Dimapur [Nagaland], January 17 (HornbillTV): Every time oil prices surge or climate change is discussed, Electric Vehicles (EVs) are inevitably mentioned as part of the solution. While Nagaland has not seen a problem with pollution caused due to car emissions, three electric vehicle charging machines have been set up already in Dimapur at various petrol stations. The push for Electric Vehicles (EVs) is driven by the global climate agenda established under the Paris Agreement to reduce carbon emissions in order to limit global warming.
The global electric mobility revolution is today defined by the rapid growth in electric vehicle (EV) uptake.
According to reports, about two in every hundred cars sold today are powered by electricity with EV sales for the year 2020 reaching 2.1 million.
Falling battery costs and rising performance efficiencies are also fueling the demand for EVs globally. Making the path for an electric future smoother, the government has launched Special policy measures such as slashing GST on EVs to 5% versus 28% for combustion engines, exemption on loans to buy electric vehicles, Union cabinet has proposed customs duty exemption on certain EV parts including electric drive assembly, onboard charger, e-compressor and a charging gun to cut down costs.
The government has revised the rules for the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and allowed their owners to charge their EVs using the existing electricity connections at homes or offices. It has also given the go ahead for the allotment of government land to private entities through bidding for setting up public charging stations (PCS).
As per data with the ministry of road transport and highways, India has 947,876 registered electric vehicles. But only 1,028 PCS have been installed throughout the country so far, according to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
The revised guidelines are important because, by 2030, India has set a target of 30% EV sales penetration for private cars, 70% for commercial vehicles, 40% for buses, and 80% for two- and three-wheelers. At present, only about 2-3 e-car variants cost below INR 15 lakh in the country. The cost of two-wheelers and three-wheelers have almost come at par with the existing petrol ones after factoring in the subsidies. Apart from the high cost of EVs, a major cause for the sluggish sale of EVs in the country, other than Delhi, has been the lack of charging infrastructure. So far, 14 states have released their EV policies. They include Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar.