India’s electric vehicle drive: Challenges and opportunities
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Electric buses drive up cost for commuters
Himachal Pradesh has become the first hill state to buy and ply ecofriendly electric buses, but travelling in these is turning out to be costly affair for commuters in Kullu.TNN | December 16, 2017, 14:53 IST
The mid-size buses, which are new to the region, and are being plied on Kullu-Manali route, are drawing much attention of the commuters who are clearly amazed by the zero emission and almost nil noise of the vehicles. However, one ride and they begin to feel the pinch.
MANALI: Though Himachal Pradesh has become the first hill state to buy and ply ecofriendly electric buses, travelling in these is turning out to be costly affair for commuters in Kullu. When the one-way fare between Kullu and Manali in ordinary buses is Rs 60 per passenger, the electric buses are charging Rs 82 per person. The mid-size buses, which are new to the region, and are being plied on Kullu-Manali route, are drawing much attention of the commuters who are clearly amazed by the zero emission and almost nil noise of the vehicles. However, one ride and they begin to feel the pinch.
Chander Prakash, a local resident, said curiosity made him ride an electric bus. “The conductor said the bus is running on a local route. When he asked for the fare, I was surprised, that it was more than what other buses charge. The fare is reasonable for tourists but not for regular passengers. We care for the environment, but not at this cost. Ordinary people like me cannot afford such a bus fare,” he said.
Another commuter Vikram Thakur, too, complained, “They are charging very high fare. To encourage people to take the electric bus ride, the government should keep the fare lower than other buses, at least initially. Strangely, the fare has been kept extremely high.”
According to Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) officials, the 50 electric buses ordered by the department would be delivered very soon. Once they get the new fleet, the conventional diesel engine buses would replaced by eco-friendly wheels.
The National Green Tribunal had ordered HP government to stop movement of all petrol and diesel vehicles on Manali-Rohtang highway and ply CNG or electric vehicles only. After inviting many companies to conduct trial runs with their CNG and electric buses on the steep and tricky road to Rohtang, state government finalized the deal with Goldstone company. Since Manali-Rohtang road is blocked after snowfall, two electric buses, with 27 and 32 seats respectively, will run on Kullu-Manali route till May end. HRTC is expected to charge a little more fare from tourists, than in ordinary buses, to take them to Rohtang and bring back to Manali after sightseeing.
Explaining the higher bus fares, HRTC regional manager Mangal Chand Manepa said each electric bus had cost them about Rs 2 crore. “Ordinary bus fare is Rs 1.45 per km, but electric buses are charging Rs 2 per km. This fare is less than that of Volvo bus, which charges Rs 3 per km. Eight electric buses have reached Kullu and we are putting them on various routes. Two new buses have been plying on Bhuntar-Manali and Bhuntar-Manikaran routes since last Friday,” he said.
Electric buses drive up cost for commuters - ET Auto
Himachal Pradesh has become the first hill state to buy and ply ecofriendly electric buses, but travelling in these is turning out to be costly affair for commuters in Kullu.TNN | December 16, 2017, 14:53 IST
The mid-size buses, which are new to the region, and are being plied on Kullu-Manali route, are drawing much attention of the commuters who are clearly amazed by the zero emission and almost nil noise of the vehicles. However, one ride and they begin to feel the pinch.
MANALI: Though Himachal Pradesh has become the first hill state to buy and ply ecofriendly electric buses, travelling in these is turning out to be costly affair for commuters in Kullu. When the one-way fare between Kullu and Manali in ordinary buses is Rs 60 per passenger, the electric buses are charging Rs 82 per person. The mid-size buses, which are new to the region, and are being plied on Kullu-Manali route, are drawing much attention of the commuters who are clearly amazed by the zero emission and almost nil noise of the vehicles. However, one ride and they begin to feel the pinch.
Chander Prakash, a local resident, said curiosity made him ride an electric bus. “The conductor said the bus is running on a local route. When he asked for the fare, I was surprised, that it was more than what other buses charge. The fare is reasonable for tourists but not for regular passengers. We care for the environment, but not at this cost. Ordinary people like me cannot afford such a bus fare,” he said.
Another commuter Vikram Thakur, too, complained, “They are charging very high fare. To encourage people to take the electric bus ride, the government should keep the fare lower than other buses, at least initially. Strangely, the fare has been kept extremely high.”
According to Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) officials, the 50 electric buses ordered by the department would be delivered very soon. Once they get the new fleet, the conventional diesel engine buses would replaced by eco-friendly wheels.
The National Green Tribunal had ordered HP government to stop movement of all petrol and diesel vehicles on Manali-Rohtang highway and ply CNG or electric vehicles only. After inviting many companies to conduct trial runs with their CNG and electric buses on the steep and tricky road to Rohtang, state government finalized the deal with Goldstone company. Since Manali-Rohtang road is blocked after snowfall, two electric buses, with 27 and 32 seats respectively, will run on Kullu-Manali route till May end. HRTC is expected to charge a little more fare from tourists, than in ordinary buses, to take them to Rohtang and bring back to Manali after sightseeing.
Explaining the higher bus fares, HRTC regional manager Mangal Chand Manepa said each electric bus had cost them about Rs 2 crore. “Ordinary bus fare is Rs 1.45 per km, but electric buses are charging Rs 2 per km. This fare is less than that of Volvo bus, which charges Rs 3 per km. Eight electric buses have reached Kullu and we are putting them on various routes. Two new buses have been plying on Bhuntar-Manali and Bhuntar-Manikaran routes since last Friday,” he said.
Electric buses drive up cost for commuters - ET Auto
Electric avatar of Royal Enfield Bullet spotted; Does the idea of an electric Bullet interest you?
Electric Royal Enfield Bullet was reportedly spotted in Bangkok, Thailand.
By: Express Drives Desk | Updated: December 16, 2017 5:49 PM
Courtesy: RUSHLANE
The big thumping sound of the famous Royal Enfield Bullet might not exist once Royal Enfield decides to bring out the electric version of its iconic Bullet brand. During the unveil of Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, Siddhartha Lal mentioned about company's electric plant in the long run and just by the talks of electrification an electric Royal Enfield Bullet is inevitable. In a latest series of photographs doing rounds on internet showcases the electric Bullet and reports suggest that the motorcycle was spotted at a dealership in Bangkok, Thailand.
What is unknown is if this electric Bullet is the work by the company or is been electrified by an individual. The chassis of the the motorcycles has been redone to make room for the battery, the chain drive has been replace by belt drive. The Royal Enfield motorcycle also gets an all digital instrument cluster panel and features no exhaust system making many cops across the country very happy.
Courtesy: RUSHLANE
It looks like that this electric version of the Royal Enfield Bullet is the work of a private small-size firm or a group of students working on one of their college projects. It certainly doesn't look by being officially sanctioned by the company. This is also not the first electric Bullet, in United Kingdom an individual has already converted his motorcycle into an electric one.
