replaced by chimney emissions from a thermal power plant. I have since then read and understood from previous replies here that it won't be quite like that, for a number of reasons. It seems that we're on the right track - my fear has been allayed to an extent.

[Trance_Baba]

My opinion in this regard is that while the government wants to get onto the EV bandwagon on a "tatkal" ticket, the general public (not us enthusiasts) is still not ready to embrace Electric Cars.

What the government should probably do is study what will it take for the general public to accept electric vehicles.

The best way, in my opinion, is to incentivize the option of converting your petrol/diesel car into electric by...

1. Work on the legislation (generic, already in place) as well as draft a specific rules in this regard. Probably bring in experts from abroad (China, W Europe) to help draft the rules.
2. Providing massive subsidies on conversion kits as well as encourage domestic
manufacturing of the same under the "Make in India" initiatives. This will help bring down prices.
3. Leverage ITI's to train manpower in the conversion process. This would help in building up skilled personnel who are capable of performing the task as per the standards set.

Once the general public get's to know the benefits of electric power, they will switch without complaints.

I know this is wishful thinking, but my 2 cents

[bipinbn]

Flipkart to replace 40pc of its existing last-mile fleet with EVs by March 2020

Link:

https://yourstory.com/2019/06/flipka...kjtC23MHPRl5E8


Though the Kotak report estimates less % adoption of EV's in India, I am hoping that its proved wrong.

Going by recent disruptions that's happening in India, be it the online taxi service, food delivery services, online hospitality services the rate of adoption has been way too fast even though we are late in the game to begin with.

The big players retail players, taxi players starting off with the EV adoption is a very good sign.

With a committed government in center, I feel disruptions such as switch from ICE to EV will happen much faster.

[Alfresco]

Changing technology always results in redundancy.
We cannot stop changes from taking place because of that.
The same thing happened when the motorised vehicle was invented. The livelihood of all tongawallahs, etc got affected.

Time and support has to be given to ICE vehicle manufacturers so that they start moving towards alternative fuels.
Battery technology is still subpar as we have not yet found out a way of storing electrical energy cheaply and easily. ICE technology converts energy on the go and this kind of system is still missing from electrical systems.

Most people talk about fuel stations, etc for charging systems. These are only practical when you require an emergency electricity transfusion!
I would suggest installing charging systems in large numbers in parking lots of malls, airports, stations, office buildings, etc; basically wherever parking is done for a longer duration of time during the day. These can be linked to solar panels at the top of the buildings, wherever sufficient insolation is there, so that this becomes a true clean technology.

I should be able to reach my office 50 Kms away in my 100 km range electric car, and have it charged there so that I have enough juice to come back home and go out in the evening if I need to. I come back and dock it so that it's good to go in the morning.

Electric cars have to be introduced in big cities because that is where they shall be practical. And save on pollution.
I don't foresee their use in long distance and cross-country expeditions anytime soon.

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by Alfresco

Battery technology is still subpar as we have not yet found out a way of storing electrical energy cheaply and easily. ...

I should be able to reach my office 50 Kms away in my 100 km range electric car, and have it charged there so that I have enough juice to come back home

The current limitation of battery technology does not make it economically viable to produce low cost electric vehicles with even a 500KM range per charge.

These 100 to 150 KM or lower range per charge EVs introduce a high degree of range anxiety in the driver's mind. 'Will I reach before running out of battery' will be the foremost thought. With lower range due to battery limitation, electric cars will always remain impractical to use and large scale adoption will never happen.

One can't target a year by when mass adoption of EVs will happen. EV Adoption will be closely linked to significant/phenomenal range improvement as a result of revolutionary new, cost effective and ecologically sustainable battery technology.

Make a mass market Electric car competitively priced to its IC counterpart that offers a 1000KM range per charge and IC engine based cars will disappear overnight! I will certainly be first in the queue to get such an EV, otherwise i'm not even thinking of buying them

[rajshenoy]

One of the main reasons for the low adoption rate among us is because Vehicles are still associated with family status and hence bigger the better.

One could pick up a premium hatch like i20, Baleno or Jazz instead of a e20 plus and for many, that does make a lot of difference.

Looking at our market today, A premium hatch/UV sized electric car is what we ideally need. Then the makers can justify the price tag around 10 lakhs for the same.

Driving range is another concern, most people have only one car in the house and electric car can never meet the highway demands. They are best suited for urban families who own more than one car at home for pure city driving only.

With our cities chocking with traffic, people are slowly switching to Automatics(which are typically a lakh more expensive compared to manual). This is where Electric cars might have a level playing field.

Conventional Car cost = Ex show room + Cost of AT box + Registration & LTT + Fuel costs

Electric cars need to at least meet the above formula to be able to succeed in our market.

Having said that, i expected more penetration among two wheelers which is not happening. While the cars are still aspirational, two wheelers are becoming common with many households owning one.

[Brishti]

Quite recently I had the opportunity to see a few people from Hyundai dealership along with company officials marking out a route for Himachal Pradesh to test their Kona. This map had over 10 charging stops all over for a week long test. I have had a good relationship with Hyundai people because of my proximity with the RM of Hyundai but here I dont know what they want to accomplish.

This made me think if these stops are for the car or the tester or if this car is really ready?

A much better alternative would definitely be a hydrogen powered vehicle like they were testing earlier but the price is just crazy for now. Just think a car that can power our house when there is a power cut.

[Punatic]

This proposal will certainly help:

Additional Income Tax deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh on interest paid on loans taken to purchase EVs.

(from the Annual Budget presented today by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman)

[mohan41]

There is one point not getting much attention is about the disposal or recycling of old batteries. Do the improvements in the battery technologies address this aspect? Are the policy makers mandating infrastructure for this?

[shibujp]

The government has proposed an income tax rebate of upto 1.5 lakhs on the interest of loans for customers who buy EV vehicles. With the likes of Maruti coming in with the electric Wagon R next year at a rumored 12 lakhs it would be interesting to see if such sops boost ownership.

Drive on,
Shibu

[sgiitk]

@shibujp; Also, taxation of Li cells has been reduced. So there are some serious incentives for electrics. Let us see how the aam admi reacts. I do feel the 5% estimate may be too low.

[stanjohn123]

According to this report https://mercomindia.com/solar-power-...4-yoy-q1-2019/, 90% of India's electricity generation is still from Non-renewable sources of energy.

Despite increasing Renewable capacity additions at a rapid rate, the amount of electricity generated by renewable sources is far less due to its lower capacity factor.

If this is the case, I see no benefit for India in terms reducing pollution in switching over to EV's.