E-Mobility+ Aug- Sep Issue 2021

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I S S U E 7

MOBILITY

INSIGHTS

INDIA’S EV TRANSITION JOURNEY: Transforming policies to support Charging Infrastructure

PERSPECTIVE How Supportive Are Indian EV Policies To Charging Infrastructure In Order To Power The Mobility Transition?

What Are The Opportunities Offered By Robust Charging Infrastructure To Propel The EV Game In India?

Charging Ahead: How Promising Is The Future Of Indian Charging Infrastructure In The Coming Years?

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POLICY DEBEIEF

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IN CONVERSATION

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18 BISWAJYOTI MANDAL Vice President -Technology, SCHAEFFLER INDIA

PRABHJEET SINGH President, Uber India & South Asia

INSIGHTS

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22 INDIA’S EV TRANSITION JOURNEY: TRANSFORMING POLICIES TO SUPPORT CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE

ELECTRIFICATION OF THE LAST MILE MOBILITY A REVOLUTIONARY ADVANCEMENT IN LOGISTICS!

PERSPECTIVE

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28 HOW SUPPORTIVE ARE INDIAN EV POLICIES TO CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO POWER THE MOBILITY TRANSITION?

EDITING

32 WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY ROBUST CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE TO PROPEL THE EV GAME IN INDIA?

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CHARGING AHEAD: HOW PROMISING IS THE FUTURE OF INDIAN CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COMING YEARS?

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INDIANEWS INSIGHTS

PARTNERSHIPS

E-BUSES TO ACCOUNT FOR 8-10% OF NEW BUS SALES BY FY2025: ICRA

SWIGGY AND RELIANCE BP MOBILITY JOIN HANDS TO BUILD EV ECOSYSTEM & BATTERY SWAPPING STATIONS

Electric buses (e-buses) are expected to be at the forefront of India’s electrification drive, with the segment expected to witness healthy traction going forward. ICRA expects e-buses to account for 8-10% of new bus sales by FY2025. The traction in the e-bus segment is already visible over recent months, despite the overall stress in the public transportation segment over the past year and a half due to the pandemic. Although the on-ground deployment under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME)scheme has been somewhat delayed on account of the pandemic-induced challenges, the extension of the scheme by two years to April 2024 would support adoption in the segment over the medium term. The FAME II scheme implemented by the Department of Heavy Industries (DHI) has planned a significant outlay of Rs. 35 billion towards supporting e-bus adoption in India. Under the scheme, 7m, 9m and 12m electric buses are eligible for a capital subsidy of Rs. 35 lakh, Rs. 45 lakh and Rs. 55 lakh respectively, subject to meeting technical specifications and localization requirements.

Swiggy announced that it has started trials that will increase the deployment of electric vehicles (EV) in its delivery fleet, thus enabling the food aggregator to operate in a sustainable manner. The trials are aimed towards Swiggy’s commitment to cover deliveries spanning 8 lakh kilometers everyday through EVs by 2025. For the same, Swiggy has signed an agreement with Reliance BP Mobility Limited (RBML) to build an EV ecosystem and battery-swapping stations for its delivery partners across the country. The trials are currently going on in Bengaluru, New Delhi and Hyderabad. Making deliveries through EVs is expected to lower the running cost of vehicles by up to 40 per cent, leading to higher earnings for Swiggy’s delivery partners. It’s partners travel an average of 80-100kms daily.

PASSENGER VEHICLE SEGMENT TO LEAD SALES RECOVERY TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS: CRISIL Passenger vehicles (PV) dealers are expected to lead a recovery among all automobile dealers sub-segments with 20 to 22 % revenue growth this fiscal to almost reach pre-pandemic revenue levels of fiscal 2020, said rating agency Crisil. Comparatively, due to slower recovery, two-wheeler (2W) dealers will take a year or so longer to reach prepandemic sale levels. Cash flows are expected to gradually recover, and along with controlled channel inventory and limited increase in debt, lend stability to credit profiles this fiscal. A study of 191 automobile dealers rated by Crisil Ratings indicated. While business performance was severely dented last fiscal, dealers availed of moratorium and emergency credit facilities offered by banks and support from captive finance arms of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as well as OEMs themselves through inventory funding limits and higher credit period, respectively, to tide over liquidity pressures. This year too, similar support is expected to continue for dealers from OEMs or their captive finance arms until sales recover completely.

BATTERY SMART PARTNERS WITH GOMECHANIC TO SET UP SWAPPING STATIONS Battery Smart, which is a battery swapping network for electric two- and three-wheelers, announced that it has joined hands with GoMechanic, which is the country’s largest network of tech enabled car service and spares centres. With this partnership, Battery Smart will set up its battery swapping stations in over 100 GoMechanic garages across India. The first one will be coming up in West Delhi.

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 04

INDIA NEWS |

ALTIGREEN PARTNERS WITH MOEVING; LAUNCHES SERVICES IN CHENNAI Electric vehicle maker Altigreen recently in a statement said that it has launched its services in the city of Chennai. The company has partnered with EV fleet operator MoEVing. This launch follows its successful launch in New Delhi and Bengaluru. Altigreen has now expanded its network across markets including New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and in Chennai. Altigreen said it has already opened multiple service centres in Chennai and is also developing a network in other areas like Coimbatore.

TATA MOTORS SIGNS MOU WITH COMMON SERVICE CENTRE SCHEME TO INCREASE REACH IN RURAL INDIA Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, announced the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Common Service Centre Scheme (CSC) e-Governance Services India Limited, in a collaborative effort to bring Tata Motors commercial vehicles to rural customers, across India. CSC’s nationwide network and digital services will further strengthen Tata Motors’ reach in rural geographies, including remote areas of the country. The partnership will add impetus to the development of rural India, and remarkably better the last-mile transportation with Tata Motors’ modern and efficient commercial vehicle range. The partnership is curated on the back of Tata Motors’ core philosophy of nation-building and providing a means of livelihood to the rural population of the country. Through this initiative, Tata Motors and CSC aim to increase accessibility in remote regions and help realise the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.

MG MOTOR INDIA AND JIO PARTNER TO BRING CONNECTED CAR SOLUTIONS’ TO INDIAN SUV MARKET

NAPINO GROUP PARTNERS WITH ENEDYM INC. FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR TECHNOLOGY FOR ELECTRIC 2W Enedym Inc. (“Enedym”), the technology company that develops next generation switched reluctance motors (SRMs), electric propulsion, and electrified powertrains, announced that it formed a partnership with the Napino Group. (“Napino”), one of India’s leading suppliers of automotive electronic products. Under the terms of the partnership, Napino will license Enedym’s switched reluctance motor (SRM) technology for use in 2-wheel electric motorcycles and scooters in India. Enedym recently announced a $15 million financing round from an international group of strategic investors within the U.S., Canada, Europe, and India.

MG Motor India announced a partnership on the Internet of Things (IOT) space with Jio India’s leading digital services provider.

Establishing its position as an auto-tech pioneer, MG Motor India will provide seamless integration of IT systems enabled by Jio’s IoT solution in its upcoming mid-size SUV. The association will enable robust new-age mobility solutions, underlining the marquee carmaker’s zeal to build futuristic mobility applications and facilitate magical experiences. Jio, India’s largest integrated telecom service provider, will support automotive solutions designed to deliver an array of consumer and enterprise services. Customers of MG’s upcoming midsize SUV will benefit from Jio’s widespread internet outreach, along with the highest quality connectivity, not only in metros but also in small towns and rural areas. Jio’s new-age connected vehicle solution is a combination of hardware, software and connectivity that will enable users to access trending infotainment and real-time telematics on the go as it brings the benefits of digital life to a vehicle and to people on the move.