Earlier in an interview to Moneycontrol, Siddhartha Lal MD and CEO, Eicher Motors had mentioned “We understand that the technology and business model (of electric bikes) is important. We are not going to be the first in the market with electric motorcycles. But we are starting our work a bit. We are working on different ideas and concepts. But again we are thinking of 5-10 year time frame we are not thinking about next few quarters. Right now, it’s in the investment phase.”
So yes, while we will see an Royal Enfield motorcycle with an all-electric system in India, don't expect the company to be the first ones to introduce it. A lot of money has to be invested in R&D of any electric vehicle and it is necessary for the battery costs to go down before any OEM starts mass manufacturing of electric vehicles.
Electric avatar of Royal Enfield Bullet spotted; Does the idea of an electric Bullet interest you?
Electric Royal Enfield Bullet was reportedly spotted in Bangkok, Thailand.
By: Express Drives Desk | Updated: December 16, 2017 5:49 PM
Courtesy: RUSHLANE
The big thumping sound of the famous Royal Enfield Bullet might not exist once Royal Enfield decides to bring out the electric version of its iconic Bullet brand. During the unveil of Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, Siddhartha Lal mentioned about company's electric plant in the long run and just by the talks of electrification an electric Royal Enfield Bullet is inevitable. In a latest series of photographs doing rounds on internet showcases the electric Bullet and reports suggest that the motorcycle was spotted at a dealership in Bangkok, Thailand.
What is unknown is if this electric Bullet is the work by the company or is been electrified by an individual. The chassis of the the motorcycles has been redone to make room for the battery, the chain drive has been replace by belt drive. The Royal Enfield motorcycle also gets an all digital instrument cluster panel and features no exhaust system making many cops across the country very happy.
It looks like that this electric version of the Royal Enfield Bullet is the work of a private small-size firm or a group of students working on one of their college projects. It certainly doesn't look by being officially sanctioned by the company. This is also not the first electric Bullet, in United Kingdom an individual has already converted his motorcycle into an electric one.
Earlier in an interview to Moneycontrol, Siddhartha Lal MD and CEO, Eicher Motors had mentioned “We understand that the technology and business model (of electric bikes) is important. We are not going to be the first in the market with electric motorcycles. But we are starting our work a bit. We are working on different ideas and concepts. But again we are thinking of 5-10 year time frame we are not thinking about next few quarters. Right now, it’s in the investment phase.”
So yes, while we will see an Royal Enfield motorcycle with an all-electric system in India, don't expect the company to be the first ones to introduce it. A lot of money has to be invested in R&D of any electric vehicle and it is necessary for the battery costs to go down before any OEM starts mass manufacturing of electric vehicles.
Electric avatar of Royal Enfield Bullet spotted; Does the idea of an electric Bullet interest you?
Amara Raja Batteries commissions two-wheeler battery plant in Chittoor
Amara Raja Batteries Ltd (ARBL) has commissioned its two-wheeler battery plant in the Amara Raja Growth Corridor in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. The plant was inaugurated by George R Oliver, Chairman and CEO – Johnson Controls, whihc is in a joint venture with Amara Raja Batteries.
The first phase of the plant, which has been commissioned, will have a capacity of 5 million units. The plant will have an ultimate capacity of 17 million units with an estimated investment of Rs. 700 crore, taking the total capacity for two-wheeler batteries to 29 million units. The plant will employ 1,300 people at full capacity. It is the most advanced production facility in the country, pioneering the use of advanced, punched grid-making technology for two-wheeler battery manufacturing. The technology ensures best-in-class product performance, higher productivity and improved environmental standards.
George R Oliver, Chairman & CEO, Johnson Controls, said, “I am delighted that our partnership has completed 20 successful years. I could not be more proud of this milestone in our combined history. When Johnson Controls and Amara Raja first came together in 1997, our goal was simple: deliver high-quality batteries to customers across India. By constantly innovating our products, anticipating the needs of the market and delivering value to our customers every day, we’ve certainly met our goal. This advanced battery plant heralds another path-breaking journey between the two companies for creating new milestones.”
Ramachandra N Galla, Chairman, Amara Raja Group said, “This initiative is a step forward in boosting capabilities to match global competitiveness. The advanced, high-speed assembly lines present in this plant will increase efficiencies, thereby, driving higher productivity and shorter delivery times. Johnson Controls has always supported our efforts to introduce advanced technology and innovative products.”
The plant infrastructure, too, reflects Amara Raja’s commitment to deploy energy efficient processes to minimise carbon emissions. For harnessing solar energy, the plant has also installed 2.7 MW of rooftop solar power, which generates 4.5 mn KWh of energy. The high-speed assembly lines and advanced robotic systems will help minimise human intervention, making the process highly reliable.
Amara Raja Batteries Ltd (ARBL) has commissioned its two-wheeler battery plant in the Amara Raja Growth Corridor in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. The plant was inaugurated by George R Oliver, Chairman and CEO – Johnson Controls, whihc is in a joint venture with Amara Raja Batteries.
The first phase of the plant, which has been commissioned, will have a capacity of 5 million units. The plant will have an ultimate capacity of 17 million units with an estimated investment of Rs. 700 crore, taking the total capacity for two-wheeler batteries to 29 million units. The plant will employ 1,300 people at full capacity. It is the most advanced production facility in the country, pioneering the use of advanced, punched grid-making technology for two-wheeler battery manufacturing. The technology ensures best-in-class product performance, higher productivity and improved environmental standards.
George R Oliver, Chairman & CEO, Johnson Controls, said, “I am delighted that our partnership has completed 20 successful years. I could not be more proud of this milestone in our combined history. When Johnson Controls and Amara Raja first came together in 1997, our goal was simple: deliver high-quality batteries to customers across India. By constantly innovating our products, anticipating the needs of the market and delivering value to our customers every day, we’ve certainly met our goal. This advanced battery plant heralds another path-breaking journey between the two companies for creating new milestones.”
Ramachandra N Galla, Chairman, Amara Raja Group said, “This initiative is a step forward in boosting capabilities to match global competitiveness. The advanced, high-speed assembly lines present in this plant will increase efficiencies, thereby, driving higher productivity and shorter delivery times. Johnson Controls has always supported our efforts to introduce advanced technology and innovative products.”
The plant infrastructure, too, reflects Amara Raja’s commitment to deploy energy efficient processes to minimise carbon emissions. For harnessing solar energy, the plant has also installed 2.7 MW of rooftop solar power, which generates 4.5 mn KWh of energy. The high-speed assembly lines and advanced robotic systems will help minimise human intervention, making the process highly reliable.
Okinawa Praise, 'India's fastest e-scooter', launched for Rs 59,889
India is slowing but surely turning towards electric mobility; the auto sector players are gradually accomodating these changes too. Indian electric two-wheeler manufacurer Okinawa Scooters launched a new e-scooter. The Okinanwa Praise, the flagship offering from the company, will sell for Rs 59,889 ex-showroom Delhi. The company has already received 300 bookings for the e-scooters since bookings began in November.
