Back on track, but govt. bats for toned down EV policy; first profits from charge points; Why ride hailing must be only EV

Two weeks after the govt. announced that an EV policy was not needed for India’s 2030 EV target, the Power Ministry is reportedly again considering introducing an EV policy (that includes charging infrastructure standards) by the end of the month – perhaps after realizing the merit in automakers’ calls for a clearly defined policy framework to safeguard their investments. However, this time the govt. seems to be going for a potentially more realistic target of at least 30% of all (new) cars as EVs by 2030 – instead of the original target of 100%.

The target is more conservative than SIAM’s 40% by 2030 estimate, but given the accelerating scale of investment and technical progress on EV batteries, it may well be breached before time. The upcoming policy will also categorise EV charging as a service – which will not require operational licenses – and the power tariff for charging will be kept below Rs.6/kWh.

EV forecasts show steady rise

BP’s 2018 Energy Outlook scenario ‘Evolving Transition’ estimates the total number of EVs on the road rising to over 300 million by 2040, from around 3 million today. While, BNEF’s EV Outlook sees over 530 million EVs in 2040.

EV Charge-points reap profits, already

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that XCharge, the Chinese charge-point operators that service EV fleets are the “first to become profitable”, and plans to expand in Europe. Big investments are expected from automakers and utilities in the space. BNEF forecasts that the number of public EV charging points globally will increase to 700,000 from 500,000 this year.

China: Recycling EV battery, job of carmakers

China released new norms on battery recycling, making it manufacturers’ job to collect and recycle spent batteries. The world’s top EV manufacturer is facing 170,000 tonnes of lithium battery waste. As per norms the carmakers must also provide for repair, and exchange of old batteries.

Fiat Chrysler to drop costly diesel by 2022

Fiat Chrysler vehicles may go diesel-free by 2022, that’s the buzz amid emission cheating scandal. The Italian-American carmaker is the latest to drop diesel after Volkswagen-owned Porsche and Toyota. Diesel cars fell out of favour in Europe after 2015 Volkswagen emission scam. Sales of diesel vehicles in Europe fell 8% last year. Diesel cars that meet EU rules are 20% costlier, while EV prices are coming down.

In a first, Indian Railways turns diesel engine into electric

The Indian Railway workshop in Varanasi has successfully converted a diesel engine to electric engine. Engineers said they developed detailed system engineering, as “there were no precedent designs and experience available anywhere in the world”.

Porsche to launch EV in India in early 2020

Volkswagen owned Porsche will launch an EV in India in the beginning of 2020. Porsche, which set shop in India in 2012, has so far been selling fully imported units as the company does not have manufacturing/assembly units outside Germany.

Andhra gets EV cars, Mumbai eyes EV buses

In the official roll-out of electric cars the State-backed Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) will supply 10,000 electric cars and 4,000 e-car chargers to Andhra Pradesh, including 17 lakh smart energy meters. Meanwhile, Mumbai’s bus service BEST will procure 40 EVs on 7-year lease with around Rs 36 crore subsidy from the Centre.

Why ride hailing firms must switch to EVs

Ride hailing services (Uber, Ola and Lyft) are not complementing public transport but taking people out of trains and buses and putting them in cars, clogging roads and adding to emissions, that’s the conclusion of recent US study. “The emerging consensus is that ride-sharing [is] increasing congestion,” Christo Wilson, a professor at Northeastern University who has studied Uber told the AP.

European battery alliance to ‘counter Asia, US’

French battery maker Saft, owned by energy group Total, formed an alliance with Siemens, Solvay and Manz to build new generation of batteries, to compete with Asian and U.S. manufacturers. Their high-density Li-ion and solid-state technology, would target EVs, railway, marine, aviation, energy storage and specialty industries.

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