PIAGGIO VEHICLES AND THREE WHEELS UNITED PARTNER TO ACCELERATE ELECTRIC 3W ADOPTION Bengaluru-based tech-enabled financier of light electric vehicles, Three Wheels United (TWU) has partnered with Piaggio Vehicles to accelerate the adoption of e-three wheelers in the country. Under this partnership, TWU will immediately deploy 500 Piaggio Ape’ E-City and Ape’ E-Xtra vehicles across India. The Bengaluru-based firm will also facilitate three-wheeler passenger vehicle and cargo vehicle drivers to switch to EVs from old vehicles, it said adding that additionally, TWU will connect these drivers to aggregator platforms. On the other hand, Piaggio will offer the required support for maintenance and servicing of the vehicles, ensuring minimal downtime for operations.

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 05

| INDIA NEWS

BUZZ ADDITIONAL MANUFACTURING UNIT TO BE SET UP IN INDIA BY PREVAIL ELECTRIC MOBILITY

EVRE AND MOEVING PARTNER TO INSTALL 1,000 EV CHARGING STATIONS ALL ACROSS INDIA EV charging infrastructure company EVRE announced its partnership with MoEVing, a tech-enabled electric fleet startup for urban mobility.

With this, EVRE will set-up 1,000 EV charging stations across India within the next six months. These charging stations will be utilised by MoEVing and other EV fleet owners. The long-term partnership will also be based on an innovative business model, where charging stations can be cross-utilised. At present, in Bengaluru, MoEVing is using EVRE public charging stations and so is EVRE using MoEVing charging stations. Under the partnership, EVRE will conceptualise the designing, manufacturing, establishing, operating and maintaining of the EV charging infrastructure. The technology for all the chargers, existing and upcoming, will be owned and operated by EVRE. On the other hand, MoEVing will help EVRE in the demand assessment of the sites to set up charging stations for higher utilisation.

DTC SIGNS MOU WITH CESL FOR INSTALLATION OF 7 CHARGING AND SWAPPING STATIONS The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has signed an MoU with the state-owned CESL for the installation of charging and battery swapping stations at its seven terminals and depots. CESL will install these in four months at Dwarka sector-8, Dwarka sector 2 depot, Mehrauli Terminal, Nehru Place Terminal, Okhla CW-II, Sukhdev Vihar depot and Kalkaji depot. The facilities will be open for public use. With this agreement, EESL through its subsidiary CESL has agreed to procure, install, operate and maintain charging units and related infrastructure at the location of the DTC area at its costs and expenses.

The charges for usage of location will be paid by CESL to DTC every month at the rate of one rupee per kWh of energy dispensed. If the space required by the concessionaire is more than 3 ECS (Equivalent Car Space) then Rs 2,000 extra would be levied per ECS per month.

Each of these charging facilities will have a total of six charging points including three for two and three-wheelers and the other three for fourwheelers.

French lubricants major FRVelion’s arm, Prevail Electric Mobility, will be setting up an additional manufacturing unit in India for electric twowheelers to meet demand in the country besides catering to Nepal and Sri Lankan markets.. The company will launch its first product in India soon and plans to set up the new manufacturing unit at Behrampur near Gurugram in Haryana to add to its existing plant at Neemrana in Rajasthan with an overall investment of around Rs 50 crore in the two plants. The company aims to sell around 10,000 to 12,000 units a year in India and 5,000 units in Sri Lanka and 3,000 units in Nepal. Also, it is gearing up to launch three electric scooters with low-speed variants – Elite, Finesse, and Wolfury. All the models are fitted with 1,000W motors and one-click-fix functions. These will be able to cover up to 110 km in a single full charge. It will be opening its flagship stores in Delhi and Mumbai to kick off its journey.

KOCHI MALLS TO GET SOLAR-POWERED EV CHARGING POINTS In the city of Kochi, the Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (Anert) is going to install solar-based electric vehicle charging stations at hotel and mall premises. The move will thereby reduce the dependency on hydropower for charging vehicles and promote the use of electric vehicles. Anert received the sanction from the government for this, and has invited quotes from national level empaneled agencies to set up the charging points. Currently, Anert has five fully operational charging stations and work for another six is underway. As the state does not have any qualified company capable of setting up these charging stations, Anert has invited quotations at national level for empanelment agencies to provide technical support and awareness to the interested parties. It will empanel eight to 10 agencies and the beneficiary can select the company for setting up the charging station.

JIO-BP SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH BLUSMART TO SET UP EV CHARGING INFRA IN INDIA Jio-bp, the fuels and mobility joint venture between Reliance Industries Limited and bp announced a partnership with BluSmart, India’s first and largest all-electric ride-hailing platform to set up a network of commercial large scale EV charging stations. As part of the partnership, Jio-bp will set up these stations for passenger electric vehicles and fleets across the country. Through this partnership, both companies will collaborate in planning, development and operation of EV charging infrastructure, at suitable locations across cities where BluSmart operates. With the first phase-roll out in the National Capital Region, these EV charging stations will be capable of accommodating a minimum of 30 vehicles at each station and will be concentrated in urban areas. Jio-bp will bring the best of bp’s global learnings in electrification and apply them to the Indian market to create a differentiated customer experience that delights the consumer.

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SIMPLE ENERGY TO MANUFACTURE ELECTRIC 4WHEELERS SOON Simple Energy, which is a Bengaluru-based EV maker, is planning to manufacture electric four wheelers as part of its future product range.

The company has launched its first e-scooter – Simple One across 13 states this month itself. This was informed by the company’s CEO Suhas Rajkumar to PTI. The company is also planning to produce an ebike by next year in addition to a new powertrain in the next one to oneand-a-half years.

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 06

INDIA NEWS |

EZEETM SWAPPABLE BATTERIES FOR AUTO RICKSHAWS LAUNCHED BY POWER GLOBAL

ABB INDIA WILL BE PROVIDING CHARGING SOLUTIONS FOR AUDI INDIA’S ALL-ELECTRIC E-TRON MODELS

Power Global, which is a two-year old startup,introduced the eZeeTM swappable battery for light mobility vehicles in India recently. This is the company’s first mass market product and it will offer auto-rickshaw drivers a simple and cheaper path to EV adoption. The li-ion battery module is currently available by subscription pre-order, with initial distribution in Greater Noida. Power Global’s first facility includes its battery production plant, located on the site of a former Honda Logistics India Pvt. Ltd. in Greater Noida, and its R&D lab and battery manufacturing facility in Pasadena, California, which will focus on new product innovations for electric vehicles and stationary storage applications.

To ensure a premium charging customer experience, the newly launched Audi e–tron and Audi e-tron Sportback are offered with ABB‘s smart Terra AC wall box charger along with the car to its customers for smart charging at home. The Terra AC wallbox charger is capable of delivering 11 kW power to the Audi e-tron and complies with all safety standards and necessary certifications. The Terra AC wallbox is a market-leading EV charger ideal for the home, delivering high-value quality, futureproof flexibility, and advanced safety and protection. The charger has various options for network connectivity including LAN, Wifi, and 4G SIM connectivity. It can be connected to Cloud, on OCPP protocol. It comes with all the in-built protection which makes it safe and reliable to be used not only at home but also in parking and commercial buildings.