The Rajasthan-based company claims that the Praise is the most powerful electric scooter in India with a top speed of 75km/h and a drive range of 170-200 kilometres on a full charge. Power comes from a 72V/45 Ah VRLA lead acid battery with an output of 2500 watt, or 3.5bhp. The Praise comes with three ride modes - Economy, Sporty and Turbo - which allows top speeds of 35km/h, 65km/h, and 75km/h.
Okinawa may also offer a variant with lithium-ion battery in coming days, with a price tag amounting Rs 5,000-6,000 more than the lead acid battery variant. The Li-ion battery is likely to increase the range of the e-scooter by 10-15 per cent and can be charged in 1-2 hours.
Online auto marketplace Droom has launched an electric vehicles category. The portfolio of electric vehicles include offerings from companies like Hero Electric, Yobykes, and Okinawa Scooters in electric scooters, whereas e-car section has eVerito and e2o Plus from Mahindra.
Droom is offering scooters, both new and used, in a price range starting from Rs 20,000 to Rs 42,000, along with four-wheelers for Rs 8 lakh to Rs 13 lakh. While the electric scooters are available in multiple cities, the auto e-tailer is offering electric cars only in Delhi.
"This category will enable Droom to further strengthen its leadership position in the online automobile marketplace industry in India. The company has started selling electric scooters and cars from multiple brands on its platform," the company said in a statement. Buyers can also avail 100 per cent cashback on the booking amount for all new bookings of electric vehicles as part of a launch promotion, the statement added.
"We are already the market leader with 65 per cent market share in the online automobile industry and are confident that the electric vehicle category will enable us to scale newer heights and further strengthen our market share, in the future," said Droom CEO Sandeep Agarwal.
Government has been keen on pushing the electric vehicle sector in India in order to cut carbon emission levels and oil imports. With plans to convert the entire vehicle fleet to electric by 2030, government is charging a mere 12 per cent GST on electric vehciles, as opposed to those running on fossil fuels, among other incentives to promote manufacture and sale of EVs.
Okinawa Praise, 'India's fastest e-scooter', launched for Rs 59,889
@Amal @Abingdonboy This is indian company.
India is slowing but surely turning towards electric mobility; the auto sector players are gradually accomodating these changes too. Indian electric two-wheeler manufacurer Okinawa Scooters launched a new e-scooter. The Okinanwa Praise, the flagship offering from the company, will sell for Rs 59,889 ex-showroom Delhi. The company has already received 300 bookings for the e-scooters since bookings began in November.
The Rajasthan-based company claims that the Praise is the most powerful electric scooter in India with a top speed of 75km/h and a drive range of 170-200 kilometres on a full charge. Power comes from a 72V/45 Ah VRLA lead acid battery with an output of 2500 watt, or 3.5bhp. The Praise comes with three ride modes - Economy, Sporty and Turbo - which allows top speeds of 35km/h, 65km/h, and 75km/h.
Okinawa may also offer a variant with lithium-ion battery in coming days, with a price tag amounting Rs 5,000-6,000 more than the lead acid battery variant. The Li-ion battery is likely to increase the range of the e-scooter by 10-15 per cent and can be charged in 1-2 hours.
Online auto marketplace Droom has launched an electric vehicles category. The portfolio of electric vehicles include offerings from companies like Hero Electric, Yobykes, and Okinawa Scooters in electric scooters, whereas e-car section has eVerito and e2o Plus from Mahindra.
Droom is offering scooters, both new and used, in a price range starting from Rs 20,000 to Rs 42,000, along with four-wheelers for Rs 8 lakh to Rs 13 lakh. While the electric scooters are available in multiple cities, the auto e-tailer is offering electric cars only in Delhi.
"This category will enable Droom to further strengthen its leadership position in the online automobile marketplace industry in India. The company has started selling electric scooters and cars from multiple brands on its platform," the company said in a statement. Buyers can also avail 100 per cent cashback on the booking amount for all new bookings of electric vehicles as part of a launch promotion, the statement added.
"We are already the market leader with 65 per cent market share in the online automobile industry and are confident that the electric vehicle category will enable us to scale newer heights and further strengthen our market share, in the future," said Droom CEO Sandeep Agarwal.
Government has been keen on pushing the electric vehicle sector in India in order to cut carbon emission levels and oil imports. With plans to convert the entire vehicle fleet to electric by 2030, government is charging a mere 12 per cent GST on electric vehciles, as opposed to those running on fossil fuels, among other incentives to promote manufacture and sale of EVs.
Okinawa Praise, 'India's fastest e-scooter', launched for Rs 59,889
@Amal @Abingdonboy This is indian company.
Bs4 was cake walk.....BS6 is gonna be very tough.... Fuel injection is the only way....Very expensive.... especially for Indian market ... GOI decided to skip bs5 and implement bs6 directly.....
though bharat 6 itself would be a radical step to curb pollution and if turns out to be too costlier then it would compel users to opt for EV's as by then EV's would cost a lot less and there would hopefully be a large charging infrastructure and many companies would have launched their ev's for consumers to choose from.
So it might turn out to be a blessing in disguise
Companies came with EV... hero and Tvs did 5 years bak.... Very expensive with the current technology's.... costlier than petrol vehicles.... battery is the consumable and per kilometre close to 1 rupees
What they came up with was lead-acid battery technology and t could never be a true alternative to fossil fuel performance but lithium-ion based EV's are already surpassing petrol/diesel in performance and by 2020 it will become more financially adaptable as the per kwh cost of battery goes down with more and more factories would be churning out those batteries.
Driving the future: This startup is already powering India's electric vehicle dream
Name of the Company: Gayam Motor Works(GMW)
Name of Founder(s): Raja Gayam, Rahul Gayam, Sri Harsha Bavirisetty
City: Hyderabad
Revenues: $1 million
Headcount: 53
Industry: Smart Mobility, Sustainable Transport, Electric Vehicles, Environment, Renewable Energy
Elon Musk may still be contemplating about entering the Indian market and car makers like Maruti Suzuki, Honda, Ford, and others talk about having their first electric car in India by around 2020, but a Hyderabad-based startup has raced ahead.
Gayam Motor Works (GMW) is not making a sedan, SUV or a sports car, but what it has been able to achieve in a short span of time with limited resources is nothing short of being remarkable. GMW is the first company in the world to develop an electric three-wheeler with Li-Ion battery, with a battery swapping system. Everything in the last sentence puts Gayam in a very unique position. Why?
"Transportation comprises 51% of pollution in India, and 75-80% in urban areas according to Petroleum Conservation Research. About 22 of 50 urban areas with the worst air pollution are in India, with New Delhi is the most polluted city on earth. More than 10 lakh deaths in India are caused due to air pollution annually," says Sri Harsha Bavirisetty, the COO of GMW.
