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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
What’s driving India’s electric vehicle sector in 2022?
14/9/2022
18 min read
India’s commitment to slashing carbon emissions, shifting behaviours caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and an annual crude oil import bill of over $100bn, are all motivating the development of a clean transportation programme. Mohua Mukherjee, Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES), reports on the burgeoning electric vehicle sector.
Today, 99% of vehicles on Indian roads still operate on petrol and diesel, but change is in the air. Frequent broadcasts and articles outline the pros and cons of electric vehicle (EV) ownership, and the media is abuzz with Indian start-ups competing in this growing market, offering a range of models and features for various budgets.
Even more importantly there is a marked upward trend in the numbers of EVs actually on the road. This applies particularly to e-commerce delivery fleets, but also to an increasing number of privately owned vehicles driving noiselessly around India.
EVs and COVID-19
Could the pandemic and its accompanying restrictions on movement have accelerated this shift to electrification? It is very likely. First, the pandemic saw a massive ramp up of online shopping and ordering by phone. This necessitated a surge of last-mile deliveries by e-commerce platforms, eateries and corner grocery stores during successive lockdowns (all at ‘no cost to the customer’ due to competitive pressures).