ATHER ENERGY OPENS ITS FIRST EXPERIENCE CENTRE IN NASHIK Ather Energy, India’s first intelligent electric scooter manufacturer, inaugurated its new retail outlet – Ather Space, at Patwa Ev Zone, Trambakeshwar Road, Nashik in association with Patwa Auto Drive Pvt Ltd. The Ather 450X, India’s quickest and smartest scooter, alongside the Ather 450 Plus will be available to test ride and purchase at Ather Space. Ather Space is geared to provide a unique ownership experience along with complete service and support for the owners.

The new Ather Space will offer customers an opportunity to learn about every aspect of the vehicle and provide a complete overview of the various parts with a stripped-bare unit on display. They can also book test ride slots on Ather Energy’s website before visiting the experience center. Earlier this year, Ather expanded its presence across multiple cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kochi, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Trichy, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, Kozhikode, and Indore.

TATA MOTORS JOINS HANDS WITH BANK OF MAHARASHTRA FOR OFFERING ATTRACTIVE FINANCING SCHEME Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive manufacturer, has joined hands with Bank of Maharashtra, one of India’s leading public sector banks, to make available the ‘Maha Super Car Loan scheme” to all its customers. As part of the tie-up, Bank of Maharashtra will provide loans to Tata Motors’ customers at an interest rate starting from as low as 7.15% linked with Repo Linked Lending Rate (RLLR), subject to certain conditions. This scheme will offer a maximum of 90% financing on the total cost of the vehicle (on-road pricing) for various individuals like salaried employees, self-employed people, professionals, businessmen, and agriculturists, whereas a maximum of 80% financing can be availed on the cost of the vehicle by corporate clients.

POWER BANK’S EV CHARGING HUB OPENS IN KOHINOOR MILLS, MUMBAI Aditya Thackeray, who is Maharashtra’s Minister of Tourism and Environment inaugurated Power Bank’s EV Charging Hub at Kohinoor Mills in Dadar, Mumbai. Power Bank is the EV charging solutions brand from Shuchi Anant Virya – a joint venture between corporate sustainable mobility solutions provider, Lithium Urban Technologies and Fourth Partner Energy, India’s largest solar energy company for commercial and industrial businesses. The charging hub is located at Kohinoor Square Building MCGM Parking. It can service both electric fleet service providers and individual EV owners. The parking space is managed by Ashutosh Enterprises. At a time, the charging hub can accommodate six electric vehicles. It consists of four fast chargers and two CCPS chargers for privately owned EVs.

EV MANUFACTURING FACILITY TO BE SET UP IN UTTAR PRADESH BY OMEGA SEIKI MOBILITY Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM), which is a part of the Anglian Omega Group of companies and Youth Rural Entrepreneur Foundation (YREF), signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set out the framework under which OSM and YREF will set up a complete electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. The OEM will invest Rs 100 crore in the state and will be creating 10,000 jobs in the next 2 years in Ghazipur. Uday Narang, founder, Omega Seiki Mobility, said – “We are thrilled to partner with Youth Rural Entrepreneur Foundation (YREF). We believe that electrification of the transport sector is the first step to solve the problems of air pollution which has been plaguing our cities. That’s not all, we at OSM believe that the EVs will also play a major role in targeting one of the biggest problems India is facing now – unemployment.”

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 07

| INDIA NEWS

BOUNCE SIGNS A DEAL WITH CHARA FOR PRODUCTION OF LOCAL EV MOTORS

ATHER ENERGY OPENS ITS FIRST EXPERIENCE CENTER IN INDORE Ather Energy, India’s first intelligent electric scooter manufacturer, inaugurated its new retail outlet – Ather Space, at A B Road, Indore, in association with Kasliwal Group. The Ather 450X, India’s quickest and smartest scooter, alongside the Ather 450 Plus will be available to test ride and purchase at Ather Space. Over the years, the Madhya Pradesh government has introduced several policies to accelerate the adoption of EVs like giving subsidies up to 25% on building Charging infrastructure, exempting the vehicle registration for the first 22,500 electric 2-wheelers, Nand providing free parking at Municipal run parking facilities to all EV vehicles. These policies will accelerate the adoption of EVs in the state. The opening of Ather Space in Indore is driven by the strong consumer demand from the city since the launch of Ather 450X and 450 Plus in January 2020.

KOCHI METRO RAIL LTD (KMRL) TO SET UP EV CHARGING POINTS IN ALL METRO STATIONS Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has decided to set up electric charging points in all Metro stations in order to give a boost to electric mobility.

KMRL in association with the agency for new and renewable energy research and technology (Anert) will set up charging points in four Metro stations soon. After that, the project will be extended to all the 22 Metro stations. Along with this, KMRL also is planning to roll out eautos in the city as feeder service to the Metro. It has invited tenders for submitting request for qualification (RFQ) for launching e-auto service.

The Metro agency plans to procure 115 e-autos for the purpose in two phases. The firm or consortium which emerges successful in the tendering process should operate and maintain e-autos in the city and suburbs as a feeder service to Metro. Initially, in the first phase, 77 eautos will be rolled out.

MORRIS GARAGES INDIA FULLY REVEALS ITS PREMIUM MID-SIZE SUV – MG ONE MG ONE, based on the brand’s SIGMA architecture, is a combination of functional elegance and cutting-edge digital technology. It is the debut of the brand’s new architecture and design language, majorly fashionable and sporty. SIGMA is a fusion of machinery and intelligence, which transcends the differences between horsepower and the ability of the software. Based on the concept of new-age intelligence, the SIGMA architecture has expanded the limit of automotive platforms. Through the flexible combination of more than 100 kinds of modules, the architecture design can create a variety of body types such as hatch & notch, sports car, off-roader, SUV, etc., to meet the user’s diversified needs.

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Bounce, which is a home-grown smart urban mobility solution, has signed a deal with Chara, a Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup that has developed motor technology which is rare-earth free, hyperefficient and easier and cost effective to build. Chara will design and manufacture customized motors for Bounce based on Chara’s innovative motor and drive technologies. This was intimated in a joint statement. This partnership is part of Bounce’s strategy to develop its own fleet of EVs deployed for its mobility solutions. With local production of the core component of the electric vehicle, Bounce will save a sizable amount on imports. This partnership will make EV manufacturing sustainable and empower the local innovation ecosystem. These custom made motors by Chara for Bounce will be locally manufactured and deployed in Bounce’s fleet from early next year. The motor, when deployed, will be the first of its kind in the world and opens up opportunities in other platforms, in domestic and foreign markets.

IIT MADRAS DEVELOPS FIRST INDIGENOUS MOTORS AND SUB ASSEMBLIES FOR E-RICKSHAWS IIT Madras has developed motors and sub assemblies indigenously for commercial deployment and is also signing agreements with manufacturers for the same. The Centre for Battery Engineering and Electric Vehicles Research (C BEEV) has developed these motors and sub assemblies. The EV eco system needs five broad ranges of products that are made indigenously. Motors and sub assemblies, batteries, chargers, converters and monitoring and tracking devices.

Presently, contracts have been signed with two manufacturers Amber and Alpha Sine for supply of motor designs and sub assemblies, which will be used in e-rickshaws, e-autos and e-2wheelers.

MG MOTOR INTRODUCES THE CONCEPT OF CAR AS A PLATFORM (CAAP) IN ITS SOON TO BE LAUNCHED MIDSIZE SUV MG Motor India introduced the concept of Car as a Platform (CAAP).