He adds that the need for automobiles is growing rapidly and the country is expected to reach 400 million vehicles by 2030 from 140 million vehicles in 2011. "Electric vehicles produce zero direct emissions, which specifically helps improve air quality in urban areas," says Bavirisetty.
India is the biggest producer and exporter of auto-rickshaws across the globe with as many as 45 million rides are being taken daily by commuters in India on these three-wheelers. "While large automobile companies are focusing on electric cars and scooters, we saw a huge opportunity in the electric three-wheeler space," says Bavirisetty.
Fully charged
According to Asian Development Bank, over 600,000 electric rickshaws using lead-acid batteries are plying Indian roads today. It takes 8-9 hours for each vehicle to get fully charged, and the batteries must be replaced twice a year. ADB, in the same report says lithium-ion batteries are the answer to power electric vehicles since they are smaller and lighter as well as more durable and reliable.
However, the key to every EV manufacturers dream and ambition is the battery. For an EV manufacturer to be successful and taken seriously, it is very important to have a proprietary battery technology and Gayam has done just that. After years of working on it, Gayam has worked out the chemistry behind the battery to ensure it has the range, power and speed.
What makes Gayam unique is the fact it has mastered battery swapping technology, a process where you swap a drained battery with a fully charged one. It may sound simple, but it is a complex process, something that even Tesla has only tested and not made commercially available. When you swap batteries you have to ensure that everything electronic that is powered by the battery does not reset. Secondly, unlike a conventional car where the battery powers only the auxiliary systems, in an electric vehicle, everything, including the drive-train is powered by the battery.
This means more wires, connectors etc. that need to be connected precisely each time a battery is swapped. What helps Gayam is the fact that the battery powering the SmartAuto is relatively small and two individuals can carry out the process.
The battery swapping technology reduces the vehicle refueling time from hours (of charging time) to less than a minute. "Years of R&D went into developing GMW's proprietary battery technology and management system, to make it suitable for Indian road and weather conditions" says Bavirisetty.
GMW SmartAuto is almost as powerful as a diesel auto- rickshaw. Its high power motor can go up to a maximum speed of 55kmph and can take a load of 500kg. The vehicle's running cost is as low as Rs 0.50/km and offers a range of up to 110kms per charge.
Beginning of Imagination
While working on the auto, GMW has also gone ahead and developed a smart and electric bicycle called LIMITLESS E-Bike. "The LIMITLESS E-Bike is a fast means of transport in traffic congested urban environment. The e-bike has been designed for easy and effortless riding with a unique combination of smart pedal assist system, high-performance battery and a throttle. It offers the convenience of a bicycle and comfort of a scooter. The e-bike can be fully charged within two hours, gives a range of 65kms/charge and goes from 0-25kmph in 5 seconds," says Bavirisetty.
GMW's vehicles are also connected to mobile and cloud through IoT technology. "We enable internal battery health monitoring, vehicle diagnostics and several other features through this integration," says Bavirisetty.
LIMITLESS Electric Bikes are already a big hit and are being used by UBER Eats in Singapore, Hong Kong, and San Francisco for food deliveries.
"Government of AP has deployed 100 of our e-bikes for GVMC municipal officials do their daily inspections. Our e-bikes are also being used by the Central American police for daily patrols and being piloted by food and grocery delivery companies such as Swiggy and Dominoes, and public and private e-bike sharing programs within India," says Bavirisetty.
Brisk business
GMW was founded in 2010 by Gayam brothers - the 32-year old Raja and 29-year old Rahul. Raja set up GMW in Hyderabad after converting his father's bus body building unit into a traditional auto-rickshaw manufacturing unit.
Meanwhile, Rahul pursued his research in materials for super capacitors and batteries for EVs, worked in the US in the clean energy space, with a desire to tap into the growing EV market. Raja's automobile manufacturing background and Rahul's technical background in the area of electric vehicles was a perfect combination. Rahul came back and joined his elder brother Raja to accelerate world's transition towards smart and sustainable mobility. Raja soon roped in Bavirisetty whom he had known since their IIIT-Hyderabad days as the COO and the team was complete.
The drive, however, has not been easy. India lacks charging infrastructure required for penetration of electric vehicles in the retail market, which means Gayam is currently selling the SmartAutos to B2B and B2G markets. "While logistics companies such as BigBasket and Ekart are using our vehicles for last mile deliveries, the Government of AP and Telangana are using them for waste pickup and disposal applications. We have set up the battery charging/swapping infrastructure at their hubs. We have been identified by the Asian Development Bank as a partner to introduce electric three-wheelers for public transportation in Afghanistan and Nepal," says Bavirisetty.
Gayam has sold more than 5000 vehicles till date to more than 15 countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and the Philippines.
Gayam now plans to sell 5,000 SmartAutos and 15,000 LIMITLESS E-Bikes by the end of next fiscal and has opened its Series A round by looking to raise a $ 15 million in this round. "We will soon enter into the retail market as well, by setting up the required charging/swapping infrastructure," says Bavirisetty.
https://economictimes.com/small-biz...ks-gmw-limitless/amp_articleshow/62262487.cms
Name of the Company: Gayam Motor Works(GMW)
Name of Founder(s): Raja Gayam, Rahul Gayam, Sri Harsha Bavirisetty
City: Hyderabad
Revenues: $1 million
Headcount: 53
Industry: Smart Mobility, Sustainable Transport, Electric Vehicles, Environment, Renewable Energy
Elon Musk may still be contemplating about entering the Indian market and car makers like Maruti Suzuki, Honda, Ford, and others talk about having their first electric car in India by around 2020, but a Hyderabad-based startup has raced ahead.
Gayam Motor Works (GMW) is not making a sedan, SUV or a sports car, but what it has been able to achieve in a short span of time with limited resources is nothing short of being remarkable. GMW is the first company in the world to develop an electric three-wheeler with Li-Ion battery, with a battery swapping system. Everything in the last sentence puts Gayam in a very unique position. Why?
"Transportation comprises 51% of pollution in India, and 75-80% in urban areas according to Petroleum Conservation Research. About 22 of 50 urban areas with the worst air pollution are in India, with New Delhi is the most polluted city on earth. More than 10 lakh deaths in India are caused due to air pollution annually," says Sri Harsha Bavirisetty, the COO of GMW.
He adds that the need for automobiles is growing rapidly and the country is expected to reach 400 million vehicles by 2030 from 140 million vehicles in 2011. "Electric vehicles produce zero direct emissions, which specifically helps improve air quality in urban areas," says Bavirisetty.
India is the biggest producer and exporter of auto-rickshaws across the globe with as many as 45 million rides are being taken daily by commuters in India on these three-wheelers. "While large automobile companies are focusing on electric cars and scooters, we saw a huge opportunity in the electric three-wheeler space," says Bavirisetty.
Fully charged
According to Asian Development Bank, over 600,000 electric rickshaws using lead-acid batteries are plying Indian roads today. It takes 8-9 hours for each vehicle to get fully charged, and the batteries must be replaced twice a year. ADB, in the same report says lithium-ion batteries are the answer to power electric vehicles since they are smaller and lighter as well as more durable and reliable.
