26
COVER STORY
Moving the world with
next-gen tech Nishtha Gupta-Vaghela Consulting Editor ETN Fuller ’s words resound the evolution of technology. A ‘futurist inventor’ he believed that in finding solutions to the world’s problems we need to create technology that does ‘more with less’. As the global call for reduction of carbon emissions gets stronger, not only automobiles but airplanes, ships and trains will all go electric. It will bode well for the environment; it will also change the way we travel in ways we can only imagine. Just when we thought that the present technological marvels were here to stay, an upgrade of an idea changed our assumption. When cordless phones awed us with the freedom to walk around and talk, mobile phones changed the very definition, with a wider range. We can say that of almost all inventions that have elevated our lifestyle and improved the way we think, communicate, and travel. So much so that, over time, we no longer use technology, but have come to live it.
E-mobility: the way forward
Technology has changed the way we work, communicate, create, and more popularly the way we commute. Role of technology in modes of commuting has not only made life
easier for millions of travellers, but is also working toward a cleaner and greener environment. Making the transition from fast depleting fossil fuels to renewable power sources, is the mantra of the world today. Introducing ‘electric movement in transportation’, or ‘E-mobility’ as the world today knows it. A movement that is defining how people move, development in infrastructure, and changes in policy. The way technology is modifying movement in roadways, waterways, airways, and even space; and the pace at which it is taking place, is nothing less than electrifying.
Counting the milestones
Electrification has brought about a disruptive change in the global auto industry. Countries around the world are making the move from ICE to electric engine-driven vehicles, in a bid to slow down the damage being caused due to harmful emissions; adopting technology-aided ideas like shared mobility and first/last mile connectivity. This is not only bringing a change in the vehicle manufacturing sector, but also giving impetus to the e-mobility ecosystem that includes battery technology, diagnostics and analytics, charging infra, and components manufacturing. The electric car frontrunner Tesla, has undoubtedly led the electrification revolution. Over time the company has worked on its power storage systems to deliver stronger, longrunning and cost-effective batteries. Many companies the world over have followed suit, some with better and improved technology. 1
| January-February 2020
1 Tesla Model S electric car
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” ― Buckminster Fuller