With software at the heart of vehicle development, the carmaker is building an ecosystem of various in-car services and subscriptions in the areas of utility, entertainment, security, consumer payment and more. MG is working actively with various global ecosystem partners in emerging technologies like Blockchain, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence amongst others to form the support system for CAAP. Over time, CAAP would enable customers to engage with third-party partners across different fields such as entertainment, insurance etc., to avail economic benefits and experience personalized engagement throughout their ownership period as per their choice, need and selection. As part of its efforts to boost the start-up ecosystem, the automaker will soon offer opportunities to developers to create applications, services and various subscription models.

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 08

INDIA NEWS |

ADB APPROVES ADDITIONAL $300 MILLION LOAN FOR RURAL ROAD IN INDIA

AMPERE ELECTRIC ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC STAKE IN ELECTRIC THREE-WHEELER MAKER MLR AUTO

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $300 million loan as additional financing for the ongoing Maharashtra Rural Connectivity Improvement Project that is upgrading rural roads and connecting rural areas with markets and services in the State of Maharashtra in India. The ongoing project, approved in August 2019, has been improving and maintaining the condition and safety of 2,100 kilometers (km) of rural roads across Maharashtra. The additional financing will improve an additional 1,100 rural roads and 230 bridges for a total length of 2,900 km in 34 districts. The additional financing is expected to generate about 3.1 million person-days of employment for local communities, of which at least 25% will be for women, over the construction and maintenance periods. This additional financing will rebuild and rehabilitate roads and bridges in Maharashtra destroyed by the devastating floods in August 2019. The design incorporates flood and climate resilience measures, pilot test the use of environment-friendly materials on selected road segments, and utilize new technologies such as fiber-reinforced concrete and pre-cast concrete arch bridge.

Ampere Vehicles, the E-Mobility arm of Greaves Cotton Limited, and one of the leading players in the E-2W and E-3W space expanded its play in the last mile mobility ecosystem with the announcement of a strategic stake in L5 E3W manufacturer, MLR Auto. Investment in MLR Auto reflects Ampere’s agility and commitment in responding to emerging needs of its 3W customers for disruptive cost economics products that enhance daily savings and transform ease of driving with emission free and noise free vehicles. Increasing urbanization & exponential growth of e-commerce will spur last mile delivery demand.

Ampere is ready to cater this growth with application-specific solutions for B2B fleet logistics solutions. The Company recently announced a mega investment in EV at Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, with a capacity of up to one million E-2W in phases and with a commitment to invest over INR 700 Cr.

ATHER ENERGY AIMS FOR FASTER ADOPTION OF EVS; OPENS ITS PROPRIETARY FAST-CHARGING CONNECTOR FOR OTHER OEMS Ather Energy announced that the company will offer its proprietary charging connector to other OEMs to adopt for their two-wheelers, paving the way for an interoperable two-wheeler fast charging platform for the country. This would not only reduce range anxiety by allowing all scooters to access Ather Energy’s 200+ fast chargers, but also allow more OEMs to build products on a common standard thus lowering infrastructure investments. A robust charging infrastructure is one of the major drivers in accelerating faster adoption of electric twowheelers. In order to maximize usage and efficiency of charging infrastructure, there needs to be common connectors that can be used across products. Since its inception, Ather Energy has invested in building a fast-charging network, Ather Grid, and has been providing normal speed charge options to all electric two-wheelers and fourwheelers free of cost. Opening up Ather Energy’s connector technology will promote the use of a common connector, allowing all EV owners to use any fast charging solution across the country. Hence, enabling the entire ecosystem to work together to fast-track EV adoption in India.

AMPERE ACHIEVES MILESTONE OF 100,000 EV CUSTOMERS IN 400 TOWNS Ampere Vehicles, the fast growing e-mobility business of Greaves Cotton Limited, has accelerated India’s journey towards EV by creating a new milestone of 100,000 EV customers base in over 400 towns across the country. Ampere Vehicles is accelerating EV adoption and ownership across the country and has seen noteworthy increase in demand for electric scooters from smaller towns and cities. As one of the leading EV brands, Ampere Vehicles has strengthened its presence in the space backed by a robust pan-India EV ecosystem support in terms of wide range of Products, Retail network, Aftermarket Care, trained EV Mechanics and EV financing through Greaves Finance plus other financing partners.

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SIMPLE ENERGY GETS OVER 30,000 PRE-BOOKINGS FOR ITS E-SCOOTER THE SIMPLE ONE Bangalore-based EV start-up Simple Energy has announced that it has received over 30,000 pre-bookings for its flagship e-scooter the Simple One. The e-scooter was launched on August 15, at a price tag of Rs 110,000, excluding state subsidies. The electric scooter has four riding modes – Eco, Ride, Dash and Sonic. The One also sends its power to the rear wheel via a chain drive. The company stated that it has a patented “in-house design for motor chassis and brakes”. The One rides on 12-inch wheels at both ends, with a telescopic fork and a monoshock for suspension. Like almost every other electric scooter, braking is handled by disc brakes. The scooter is available with two tyres specifications. One variant gets a 90/90-12 front and rear tyre, while the other uses 100/80-12 (front) and 110/80-12 (rear). The One electric scooter has one of the lightest kerb weights in its class, at 110kg.

TATA MOTORS JOINS HANDS WITH GUJARAT GOVERNMENT; TO SET UP A VEHICLE SCRAPPING FACILITY IN AHMEDABAD Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as a part of the Investment Promotion Activity, with the Government of Gujarat, through the Ports and Transport Department, to support setting up a Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) in Ahmedabad, for end-oflife passenger and commercial vehicles. The scrappage centre will have the capacity of recycling up to 36,000 vehicles a year. Ports and Transport Department will support in facilitating the necessary approvals as per the rules and regulations of the State Government of Gujarat and the draft vehicle scrappage policy released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for setting up of the RVSF. It will address the intent of all stakeholders with benefits such as low import bill for scrap and crude oil, job opportunities for MSMEs, the possibility of upside in new vehicle sales for OEMs, low operation cost for vehicle owners, safer and cleaner vehicles for consumers and a sustainable environment for all. Tata Motors will set up the scrapping centre in association with a partner.

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 09

| INDIA NEWS

HERO MOTOCORP CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH RETAIL SALES OF MORE THAN ONE LAKH UNITS IN A SINGLE DAY Hero MotoCorp – the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – sold a record more than one lakh units of motorcycles and scooters in retail sales in a single day on August 9th, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the Company. This retail sale – that included the sales in the domestic market of India and global markets around the world – is a record number of actual sales to customers in a nonfestive period. The record number was achieved due to the retail demand for Hero MotoCorp range of products across segments – entry, deluxe and premium, including scooters – and in markets across geographies.

NEXZU MOBILITY ENTERS NEW MARKETS; FORAYS INTO 8 CITIES IN MULTIPLE STATES Nexzu Mobility, one of India’s fastest-growing electric vehicle manufacturers, is set to expand its presence into 8 cities across the length and breadth of the country. In a move that underlines its frontrunning position in the EV space, the company will be expanding its dealer and distribution network to Trichy (Tamil Nadu), Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Keshkal (Chhattisgarh), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Gulbarga (Karnataka), Pune (Maharashtra), Erode (Tamil Nadu), and Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu).

