The Indian Government has provided constant support for the growth of EVs in the country, said Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Heavy Industries, Government of India. “We can proudly say that 9.4 lakh EVs are now on Indian roads,” he added.
While addressing the gathering at the 'Green Plate EV Rally' hosted by SIAM, Dr Pandey stated that the outcomes of the PLI scheme in battery development and supporting domestic manufacturing are reducing the country’s dependence on others, and making it self-reliant. Moreover, in the coming period, India will become a major battery manufacturing hub.
EVs have grown from 0.13% in 2019-20 to 4.3% now, and SIAM has made significant contributions in leading this change. Kamran Rizvi, Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, said that issues like safety, cost, and others have acted as barriers, but over time, these issues have been addressed, and EVs are now widely accepted. The Indian automobile industry has supported and facilitated this positive change.
EV manufacturing is a technical endeavor, and the ministry has supported the industry with FAME and PLI schemes, he said. Rizvi added that the Government expects 12 lakh scooters to be sold this year, which means the public is actively adopting EVs, and there’s also a long road ahead. Meanwhile, by 2030, the country is anticipated to have 60-70% of electric two-wheelers and, in a few years, 70-75% of electric three-wheelers. For cars, the Government aims to sell one lakh cars, Rizvi stated.
In partnership with the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Government of India, SIAM’s 'Green Plate EV Rally' marks a significant stride in promoting eco-friendly transportation and underscores SIAM's unwavering commitment to driving the widespread adoption of electric vehicles across the nation.
The Government has supported electric vehicles adoption and the industry has to play its part and make efforts along with the government, he added, continuing that at present, Europe, the US, and China have more EV sales, and India has to come on par with them.
Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, President of SIAM and Managing Director and CEO of Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Ltd., said that over the last couple of years, the Indian automobile industry has made significant progress towards sustainability to meet the decarbonisation targets set by the Indian government.
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