Viability of Electric Vehicle in India

In India, transport sector consumes majority of the oil demand and emits greenhouse gas emissions hence Government of India has strong focus to enhance the electric vehicle penetration on roads at much faster rate. In support of government focus, Indian automotive industry has started production of electric vehicles and also enhancing the production capacities with high vigor.

The Shift from traditional mobility options towards electric mobility offers not only an opportunity to enhance the efficiency and transform the transport sector with mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.

The electric energy demand is growing continuously with the increase of population and changing life styles. Presently, coal based power plants are producing major share about 63 percent of total electricity generation capacity. Coal based power plants are also emitting greenhouse gas emissions into the environment. In order to minimize the electricity generation from coal based power plants there is need to enhance the electricity generation from renewable energy sources. The main drawback of electricity generation from renewable energy sources is intermittency.

Electric vehicles may support electric power system to make the stable operation, during intermittent electricity generation from renewables. Electric vehicles will be charged when electricity is being generated from renewables and when electricity is not being generated the stored energy in batteries of electric vehicles will be injected into the grid. For the electric vehicles penetration on roads, there is essential need of charging infrastructure at suitable locations.

In order to provide the charging facility, a large amount of investment is to be required. Presently government is focusing to create the charging infrastructure at mass scale, which will be helpful to enhance the electric vehicles penetration on roads.

Electric vehicles will be most promising primary transport for rural India, taking people to local market, bus-stops /railway-stations and for connecting farms to cities, are primarily handled by IC engine based vehicles. These vehicles especially in rural areas are exceptionally suited for replacement by Electric vehicles. In rural areas, charging stations will be developed with the available solar PV systems for water pumping.

The charging process is a time consuming process. In present scenario peoples are not ready to waste their time in charging of their electric vehicles when sometimes they do not even have enough patience to wait for a second at traffic signals? This problem may be addressed if charging facility for small electric vehicles developed at the consumer ends only by electric utility companies. Electric utility companies need to provide the net energy meters with charge controller and grid tied inverter unit for charging the battery and inject the power into the electric grid from battery of electric vehicles at the consumer ends, it will be more impactful to increase the electric vehicles and also be helpful for the empowerment of consumers.
Execution of proposed approach to shift on electric vehicles need to be formalized in coordinated manner to deploy renewable energy generation technologies and electric vehicles simultaneously.

• Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Associate Professor-EEE, JKLU Jaipur