SWITCH MOBILITY LTD APPOINTS MAHESH BABU FOR KEY LEADERSHIP ROLES Switch Mobility Ltd announced that Mahesh Babu has joined the company and will hold two leadership positions with immediate effect: Chief Operating Officer of Switch Mobility Ltd and Chief Executive Officer of Switch Mobility, India. Mr. Babu has over 25 years of experience in mobility and joins Switch from Mahindra Electric where he was Managing Director and CEO. Under his leadership, Mahindra Electric launched six new electric vehicles including 3-wheeler and 4wheeler commercial vehicles, as well as the innovative software platform NEMO. One of the most prestigious projects under his leadership was India’s first monocoque SUV, the XUV500. This key appointment, the latest step in a series of recent high profile appointments to leadership positions and the board, reinforces Switch Mobility’s management bench strength and industry expertise and demonstrates the company’s commitment to driving growth and securing a leading global position in net zero carbon buses and light commercial vehicles.

YEIDA TO PROVIDE 100 ACRE LAND TO E-RICKSHAW MANUFACTURING UNITS The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) in the state of Uttar Pradesh has decided to provide 100 acre land to at least 50 e-rickshaw manufacturers. This will be another boost to the industrial development projects in the state. With this allotment of land to interested manufacturers, the already existing units in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan will be shifted to one place. Manufacturers believe that once the units shift to UP, the facilities being provided in the state under the Electric Vehicle Policy would help in bringing down the cost of e-rickshaws. As per the officials of YEIDA, Electric Vehicle City (EVC), will be set up in Sector 28, which is hardly 4km from the upcoming Jewar Airport in Greater Noida. Officials have sought details of manufacturers and the size of the land that each manufacturer would require. The Electric Vehicle Manufacturers’ Welfare Trust, which sought manufacturing units in Uttar Pradesh, said the land allotment was likely to be completed within two months.

EULER MOTORS GETS 2,500-VEHICLE ORDER FROM ECOMMERCE GIANTS FLIPKART, BIGBASKET AND UDAAN AHEAD OF MAIDEN LAUNCH

TATA MOTORS INAUGURATES 70 NEW SALES OUTLETS IN SOUTH INDIA Tata Motors inaugurated 70 new sales outlets across Southern India in a single day. Spread across 53 cities, these outlets have been strategically mapped to key emerging markets of the Southern region.

These modern showrooms will be home to the company’s ‘New Forever’ range of passenger vehicles, including its electric vehicles portfolio. With the addition of these new showrooms in a rapidly growing market, Tata Motors’ network in Southern India (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh & Kerala) will be 272 and the retail footprint in India will grow to 980. 32 new dealership chains have opened in Bangalore (7), Chennai (5), Hyderabad (4), and in Kochi (4). Further, this widespread expansion also includes the launch of 38 outlets in upcountry markets of South India.

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Euler Motors, an automotive technology OEM focused on electric commercial vehicles (EVs) announced that BigBasket, Flipkart, Udaan, along with other ECommerce, Hyperlocal and B2B delivery players, have placed an order for 2,500 EVs for intra-city deliveries. The companies will deploy Euler Motors’ EV across Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai to transform and strengthen their first, mid & last mile operations. Deliveries of these vehicles are scheduled to take place in the next 6-8 months. The Delhi-based OEM, is set to launch its first three-wheeler L5 cargo vehicle around festive season. Currently, the company is already plying 300+ vehicles as part of a pre-launch pilot with ecommerce, FMCG companies for intra-city delivery in DelhiNCR. The company is confident that its vehicle will set a new benchmark in on-road performance and customer profitability.

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 10

INDIA NEWS |

NEW LAUNCHES TATA MOTORS LAUNCHES XTA+ VARIANTS OF HARRIER AND SAFARI

FIRST SET OF E-SCOOTERS LAUNCHED BY EVTRIC MOTORS EVTRIC Motors launched two electric scooters in the slow speed category – EVTRIC AXIS and EVTRIC RIDE for the young and family customers in India at an ex-showroom price of INR 64,994 and 67,996 respectively. The e-scooters come with detachable lithium-ion battery options making charging very convenient. The scooters have a loading capacity of 150 kgs, clocking a motor power of 250W. Both the e-scooters take around 3.5 hours for full battery charging, and they cover over 75 km on a single charge, with a top speed of 25km/hr.

They have LED headlamps, Robotic welding chassis, side stand sensor, and 12-inch tubeless tyre with 190mm ground clearance for stress-free rides on bumpy roads. Also the user’s experience of an EV is enhanced with the unique reverse park assist function, thus making it a feature-loaded machine.

MERCEDES-BENZ LAUNCHES THE MOST POWERFUL GLE IN INDIA- THE MERCEDES-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ COUPÉ India’s largest luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz continued its product offensive in the market and introduced the all-new AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ Coupé. The launch of the four-litre V8 AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ Coupé further bolsters the company’s core AMG range of pure performance Sports Utility Coupés in India. A stylish and electrified coupé with exceptional agility and driving dynamics, the allwheel-drive AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ Coupé moulds numerous vehicle personalities into one model, making it an equally practical everyday drive vehicle. The AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ Coupé is the 12thAMG model available for the AMG enthusiasts in India. The GLE range has been one of the most diverse line-ups of Mercedes-Benz in recent years, with products ranging from GLE 300 d 4MATIC LWB to performance-focused cars like the AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé, all sharing the same rugged underpinnings. The new AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ Coupé is the most powerful sibling of the AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé.

TATA MOTORS LAUNCHES ALL-NEW TIAGO NRG

Tata Motors launched the XTA + variants of its flagship SUVs Harrier and Safari. These new variants will come with 6-speed Automatic Transmission & a Panoramic Sunroof, and will be priced at INR. 19.14 lakhs for the Harrier XTA+, INR. 19.34 lakhs for the Harrier XTA+ #Dark and INR. 20.08 lakhs for the Safari XTA+. The Harrier and Safari are collectively leading the High SUV segment with a 41.2% market share (as of Q1 FY22) and the XTA+ variants will further add more dynamism to the entire offering, strengthening the portfolio in this fast growing segment. Powered by the Kryotec 2.0 diesel engine, the new XTA+ variants come equipped with a host of other features like the projector headlamps, dual function LED DRLS, R17 alloy wheels, floating island 7” touchscreen infotainment system with 8 Speakers (4 Speakers + 4 Tweeters), Android Auto & Apple Car Play connectivity, push button start, fully automatic temperature control, reverse parking camera, auto headlamps and rain sensing wipers and more. Additionally, the Safari offers iRA connected car features, mood lighting, cruise control & tyre pressure monitoring system. Keeping in mind the safety of passengers, the new XTA+ variant in both the products offers Dual Front Airbags, an advanced ESP, fog lamps & reverse parking camera as standard features.

AUDI INDIA LAUNCHES AUDI RS 5 SPORTBACK Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer, announced the launch of the Audi RS 5 Sportback in India. Powered by a 2.9 L V6 twin-turbo TFSI engine that produces 450 hp of power and 600 Nm of torque, this new generation Audi RS 5 Sportback offers exhilarating performance with tremendous practicality. The Audi RS 5 Sportback is being brought to India via the CBU route and is priced at INR 1.04 Crore Ex-Showroom (Introductory price). With its progressive looks, sporty tuned suspension, and power-packed engine, the Audi RS 5 Sportback ticks all the right boxes. The Sportback goes from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 3.9 seconds and hits a top speed of 250 km/h.

OLA ELECTRIC LAUNCHES FIRST E-SCOOTER ON INDEPENDENCE DAY On the occasion of the country’s 75th Independence day, Ola Electric launched its first electric scooter S1 at a price of Rs 99,999 for the entry level variant with a smaller battery and Rs 129,999 for the top end version. The S1 has a 3.97 Kwh lithium ion battery pack with a peak power of 8.5 KW, a range of 181 kilometers under standard conditions and a top speed of 115 kph. The base variant has a 2.98 kilowatt hour battery pack, a shorter range of 121 kilometers and top speed of 90 kph. It accelerates from standstill to 40 kph in 3 seconds. If we consider the subsidies by various state governments, the effective prices would be even lower. For example, in Gujarat, the scooter will have a starting price of Rs 79,999, in Delhi Rs 85,099, in Rajasthan Rs 89,968 and in Maharashtra Rs 94,999.

