By 2030, India should no longer sell vehicles running on petrol or diesel. All cars available for purchase should run on electricity.
That’s what Union Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal announced at the Confederation of Indian Industry Annual Session 2017 in New Delhi. The initiative aims to lower the cost of importing fuel and lower costs for running vehicles.
Mr Goyal said, “We are going to introduce electric vehicles in a very big way.” He also told the reporters that the target is to make electric vehicles self-sufficient.
“The idea is that by 2030, not a single petrol or diesel car should be sold in the country.”
SourceL: Wikimedia
It will not be an easy shift, and the minister recognizes it. He said that the government is willing to help the electric car industry by providing assistance for two to three years. He expects that the production of the vehicles will be “driven by demand and not subsidy” after that.
“The cost of electric vehicles will start to pay for itself for consumers,” he said in an interview with International Business Times. “We would love to see the electric vehicle industry run on its own,” he added.
So goodbye to gas stations? Probably. And say hi to electric charging stations.
Mr Goyal shared that the government will also invest in the charging infrastructure, “beginning with the larger consumer centers, where pollution is at all-time highs.” He meant Delhi, which is India’s most polluted city with concentrations of particulate matter 13 times the annual limit set by the World Health Organization.
He suggested about the swapping of electric car batteries so cars don’t have to wait for batteries to be charged.
“Electric cars can then move to petrol pumps, swap their batteries and drive out, just like they do now. And it will take less time than what it takes to put petrol in your car, like in Formula-1 races!” he explained.
Sources: The Independent | IB Times