However, the key to every EV manufacturers dream and ambition is the battery. For an EV manufacturer to be successful and taken seriously, it is very important to have a proprietary battery technology and Gayam has done just that. After years of working on it, Gayam has worked out the chemistry behind the battery to ensure it has the range, power and speed.
What makes Gayam unique is the fact it has mastered battery swapping technology, a process where you swap a drained battery with a fully charged one. It may sound simple, but it is a complex process, something that even Tesla has only tested and not made commercially available. When you swap batteries you have to ensure that everything electronic that is powered by the battery does not reset. Secondly, unlike a conventional car where the battery powers only the auxiliary systems, in an electric vehicle, everything, including the drive-train is powered by the battery.
This means more wires, connectors etc. that need to be connected precisely each time a battery is swapped. What helps Gayam is the fact that the battery powering the SmartAuto is relatively small and two individuals can carry out the process.
The battery swapping technology reduces the vehicle refueling time from hours (of charging time) to less than a minute. "Years of R&D went into developing GMW's proprietary battery technology and management system, to make it suitable for Indian road and weather conditions" says Bavirisetty.
GMW SmartAuto is almost as powerful as a diesel auto- rickshaw. Its high power motor can go up to a maximum speed of 55kmph and can take a load of 500kg. The vehicle's running cost is as low as Rs 0.50/km and offers a range of up to 110kms per charge.
Beginning of Imagination
While working on the auto, GMW has also gone ahead and developed a smart and electric bicycle called LIMITLESS E-Bike. "The LIMITLESS E-Bike is a fast means of transport in traffic congested urban environment. The e-bike has been designed for easy and effortless riding with a unique combination of smart pedal assist system, high-performance battery and a throttle. It offers the convenience of a bicycle and comfort of a scooter. The e-bike can be fully charged within two hours, gives a range of 65kms/charge and goes from 0-25kmph in 5 seconds," says Bavirisetty.
GMW's vehicles are also connected to mobile and cloud through IoT technology. "We enable internal battery health monitoring, vehicle diagnostics and several other features through this integration," says Bavirisetty.
LIMITLESS Electric Bikes are already a big hit and are being used by UBER Eats in Singapore, Hong Kong, and San Francisco for food deliveries.
"Government of AP has deployed 100 of our e-bikes for GVMC municipal officials do their daily inspections. Our e-bikes are also being used by the Central American police for daily patrols and being piloted by food and grocery delivery companies such as Swiggy and Dominoes, and public and private e-bike sharing programs within India," says Bavirisetty.
Brisk business
GMW was founded in 2010 by Gayam brothers - the 32-year old Raja and 29-year old Rahul. Raja set up GMW in Hyderabad after converting his father's bus body building unit into a traditional auto-rickshaw manufacturing unit.
Meanwhile, Rahul pursued his research in materials for super capacitors and batteries for EVs, worked in the US in the clean energy space, with a desire to tap into the growing EV market. Raja's automobile manufacturing background and Rahul's technical background in the area of electric vehicles was a perfect combination. Rahul came back and joined his elder brother Raja to accelerate world's transition towards smart and sustainable mobility. Raja soon roped in Bavirisetty whom he had known since their IIIT-Hyderabad days as the COO and the team was complete.
The drive, however, has not been easy. India lacks charging infrastructure required for penetration of electric vehicles in the retail market, which means Gayam is currently selling the SmartAutos to B2B and B2G markets. "While logistics companies such as BigBasket and Ekart are using our vehicles for last mile deliveries, the Government of AP and Telangana are using them for waste pickup and disposal applications. We have set up the battery charging/swapping infrastructure at their hubs. We have been identified by the Asian Development Bank as a partner to introduce electric three-wheelers for public transportation in Afghanistan and Nepal," says Bavirisetty.
Gayam has sold more than 5000 vehicles till date to more than 15 countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and the Philippines.
Gayam now plans to sell 5,000 SmartAutos and 15,000 LIMITLESS E-Bikes by the end of next fiscal and has opened its Series A round by looking to raise a $ 15 million in this round. "We will soon enter into the retail market as well, by setting up the required charging/swapping infrastructure," says Bavirisetty.
https://economictimes.com/small-biz...ks-gmw-limitless/amp_articleshow/62262487.cms
The problem is that India continues to use coal - so how clean are the electric vehicles if they end up using energy by burning more coal?
electric vehicles: Government eyes 100% electric public transport through FAME II
Union Minister Anant Geete today said the government is committed to make the country's public transport system fully electric and emphasised that there is a need to increase incentives to promote e-mobility.
Also, the minister said the Centre is targeting a fully electric fleet for public transport, including buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws under the second phase of FAME India scheme.
The pilot phase or phase I of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India (FAME India) was launched by the government in 2015, which expires on March 31, 2018. Thereafter, the phase II will be launched.
"We will accord priority to public transport in FAME II. Our primary objective will be that the country's public transport should be 100 per cent electric. If the public transport is 100 per cent, then we can reduce pollution to a great extent," Geete said at a press conference here.
The Department of Heavy Industry today announced the launch of multi-modal transport based on electric powertrain.
"The present effort is a significant boost to electric mobility with the aim to roll out a number of electric buses, electric three-wheelers and electric shared cabs for multi- modal public transport," the Heavy Industry Ministry said.
An Expression of Interest (EoI) inviting proposals from million-plus cities and special category states for multi- modal transport was issued by the Department of Heavy Industry on October 31, 2017. Under this EoI, additional incentive was also proposed to augment charging infrastructure for public transport.
In response to the EoI, the Department of Heavy Industry received 47 proposals from 44 cities across 21 states having requirement of 3,144 buses, 2,430 e-four wheeler taxis and 21,545 e-three wheeler autos with the total financial support of Rs 4,054.6 crore sought from the Government of India.
After evaluating the proposals, 11 cities were selected for funding under the present EoI as the pilot project for multi-modal electric public transport under the FAME India scheme of the government.
The selected cities include Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Jammu and Guwahati.
"Selected cities are required to finalise the tendering process and issue supply order before February 28, 2018. Through this EoI, the Department of Heavy Industry is expected to spend about Rs 437 crore under FAME India scheme (Phase I), which includes about Rs 40 crore as incentives for installation of charging infrastructure.
"The overwhelming response to this initiative of the government makes it clear that more such efforts are necessary to give push to e-mobility," said the Heavy Industry Ministry.
The minister said efforts were being made to lower the cost of lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
"The total allocation to us under FAME scheme was Rs 795 crore for subsidy and charging infrastructure. Due to the massive response received there is a need to increase allocation but this will be done in FAME 2," Geete said.
According to the minister, the subsidy to be provided to buses is in the range of Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore, which is 60 per cent of the cost. In taxi, the subsidy amount is Rs 1.24 lakh which is 10-15 per cent of its cost.