Tata Motors launched the all-new Tiago NRG. Adding yet another exciting product to its wide range of portfolio, this vehicle has been carefully crafted for those who live differently. Positioned as the ‘Urban Toughroader’, the Tiago NRG is not only enhanced aesthetically with an SUV inspired design giving it a muscular look but is also tuned further with a higher ground clearance to give a tough road performance for the go-getters. With 4 star safety rating by GNCAP, this vehicle will be launched in 4 attractive colours – Foresta Green, Fire Red, Snow White, Cloudy Grey, and will be available in showrooms from today at a starting price of INR. 6.57 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi.

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 11

| INDIA NEWS

MAHINDRA LAUNCHES ALL-NEW GLOBAL SUV XUV700 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. took the wraps off the all-new XUV700 (pronounced as XUV, 7 double ‘Oh’), marking a brand-new era for the company. Fittingly launched just hours ahead of the country’s 75th Independence Day, the XUV700 represents India’s rise as a confident, bold, global powerhouse that is set to take a leadership role on the world stage. The XUV700 comes with unmissable crafted looks, pleasing interiors and exceptional ride comfort. The XUV700 will come in variants that include diesel and gasoline, manual and automatic options and five and seven-seater capacity. It will also be available in an optional All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) spec. Optional packs will be announced at a later date and will include features like Immersive 3D Sound by Sony, electrically-deployed Smart Door Handles, 360 Surround View, Blind View Monitoring, Electronic Park Brake and Wireless Charging.

VOLVO BUSES INDIA BECOMES THE FIRST MANUFACTURER IN INDIA TO LAUNCH 13.5M 4×2 COACH Volvo Buses India, a part of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), has become the first manufacturer to launch a 13.5-metre 4×2 coach in India. The rear- engine bus has been developed on the modular Volvo 9400 platform that also includes the 12-metre 4×2 and 14.5-metre 6×2 configurations. The rear-engine Volvo B8R 13.5m coach maintains industry-leading safety, fuel economy, performance, and passenger comfort that Volvo Bus operators and passengers have come to expect in Volvo buses. It offers up to 10% extra seating and over 20% additional sleeper berth capacity with almost 25% increase in passenger luggage space. Fully built buses delivered from VECV’s Hosakote facility are fully compliant with prevalent CMVR norms. The Volvo 9400 B8R 13.5m coach is certified for a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 18 tonnes. It is powered by Volvo’s proven 300HP, D8K six-cylinder, direct injection diesel engine. This assures customers of best-in-class power to weight ratio. Ride quality is optimised through the Electronically Controlled Suspension (ECS) System, while safety is bolstered by the Electronic Braking System (EBS).

TATA MOTORS LAUNCHES THE ALL NEW TIGOR EV SEDAN WITH ZIPTRON TECHNOLOGY

HONDA LAUNCHES THE ALL-NEW CB200X IN 180-200CC SEGMENT Setting a new trend in the evolving 180-200cc motorcycle segment,Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. launched the all-new CB200X in India. It is a carefully crafted machine for everyday usage as much as it is for exploring the roads less travelled; the all-new CB200X is ready for both a busy weekday city commute as well as short weekend relaxed rides beyond cityscapes. Powered by 3 new patent applications, the all new CB200X is a testament of Honda’s innovations as it marks the future of mobility while going beyond customer expectations. With a distinctive design philosophy & superior technology, CB200X is built to deliver top-notch performance and excellent riding ergonomics. Complemented by a range of stylish features, CB200X is a testament of both precision engineering and aggressive appeal.

Tata Motors has launched the Tigor EV. The Tigor EV deliveries have commenced for the personal segment. Following the footstep of its ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) sibling, the Tigor EV has also been lauded by GNCAP with a 4 star rating for adult (12.00 points out of 17.00) and child (37.24 points out of 49.00) occupant protection. Set to scale new heights in the dynamic world of electric mobility, the Tigor EV features Tata Motors’ proprietary high voltage EV architecture, Ziptron, and is built on the three strong pillars of Technology, Comfort, and Safety. Providing an optimal range, the new Tigor EV has an extended ARAI certified range of 306 kms (under standard testing conditions), making it more desirable for personal commute. Armed with stunning design, class leading safety coupled with comfort and thrilling performance, the Tigor EV delivers a peak power output of 55 kW and a peak torque of 170 Nm and is powered by a 26-kWh liquidcooled, high energy density battery pack and an IP 67 rated battery pack and motor to make it weather and worry-proof.

TVS MOTOR COMPANY’S TVS NTORQ 125 RACE EDITION LAUNCHED IN BANGLADESH TVS Motor Company, a reputed manufacturer of two-wheelers and three-wheelers in the world, announced the launch of TVS NTORQ 125 Race Edition in Dhaka. Designed for the youth, TVS NTORQ 125 has been developed based on the TVS Racing pedigree. It also marks the launch of an exclusive technology platform – TVS SMARTXONNECTTM – making it Bangladesh’s first Bluetooth connected scooter.

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 12

INDIA NEWS |

FUNDING PUNE BASED FIRM GOEGONETWORK RAISES USD 2 MILLION IN SEED FUNDING Pune based electric vehicle charging solutions startup GoEgoNetwork recently announced that it has raised USD 2 million (nearly INR 15 crore) in seed funding to expand its existing electric charging network.

The amount was funded by Rishi Bagla, Chairman of Bagla Group, a leading auto component manufacturer, along with Olivier Guillaumond, Head of Global Innovation Labs and Fintech at ING Bank in the Netherlands. On the fundraising, goEgoNetwork Co-Founder and CEO Sayantan Chakraborti said – “The recent investment further reinforces our commitment and dedication towards being India’s only smart electric charger network. We aim to compel the market to switch towards EVs while creating more job opportunities with the best professionals in this greenfield industry”.

BATTERYPOOL RAISES FUNDS FROM IAN AND OTHERS Pune-based BatteryPool, which offers battery charging solutions for EV fleets and commercial vehicles, has raised an undisclosed amount of growth capital as part of its seed funding round. The round was led by Indian Angel Network (IAN) and Pune-based Venture Center under the NIDHI-Seed Support Scheme and saw participation from lead investors including Arjun Seth and Harshavardhan Chitale. Previously, the startup had raised grants from the Department of Science and Technology (GoI) and an angel round along with the 100X.VC investment. The freshly infused capital will be utilized for scaling up BatteryPool’s business development efforts and adding new fleet charging products to its portfolio. Recently, BatteryPool has signed large contracts/POs with one of India’s largest e-rickshaw fleets. The startup is also planning to introduce Smart Plug-In chargers for fleet/commercial EVs without swappable battery packs soon.

JAIPUR BASED HOP ELECTRIC SET TO RAISE AROUND RS 200 CRORE TO FUND EXPANSION Jaipur Based HOP Electric is looking to raise at least USD 30 million (over Rs 200-crore) in Series-A round amid its plans to expand product portfolio as well as dealership network. This was mentioned by the company’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Ketan Mehta to PTI. He informed that HOP electric, which hit the market with two e-scooters in January this year, is set to launch another vehicle model, an e-bike, OXO, by October-November this year. This will be followed by two more scooters over the next six-nine months. At present, the company has a manufacturing facility in Jaipur, which can produce 50,000 units per annum and can be expanded up to 1-lakh units. Recently, Hop Electric had announced setting up another production plant in Jaipur itself to add capacity of 1.5 lakh units per year by February 2022. The company has seen tremendous response for both the vehicle models since the launch of its first 2 scooters. It also aims to have 100 dealership outlets by this calendar year.

