As India’s government raises eyebrows by bringing forward its green transition by 2070, electric car makers plan to speed up the process on the country’s roads.
Indian auto industry leaders used the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow to unveil a plan whereby nearly two-thirds of new vehicles should be electric by 2030.
This includes 70 percent of the huge Indian two-wheeler market as well as 30 percent of passenger cars and 15 percent of trucks.
The people involved in the project believe that promoting green transport in India could stimulate other emerging countries to act.
At Cop26, they said it could fight air pollution and create skilled jobs for India’s workforce, as well as curb greenhouse gas emissions.
“We have a tremendous opportunity ahead of us,” said Naveen Munjal, the executive director of a company called Hero Electric Vehicles.
“It is a long way. This entire supply chain needs to be built, the ecosystem needs to be built; the production capacities have to come in. “
“As soon as we see this change, the change will be faster than everyone expected,” he said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his speech at Cop26 on Monday to promise steps to reduce emissions by 2030 through increased use of renewable energies in the country.
However, the 2070 deadline for achieving CO2 neutrality is significantly later than the targets set by other major polluters. Around 80 percent of India’s energy needs are covered by coal.
Climate change activists had mixed reactions. Former Maldives leader Mohamed Nasheed said the promise would accelerate the global clean energy transition. “While 2070 is a long way from net zero, I expect this to move forward, like other countries, as India moves out of coal and begins to reap the benefits of a quick move to clean energy,” he said. “Most importantly, as a former leader of one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world and ambassadors for the Climate Vulnerable Forum, we can see that India’s goal of 1.5 degree compatibility comes close.”
Phasing out gasoline vehicles is one of the UK’s priorities for the Glasgow conference. The UK plans to ban the sale of polluting vehicles by 2030.
Indian business leaders said the government had given some support to electric vehicles, but more work was needed on charging infrastructure and opening up investment.
Nishant Arya, vice chairman of JBM Group, a global conglomerate, said companies should be incentivized to manufacture and design their cars in India.
The 1.4 billion inhabitant country could become a “manufacturer for the world” of electric vehicles, he said.
Health benefits
“On the one hand, we’re talking about unemployment in India. On the other hand, there is a huge need for skilled workers in the electric vehicle sector, ”said Arya.
“In this case, we are also looking at the country’s energy security as well as the environment and the health benefits that could result from it.”
India is home to many of the world’s most polluted cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata.
This pollution is believed to cause hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year, in addition to its negative impact on the climate.
In a letter to Mr. Modi’s office, business leaders said the slow progress in electrification would bring tens of millions of additional gasoline cars onto India’s roads.
It was signed by companies like automaker Volvo, tire maker Michelin, and fuel company Shell, who say the electric shift could offer a $ 200 billion investment opportunity for India.
The government could shift the momentum further towards electric vehicles by rapidly expanding green public transportation, business leaders said.
In addition, electric vehicles need charging infrastructure – although this can be quite easy due to the proliferation of two-wheelers, Munjal said.
He said electric vehicle awareness was another challenge, especially in rural India’s hinterland. This could open the door to further investment.
“As soon as we have enough traction on the ground, as soon as we have enough vehicles on the ground, this value is confirmed,” he said.
“With all this noise, with all this traction that we see, we see a lot more companies willing to invest in supply chains.”
Joe Phelan, who represents the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in India, said the promise of electric vehicles was “the very least India should strive for by 2030”.
He said the Indian Cop26 delegates should back the pledge at the Glasgow summit.
“India’s mobility, transportation and transition are central to the global effort,” Phelan said. “The result is an ambition that is both realistic and courageous.”
Updated: November 2, 2021 at 1:39 p.m.