"In auto rickshaw, it is between Rs 37,000 to Rs 61,000, 20 per cent for three-wheelers. All the buses will be fully electric, battery operated, involving zero emissions. The orders need to be placed by February-end, as the FAME scheme's pilot phase is expiring in March," Geete said.
Replying to a question on the issue related to the lack of charging infrastructure, he said all the fuel stations today can be converted into electric vehicle charging stations in the future.
Replying to a question, the minister said the subsidy to mild hybrid vehicles was withdrawn as it did not help save fuel or reduce pollution. However, he said, the subsidy to hybrid vehicles is being given.
Admitting that the quantum of subsidy being provided was not adequate to meet the demand for electric vehicles, the minister said his ministry may demand more funds in the second phase of the scheme to meet this requirement.
"We have envisaged a total outlay of Rs 14,000 crore under the scheme. Therefore, in the future we will demand more funds to meet the subsidy outgo requirements and we are confident that these will be fulfilled," he said.
Union Minister Anant Geete today said the government is committed to make the country's public transport system fully electric and emphasised that there is a need to increase incentives to promote e-mobility.
Also, the minister said the Centre is targeting a fully electric fleet for public transport, including buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws under the second phase of FAME India scheme.
The pilot phase or phase I of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India (FAME India) was launched by the government in 2015, which expires on March 31, 2018. Thereafter, the phase II will be launched.
"We will accord priority to public transport in FAME II. Our primary objective will be that the country's public transport should be 100 per cent electric. If the public transport is 100 per cent, then we can reduce pollution to a great extent," Geete said at a press conference here.
The Department of Heavy Industry today announced the launch of multi-modal transport based on electric powertrain.
"The present effort is a significant boost to electric mobility with the aim to roll out a number of electric buses, electric three-wheelers and electric shared cabs for multi- modal public transport," the Heavy Industry Ministry said.
An Expression of Interest (EoI) inviting proposals from million-plus cities and special category states for multi- modal transport was issued by the Department of Heavy Industry on October 31, 2017. Under this EoI, additional incentive was also proposed to augment charging infrastructure for public transport.
In response to the EoI, the Department of Heavy Industry received 47 proposals from 44 cities across 21 states having requirement of 3,144 buses, 2,430 e-four wheeler taxis and 21,545 e-three wheeler autos with the total financial support of Rs 4,054.6 crore sought from the Government of India.
After evaluating the proposals, 11 cities were selected for funding under the present EoI as the pilot project for multi-modal electric public transport under the FAME India scheme of the government.
The selected cities include Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Jammu and Guwahati.
"Selected cities are required to finalise the tendering process and issue supply order before February 28, 2018. Through this EoI, the Department of Heavy Industry is expected to spend about Rs 437 crore under FAME India scheme (Phase I), which includes about Rs 40 crore as incentives for installation of charging infrastructure.
"The overwhelming response to this initiative of the government makes it clear that more such efforts are necessary to give push to e-mobility," said the Heavy Industry Ministry.
The minister said efforts were being made to lower the cost of lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
"The total allocation to us under FAME scheme was Rs 795 crore for subsidy and charging infrastructure. Due to the massive response received there is a need to increase allocation but this will be done in FAME 2," Geete said.
According to the minister, the subsidy to be provided to buses is in the range of Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore, which is 60 per cent of the cost. In taxi, the subsidy amount is Rs 1.24 lakh which is 10-15 per cent of its cost.
"In auto rickshaw, it is between Rs 37,000 to Rs 61,000, 20 per cent for three-wheelers. All the buses will be fully electric, battery operated, involving zero emissions. The orders need to be placed by February-end, as the FAME scheme's pilot phase is expiring in March," Geete said.
Replying to a question on the issue related to the lack of charging infrastructure, he said all the fuel stations today can be converted into electric vehicle charging stations in the future.
Replying to a question, the minister said the subsidy to mild hybrid vehicles was withdrawn as it did not help save fuel or reduce pollution. However, he said, the subsidy to hybrid vehicles is being given.
Admitting that the quantum of subsidy being provided was not adequate to meet the demand for electric vehicles, the minister said his ministry may demand more funds in the second phase of the scheme to meet this requirement.
"We have envisaged a total outlay of Rs 14,000 crore under the scheme. Therefore, in the future we will demand more funds to meet the subsidy outgo requirements and we are confident that these will be fulfilled," he said.
Centre approves electric vehicle-based public transportation for 11 citie
New Delhi: In a fillip to India’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Mission 2030, the ministry of heavy industries on Wednesday announced the introduction of electric vehicles in the public transportation systems of 11 cities. The shortlisted cities are Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Jammu and Guwahati.
Announcing the move, heavy industries minister Anant Geete said, “The centre received huge response for introduction of EVs under the expression of interests invited by the ministry. As many as 44 cities across 21 states are willing to introduce EVs. This includes across all segments—buses, four-wheeler taxis and three-wheelers or autorickshaws.”
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government wants only EVs to ply on India’s roads by 2030 as part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the global agreement on climate change, and to reduce spending on oil imports, which, according to one estimate, could double to an annual $300 billion by that year.
Due to limited funds available under the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles in India) scheme, only 11 cities could be accommodated.
For the rest, FAME 2 will be launched in the next fiscal, said Geete, adding that a subsidy of Rs437 crore will be provided to state governments for buying public transport vehicles under Fame 1, including Rs40 crore for the installation of vehicle-charging infrastructure.
The selected cities will be required to finalize the tendering process and issue supply orders before 28 February 2018.
According to the ministry, 47 proposals from 44 cities across 21 states were received, requesting 3,144 electric buses, 2,430 electric four-wheeler taxis and 21,545 electric three-wheelers, which would require financial support of around Rs4,054.6 crore from the centre.
The minister said that full-transparency was maintained while shortlisting the cities and proposals were considered on parameters such as population, vehicle density, vehicular pollution, Swachhata Abhiyan ranking, coverage under the Smart City programme and the available financial outlay under Phase 1 of the FAME scheme.
The minister said public transportation under FAME was a pilot project and seeing the states’ demand, he was sure the government would be ready to provide additional funds in the next fiscal to fulfil the rest of the requests as FAME 1 would be completed in 2018. He said the promotion of electric vehicles will help in fighting rising pollution levels, as there will be zero emissions.
Under the current plan, the centre will provide Rs85 lakh to Rs1 crore as subsidy for a bus, about 60% of bus cost, Rs1 lakh to Rs1.24 lakh for a taxi or 10-15% of the cost and Rs37,000 to Rs61,000 or 20% for autorickshaws. Around 83,000 two-wheelers have already been subsidized under the FAME scheme.
On whether subsidy for hybrid vehicles under FAME had been stopped, Geete said, “Subsidy is stopped for mild hybrid vehicles. They neither save fuel nor help to resolve pollution. For hybrid vehicles subsidy is still intact. Government is giving it and it will continue.” He added that the heavy industries ministries had calculated an estimated Rs14,000 crore of subsidy will be required for the promotion of EVs as public transport and Geete would ask the government, accordingly, to support the ministry.