BENGALURU BASED TECH LOGISTIC START-UP COGOS RAISES USD 2 MN IN PRE-SERIES A FUNDING COGOS Technologies Pvt. Ltd, the Bangalore based enterprise logistics company, announced that it has raised a total of USD 2 million in PreSeries A funding. The round was led by Dubai based Global Shipping and Logistics player Transworld Group and New York based deep tech fund Worldquant Ventures and more. Mr. Ritesh S. Ramakrishnan of Transworld Group will be joining the COGOS board. With this fundraising, COGOS plans to expand its business to the internal market and further strengthen and develop its technology platform. Cogos aims to further upgrade its model and expand the business both in India and overseas – providing customized tech solutions to its partners.

EV STARTUP RACENERGY RAISES USD 1.3 MILLION IN A SEED FUNDING ROUND RACEnergy, an EV startup, announced that it has raised a Seed funding round of USD 1.3 million. The funding was led by Micelio Fund and growX ventures, along with investments from Huddle, Prophetic Ventures, BITSian Angels, and other angel investment firms. The raised money will be used to enhance R&D, scale the company’s swapping technology and infrastructure, and fulfill the pre-orders received in Hyderabad and surrounding Tier-II cities. Last year the company had raised USD 500,000 during a seed round from growX ventures, earlystage investor Prophetic Ventures and other angels as part of Huddle, India’s first EV accelerator. RACEnergy had showcased its first prototype in 2019 and aims to set up India’s largest network of battery swapping infrastructure across various cities, starting with Hyderabad.

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 13

POLICY DEBRIEF GOVERNMENT : CENTRAL

MORTH ISSUES NOTIFICATION ON EXEMPTION FROM PAYMENT OF FEES FOR BATTERY OPERATED VEHICLES The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification dated 2nd August 2021 to exempt Battery Operated Vehicles from the payment of fees for the purpose of issue or renewal of registration certificate and assignment of new registration mark. This has been notified to encourage e- mobility.

SHRI NITIN GADKARI MEETS AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS & EMPHASIZES ON QUICK ROLL OUT OF FLEX FUEL VEHICLES Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari met a delegation of CEOs from Society of India Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) composed of Private, Commercial and Two-Wheeler Automobile Manufacturers. The delegation presented an update of the Auto Industry’s status and requested for Deferment of emission-based regulations such as BS-6 phase 2, CAFÈ Phase 2 among others such as OBD regulations for Two-Wheelers. Shri Gadkari emphasized on the need for a quick roll-out of Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) capable of running on 100% ethanol and gasoline into the Indian auto market within a year’s time, vis-à-vis successful available technologies in Brazil and USA .

CESL ISSUES TENDER FOR PROCURING 1 LAKH ELECTRIC THREE-WHEELERS State owned Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)- an entity under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has issued a tender for the procurement of 100,000 electric three-wheelers (E3W).

This is the one-of-its-kind tender issued by any government entity ever.

A request for proposals has been issued inviting original equipment manufacturers(OEMs) to provide proposals for E3W under different use-cases – including, municipal solid waste collection, freight loaders, food and vaccine transport and passenger autos. This initiative of deploying E3Ws for refrigerated cold storage and vaccine drives will, in turn, make India’s COVID recovery green and eco- friendly. CESL will lease these vehicles to entities that wish to avail of such leasing services. CESL will also make these E3Ws available through its digital platform for resale to any entity interested in outright purchase.

TOTAL OF 1,590 ELECTRIC VEHICLES DEPLOYED BY EESL/CESL IN MORE THAN 160 CENTRAL & STATE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

INDIA PROMOTES HYDROGEN AS AUTOMOTIVE FUEL Shri R.K. Singh, Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy in a written reply in Lok Sabha informed that, various hydrogen powered vehicles have been developed and demonstrated in India.

These include 6 Fuel Cell buses (by Tata Motors Ltd.), 50 hydrogen enriched CNG (H-CNG) buses in Delhi(by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. in collaboration with Govt. of NCT of Delhi), 2 hydrogen fuelled Internal Combustion Engine buses (by IIT Delhi in collaboration with Mahindra & Mahindra), fifteen hydrogen fuelled 3-wheelers (by IIT Delhi in collaboration with Mahindra & Mahindra), 2 Hydrogen-Diesel dual fuel cars(by Mahindra & Mahindra) and one fuel cell car (by CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Laboratory and CSIR-National Physical Laboratory). India has launched its Hydrogen Energy Mission in 2021-22 for generating Hydrogen from green power sources. The aim of the mission is to scale up Green Hydrogen production and utilization across multiple sectors, including transportation. The draft Mission document is currently under interministerial consultation.

EMOBILITY+ EMOBILITY+ | JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021

As per information received from Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under Ministry of Power, Government of India, through Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL – 100% Owned subsidiary of EESL) is implementing e-Mobility Programme with the objective to reduce dependence on oil imports & to provide an impetus for domestic electric vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure companies, fleet operators, service providers, etc. to gain efficiencies of scale and drive down costs, create local manufacturing facilities, grow technical competencies for the long-term growth of the electric vehicle (EV) industry in India and to enable Indian EV manufacturers to emerge as major global players. Under this programme, EESL/CESL concluded the procurement of various categories of electric cars through an international competitive bidding process. Till date, EESL/CESL have deployed 1,590 EVs in more than 160 Central and state government departments in 49 cities. These e-cars are being given on lease/outright purchase basis to replace the existing petrol and diesel vehicles taken on lease earlier. EESL/CESL is also developing Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure and has signed MoUs with multiple stakeholders across municipalities, DISCOMs for location assessment study and setting up of charging infrastructures in their jurisdiction location. As on date EESL/CESL has installed 301 nos. of EV chargers across India.

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 14

POLICY DEBRIEF |

NITI AAYOG RELEASES HANDBOOK TO GUIDE EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN INDIA NITI Aayog released a handbook to guide state governments and local bodies to frame policies and norms towards setting up charging networks for electric vehicles (EV). The objective is to enhance charging infrastructure and facilitate a rapid transition to electric mobility in the country. The Handbook for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Implementation has been jointly developed by NITI Aayog, Ministry of Power (MoP), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), and World Resources Institute (WRI) India. The Handbook provides a systematic and a holistic approach for adoptions by implementing authorities and other stakeholders involved in planning, authorisation and execution of EV charging infrastructure. It presents an overview of the technological and regulatory frameworks and governance structures needed to facilitate EV charging. It focuses on the present needs of charging infrastructure development while considering the evolving nature of the sector.

VEHICLE SCRAPPAGE POLICY ANNOUNCED BY PM MODI Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the ‘Investors Summit for setting up Vehicle Scrapping Infrastructure’ in Gujarat launched the Voluntary Vehicle-Fleet Modernization Program (VVMP), which is more commonly known as the Vehicle Scrapping Policy. The vehicle scrappage policy will attract investments of around INR 10,000 crore to set up 450-500 Automated Testing Stations (ATS) and 60-70 Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSF) across the country.

