Government of India aiming for all-electric car fleet by 2030

The Government of India is aiming to have an all-electric car fleet by 2030. This information was revealed by Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister of Power, New and Renewable energy, while addressing the CII Annual Session 2017. The chief objective behind this aim of an all-electric car fleet is to reduce fuel imports in the country. This would also limit the rising air pollution levels in major cities.

The Central Minister has further revealed that the Ministry of Heavy Industries and the NITI Aayog are currently in the process of drafting a new policy which will help in promotion and adoption of electric vehicles in the country. This new policy is expected to bring electric car prices on the same level as that of conventional fuel-powered vehicles.

Mr. Goyal further suggested that the Government might offer subsidies to all-electric vehicles in the initial stages (for the next 2-3 years), before the market achieves economies of scale and becomes self-sufficient. He also cited Maruti Suzuki as an example and claimed that with the Government's help and support in its initial days, Maruti has managed to become the country's largest carmaker.

The Government currently has the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles) initiative which offers subsidies on hybrid and electric vehicles manufactured in the country. It is now planning to bring more subsidies to the sector, along with establishing infrastructure for the EV industry, including charging stations and battery swapping programs. This is expected to bring in more customers to the electric car industry, thus enhancing its popularity in the country.

Source: LiveMint