At present several departments and ministries at the centre are working for the promotion of EVs. These include the ministry of urban development, ministry of transport and government think tank NITI Aayog.
New Delhi: In a fillip to India’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Mission 2030, the ministry of heavy industries on Wednesday announced the introduction of electric vehicles in the public transportation systems of 11 cities. The shortlisted cities are Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Jammu and Guwahati.
Announcing the move, heavy industries minister Anant Geete said, “The centre received huge response for introduction of EVs under the expression of interests invited by the ministry. As many as 44 cities across 21 states are willing to introduce EVs. This includes across all segments—buses, four-wheeler taxis and three-wheelers or autorickshaws.”
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government wants only EVs to ply on India’s roads by 2030 as part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the global agreement on climate change, and to reduce spending on oil imports, which, according to one estimate, could double to an annual $300 billion by that year.
Due to limited funds available under the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles in India) scheme, only 11 cities could be accommodated.
For the rest, FAME 2 will be launched in the next fiscal, said Geete, adding that a subsidy of Rs437 crore will be provided to state governments for buying public transport vehicles under Fame 1, including Rs40 crore for the installation of vehicle-charging infrastructure.
The selected cities will be required to finalize the tendering process and issue supply orders before 28 February 2018.
According to the ministry, 47 proposals from 44 cities across 21 states were received, requesting 3,144 electric buses, 2,430 electric four-wheeler taxis and 21,545 electric three-wheelers, which would require financial support of around Rs4,054.6 crore from the centre.
The minister said that full-transparency was maintained while shortlisting the cities and proposals were considered on parameters such as population, vehicle density, vehicular pollution, Swachhata Abhiyan ranking, coverage under the Smart City programme and the available financial outlay under Phase 1 of the FAME scheme.
The minister said public transportation under FAME was a pilot project and seeing the states’ demand, he was sure the government would be ready to provide additional funds in the next fiscal to fulfil the rest of the requests as FAME 1 would be completed in 2018. He said the promotion of electric vehicles will help in fighting rising pollution levels, as there will be zero emissions.
Under the current plan, the centre will provide Rs85 lakh to Rs1 crore as subsidy for a bus, about 60% of bus cost, Rs1 lakh to Rs1.24 lakh for a taxi or 10-15% of the cost and Rs37,000 to Rs61,000 or 20% for autorickshaws. Around 83,000 two-wheelers have already been subsidized under the FAME scheme.
On whether subsidy for hybrid vehicles under FAME had been stopped, Geete said, “Subsidy is stopped for mild hybrid vehicles. They neither save fuel nor help to resolve pollution. For hybrid vehicles subsidy is still intact. Government is giving it and it will continue.” He added that the heavy industries ministries had calculated an estimated Rs14,000 crore of subsidy will be required for the promotion of EVs as public transport and Geete would ask the government, accordingly, to support the ministry.
At present several departments and ministries at the centre are working for the promotion of EVs. These include the ministry of urban development, ministry of transport and government think tank NITI Aayog.
Towards a Green Future: ISRO’s Batteries to Power India’s E-Vehicles Soon?
According to media reports, ISRO’s lithium-ion battery technology may soon be available for commercial use in e-vehicles. A panel headed by cabinet secretary PK Sinha has made the recommendation.
ISRO’s Li-ion batteries may soon be used to power e-vehicles in India. Representative image only. Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons.
The panel, according to the Economic Times, has advised that “ISRO may consider transferring” its lithium-ion battery technology to interested parties on a “non-discriminatory basis for commercialisation with a ‘Make in India’ condition.”
Only the approval of the space commission and other authorities is required. However, battery makers will be expected to pay Rs 1 crore as a one-time technology transfer fee, according to a report in the Business Standard
The committee of secretaries recommends that the Power Ministry should look into “requisite power tariff and access policies,” for enabling development of charging infrastructure and consult with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and others concerned, for the same.
The panel, according to some, is on a mission to increase the use of zero-emission vehicles, amidst India’s growing dependence on oil, and deteriorating air quality.
This move comes as a relief because as of now, Li-ion batteries are not manufactured commercially in India, and are imported from Japan or China. This is perhaps what prompted Niti Aayog member VK Saraswat, to remark that India needs to step up Li-ion battery production.
The committee met on 8 January 2018, to discuss a viable strategy to increase the use of e-vehicles, and other technologies, to reduce emissions. The meeting was attended by several prominent dignitaries, including representatives from the department of space and cabinet secretariat
The panel has a long list of recommendations, which include but aren’t limited to:
A mission under the Niti Aayog scheme, and an umbrella policy for driving the program to boost the use of zero-emission vehicles.
An examination by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, of the possibility of leveraging the existing retail network of oil marketing companies, to scale up public charging infrastructure.
An advisory, by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, to states, ensuring that the registration of Zero Emission Vehicles is facilitated.
Steps to ensure leadership and inter-ministerial coordination in the monitoring structure suggested by the Niti Aayog.
Towards a Green Future: ISRO's Batteries to Power India's E-Vehicles Soon?
According to media reports, ISRO’s lithium-ion battery technology may soon be available for commercial use in e-vehicles. A panel headed by cabinet secretary PK Sinha has made the recommendation.
The panel, according to the Economic Times, has advised that “ISRO may consider transferring” its lithium-ion battery technology to interested parties on a “non-discriminatory basis for commercialisation with a ‘Make in India’ condition.”
Only the approval of the space commission and other authorities is required. However, battery makers will be expected to pay Rs 1 crore as a one-time technology transfer fee, according to a report in the Business Standard
The committee of secretaries recommends that the Power Ministry should look into “requisite power tariff and access policies,” for enabling development of charging infrastructure and consult with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and others concerned, for the same.
The panel, according to some, is on a mission to increase the use of zero-emission vehicles, amidst India’s growing dependence on oil, and deteriorating air quality.
This move comes as a relief because as of now, Li-ion batteries are not manufactured commercially in India, and are imported from Japan or China. This is perhaps what prompted Niti Aayog member VK Saraswat, to remark that India needs to step up Li-ion battery production.
The committee met on 8 January 2018, to discuss a viable strategy to increase the use of e-vehicles, and other technologies, to reduce emissions. The meeting was attended by several prominent dignitaries, including representatives from the department of space and cabinet secretariat
The panel has a long list of recommendations, which include but aren’t limited to:
A mission under the Niti Aayog scheme, and an umbrella policy for driving the program to boost the use of zero-emission vehicles.
An examination by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, of the possibility of leveraging the existing retail network of oil marketing companies, to scale up public charging infrastructure.
An advisory, by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, to states, ensuring that the registration of Zero Emission Vehicles is facilitated.
Steps to ensure leadership and inter-ministerial coordination in the monitoring structure suggested by the Niti Aayog.
