The Future of Electric Vehicles in India: Experts Address Adoption Challenges and Opportunities

"Electric vehicles will become the natural choice in terms of cost in the coming years," stated Sanjeev Kulkarni.

New Delhi:

Electric vehicles represent the future of transportation, though the technology remains in its early stages. Industry experts at the NDTV World Summit emphasized that prioritizing electric adoption in public transportation while addressing consumer concerns is crucial for advancement.

During the summit's discussion on "High Voltage Resolve: Electrifying Mobility in India for a Sustainable Tomorrow," panelists unanimously agreed that environmental considerations make electric vehicles increasingly relevant.

Sanjeev Kulkarni, Chief of BillionE Mobility, a comprehensive electric vehicle service provider, predicted: "In the next few years, EV will be the natural choice in terms of cost."

While individual adoption matters, the experts highlighted that the transition of public transportation to electric power would mark a significant turning point.

Ravin Mirchandani, CEO of Ador Digatron, emphasized: "The real big bang will be the public transport. The way to clean up India's air is to focus on the two and three wheelers and then on the trucks and buses."

Kulkarni concurred, noting: "As a car user, it is more visible in the city. But we forget that our day starts with milk, which is delivered in a truck."

The panel noted the substantial financial investment behind electric vehicles, attributing this momentum to governmental policy. "The credit goes to the government of India - because of the consistency of policy," remarked Sandeep Gambhir, who leads Vertelo, an electric mobility solutions company.

However, individual consumers face specific challenges. While financial considerations are important, they aren't the only concern, Gambhir observed.

"The biggest phobia about transportation is 'when I get there, will there be enough charge (in the car),'" he explained.

Anshuman Divyanshu, chief of Exicom, which provides EV charging infrastructure, added: "At the end of the day, any subsidy falls flat if the product is not good. The charging process has to be seamless."