Towards a Green Future: ISRO's Batteries to Power India's E-Vehicles Soon?
Lithium Ion Batteries - India Needs To Be In It To Win pursuit of all-electric vehicles in less than a decade & a half, the state-owned Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) tasked with fast-tracking the electric agenda, floated world’s largest single tender of 10,000 electric cars procurement supposed to be used by the federal government in about four years. Home-grown auto majors Tata Motors, who hasn’t sold even a single electric car so far, and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) are the only two companies selected by EESL to supply 500 electric cars in the first phase at a cost of INR 10.16 lakhs exclusive of GST per vehicle. Remaining 9500 cars will be procured after the completion of the first Phase.
M&M who has been the only manufacturer of electric vehicles in the country for past five years stated a potential loss of INR 200,000/vehicle amounting towards a total of INR 30 million against supplying 150 e-Veritos. A very first concrete step towards India’s mission of “All Electric by 2030”, EESL tender has sparked an intense race to bring down the cost, while Tata Motors trying to build their market entry strategy by utilizing the opportunity & M&M indicating losses in their EV business.
India Leaps Ahead – Transformative Mobility Solutions for All, a report released by India’s think tank “NITI AAYOG” earlier this year, laid down India’s roadmap towards 100% electric vehicles by 2030. The report emphasises three key elements viz. Shared, Electric & Connected which will most likely form the basis of green car policy in times to come. Interalia, the report also clearly signifies the importance of “Integrative Approach” towards “Scaled Manufacturing”.
Although it is still in its infancy in India, electric mobility will potentially be more important going forward than any other markets and it demands auto manufactures to be in it to win it. So far xEVs are expensive primarily due to the high cost of batteries which even today contributes as high as 45-50% of total medium battery electric vehicle cost (BEVs). In last few years battery prices have fallen much rapidly than expected with ~73-75% drop since 2010 and so is their contribution expected to reach <20% of the overall BEV cost, much lower from that of today thus making it cheaper than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sooner than expected.
A Megatrend, Never Seen Before
China’s xEV market, the world’s largest market, is poised to replicate the same in the manufacturing of Lithium Ion batteries as well and is expected to capture 62% of global production by 2020. Globally, Tesla Motors gigafactory, later rechristened as “GIGAFACTORY 1” has ignited a megatrend which battery industry has never seen before. It has initiated a global race for shifting the battery price curve much ahead of its time while driving economies of scale with India, however has not even a blip on the global batteries production map in most of the projections.
India’s Desperation
Recently, losing out to China on first Tesla factory outside the US is surely a matter of concern for our country. A great opportunity got lost, in spite of the fact that Tesla has shown interest on multiple occasions to set up its first manufacturing plant outside the US in India. World’s 5th largest auto market with >60% share of diesel vehicles, India requires a complete paradigm shift in its future strategies to continue to become a sustainable player while making the transition towards Electric Mobility Future. The country’s shift to EVs is inevitable, if not imminent, for several reasons & so is the case for “Localization of Lithium Ion Batteries (LiBs)” to achieve high-value addition rather than just continue to be largely an assembly oriented operations.
Doing Right First Time!
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EESL experience of driving economies of scale to bring down the cost of LED lamps to much affordable level will definitely be instrumental, however “Lithium-ion “Core Cell Technology” & battery pack especially integrated “Battery Management System” to be safe, reliable and scalable are the key challenges for India, knowing the hazardous nature of such batteries.
Off-course some efforts are being made to re-design/model the battery technology developed by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and make it suitable for xEVs, capable market players seem hesitant to invest vide scalability concerns, paradoxically those willing to look at the technology may not have deep pockets to scale.
More at : Lithium Ion Batteries - India Needs To Be In It To Win It
M&M who has been the only manufacturer of electric vehicles in the country for past five years stated a potential loss of INR 200,000/vehicle amounting towards a total of INR 30 million against supplying 150 e-Veritos. A very first concrete step towards India’s mission of “All Electric by 2030”, EESL tender has sparked an intense race to bring down the cost, while Tata Motors trying to build their market entry strategy by utilizing the opportunity & M&M indicating losses in their EV business.
India Leaps Ahead – Transformative Mobility Solutions for All, a report released by India’s think tank “NITI AAYOG” earlier this year, laid down India’s roadmap towards 100% electric vehicles by 2030. The report emphasises three key elements viz. Shared, Electric & Connected which will most likely form the basis of green car policy in times to come. Interalia, the report also clearly signifies the importance of “Integrative Approach” towards “Scaled Manufacturing”.
Although it is still in its infancy in India, electric mobility will potentially be more important going forward than any other markets and it demands auto manufactures to be in it to win it. So far xEVs are expensive primarily due to the high cost of batteries which even today contributes as high as 45-50% of total medium battery electric vehicle cost (BEVs). In last few years battery prices have fallen much rapidly than expected with ~73-75% drop since 2010 and so is their contribution expected to reach <20% of the overall BEV cost, much lower from that of today thus making it cheaper than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sooner than expected.
A Megatrend, Never Seen Before
China’s xEV market, the world’s largest market, is poised to replicate the same in the manufacturing of Lithium Ion batteries as well and is expected to capture 62% of global production by 2020. Globally, Tesla Motors gigafactory, later rechristened as “GIGAFACTORY 1” has ignited a megatrend which battery industry has never seen before. It has initiated a global race for shifting the battery price curve much ahead of its time while driving economies of scale with India, however has not even a blip on the global batteries production map in most of the projections.
India’s Desperation
Recently, losing out to China on first Tesla factory outside the US is surely a matter of concern for our country. A great opportunity got lost, in spite of the fact that Tesla has shown interest on multiple occasions to set up its first manufacturing plant outside the US in India. World’s 5th largest auto market with >60% share of diesel vehicles, India requires a complete paradigm shift in its future strategies to continue to become a sustainable player while making the transition towards Electric Mobility Future. The country’s shift to EVs is inevitable, if not imminent, for several reasons & so is the case for “Localization of Lithium Ion Batteries (LiBs)” to achieve high-value addition rather than just continue to be largely an assembly oriented operations.
Doing Right First Time!
Powered By Inc42 BrandLabs
EESL experience of driving economies of scale to bring down the cost of LED lamps to much affordable level will definitely be instrumental, however “Lithium-ion “Core Cell Technology” & battery pack especially integrated “Battery Management System” to be safe, reliable and scalable are the key challenges for India, knowing the hazardous nature of such batteries.
Off-course some efforts are being made to re-design/model the battery technology developed by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and make it suitable for xEVs, capable market players seem hesitant to invest vide scalability concerns, paradoxically those willing to look at the technology may not have deep pockets to scale.
More at : Lithium Ion Batteries - India Needs To Be In It To Win It
They would be dirtier. Coal as well as greenie fossil fuels - natural gas+solar/wind, are even more polluting than your Petrol car. The only clean energy source is Nuclear.