Also, a single window clearance portal will be developed where the applications for ATS and RVSF will be catered through a single portal within 60 days. A vehicle will be declared as End-of-Life or unfit if it fails the automated fitness test, the allowed retest and reinspection test ordered by authorities. Mandatory automated fitness testing for Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs) is to be effective from April 1, 2023. For all the other categories of vehicles, fitness testing through ATS is proposed to be mandated in a phased manner from June 1, 2024 onwards.

SOLAR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATION AT KARNAL, HARYANA SET UP BY BHEL, INAUGURATED BY HEAVY INDUSTRIES MINISTER The Delhi-Chandigarh Highway has become the first e-vehicle friendly highway in the country, with a network of Solar-based Electric Vehicle Charging stations (SEVCs) set up by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) under the FAME-1 [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles in India] scheme of the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The state-of-the-art charging station at Karna Lake Resort was inaugurated by Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Union Minister of Heavy Industries, in the presence of Shri Arun Goel, Secretary (MHI). Dr. Nalin Shinghal, Chairman & Managing Director, BHEL and other senior officials of MHI and BHEL were also present on the occasion.The EV charging station at Karna lake resort, is strategically located at the midpoint of Delhi-Chandigarh highway, and is equipped to cater to all types of E- cars plying currently in the country.

EMOBILITY+ EMOBILITY+ | JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021

POWER MINISTER ISSUES LETTER TO ALL MINISTERS: ASKS TO CONVERT OFFICIAL FLEET TO EVS Shri R K Singh has written to all Union and state ministers, asking them to embrace electric vehicles as soon as possible. As part of its efforts to promote Electric Vehicles in the country, the Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy has written to all the Union Ministers including the Minister of States (Independent Charge) and Chief Ministers of all the States/UTs to join the Government of India’s initiative on transformative mobility and advice their respective Ministries/Departments to convert their fleet of official vehicles from present Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)/Petrol/Diesel Vehicles to Electric Vehicles for all official purposes.His letter comes months after Nitin Gadkari had urged him to make EVs compulsory for govt officials.

CESL LAUNCHED ELECTRIC TWO-WHEELER SCHEME IN KERALA State-owned Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), a whollyowned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) – an entity under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has launched an electric two-wheeler program in Kerala. The program is customdesigned for employees of the Government of Kerala, and vehicles are made available by CESL through its relationship with vehicle manufacturers. All vehicles will benefit from the Central Government’s subsidy program FAME II, which allows customers to access a significant subsidy that brings electric vehicles closer to the cost of their fossil fuel equivalents. Kerala is the first state in the CESL portfolio to move ahead and order two-wheelers. The launch of this Scheme, therefore, makes Kerala the first user of the digital marketplace – MyEV which will enable easy access to consumers for booking and buying electric two-wheelers.

POWERGRID STARTS WORK ON FIRST EVER EV CHARGING STATION IN MEGHALAYA Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking under Ministry of Power, has laid down the foundation stone for first ever Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) in the state of Meghalaya at its office complex on 3rd September, 2021 at Lapalang, Shillong. The EVCS are being developed under Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles (FAME) India Scheme Phase-II. Under this scheme ,POWERGRID shall be developing 11 EVCS in Shillong city (5 Public EVCS and 6 at government establishments). Each station shall have four 15 kW DC001 Chargers and one 100 kW CCS-2/CHAdeMO Charger (dual gun) making 66 charging points in Shillong city. Out of the 11 locations, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed for 4 locations which include POWERGRID Office Complex at Lapalang, MTC WareHouse at Demthring, MTC Parking Lot at Police Bazar and Polo Parking Lot at Polo.

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PGPG 1516

| POLICY DEBRIEF

GOVERNMENT : STATE ALL ELECTRIC BEST BUSES FLEET FOR SOUTH MUMBAI Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray flagged off new electric BEST buses for the south Mumbai area. Now, the entire fleet of the iconic red BEST fleet of public buses catering to South Mumbai has gone electric with the launch of 24 new e-buses. The total BEST fleet of these buses is now 270. On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced that the government is planning to issue a BEST singlepass or ticket, which will be valid even on suburban trains and Metro rails for hassle-free commute for the citizens. Under the new EV policy, the number of e-vehicles in the BEST fleet would increase by 15 per cent, and the BMC has set a target of inducting 1,800 (45 per cent of total fleet) e-buses by mid-2023. The flagging off was done on the occasion of the 74th foundation day celebrations of the BrihanMumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST), which came under the control of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation on August 7, 1947.

GURGAON’S FIRST E-RICKSHAW ZONE LAUNCHED BY HARYANA CM

DELHI GOVERNMENT’S TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TO PROCURE 465 ELECTRIC BUSES Delhi government’s Transport Department has decided to focus on procurement of electric buses in order to boost public transport without increasing the city’s air pollution. The government has given the goahead for procurement of 465 e-buses under the cluster scheme and tenders for it are expected to be floated soon. Also, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC)’s 300 electric buses are expected to roll out from November. The induction of 300 electric buses by the DTC in one go will be the largest engagement of its type by any state transporter. There are also plans to ready Burari and Saray Kale Khan depots for these electric buses which will roll out in coming months. Also, the parking space is also being readied for DTC e-buses at its Subhash Place Depot, Mayapuri Depot, Rohini-II Depot, Rajghat-II Depot and Mundela Kalan Depot. JBM and Tata Motors will operate 200 and 100 buses respectively.

ODISHA STATE ANNOUNCES EV POLICY 2021

Haryana’s Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched the first electric rickshaw zone In Gurgaon, which will cover Cyber City, Golf Course Road, Iffco Chowk, Huda City Centre and other prominent places. He also flagged off 600 e-rickshaws as part of the project from the Galleria market. The project is named Parivartan. In this 12,000 diesel and petrol autos will be replaced in a phased manner. Diesel and CNG autos would not be allowed in the e-rick zone, but private cars and buses could run as usual. A shuttle service will be available to and from various points in the electric vehicle zone. Charging stations will also be set up for the e-rickshaws at regular intervals. The fare for an individual ride has been fixed at Rs 5 per km. For shared trips, the fares are yet to be decided.

The state of Odisha announced Electric vehicle Policy 2021. The primary aim of the policy is to accelerate the pace of adoption of electric vehicles in the vehicle segments especially in the category of two wheelers, three wheelers and LMVs .The policy shall focus to drive rapid adoption of Battery Electric Vehicles to contribute a substantial percentage of all new vehicles in the years to come and bring about improvement in the air quality in Odisha in general and all major cities in particular. The policy will be valid for a period of 5 years. Different incentives will be available for industries for manufacturing electric vehicles and for individuals for purchase. Interest subvention in loans, waiving of road tax and registration fees are also proposed. A 15% subsidy for buying electric motorcycles, three-wheelers and four-wheelers will be provided with a maximum amount of Rs 5,000, Rs 12,000 and Rs 1,00,000, respectively.

ASSAM GOVERNMENT TO PROCURE 200 ELECTRIC BUSES

KADAMBA TRANSPORT CORPORATION TO OPERATE ELECTRIC BUSES IN PANAJI IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CCP

The Assam government in its bid to reduce carbon emission, has decided to procure 200 electric and 100 CNG buses. These buses will be put into service in Guwahati city. Some other actions which will be taken by the Assam government are to provide one-time financial assistance of Rs 10000 to inter-district bus drivers and handymen who have been hit hard by COVID-19-induced lockdown. The government will also provide Rs 15,000 to temple priests and naamghorias. It will also start implementing the National Educational Policy from April 2022, under which high schools will be upgraded to senior secondary school and junior colleges.

Goa will soon get a fleet of electric buses as the Kadamba Transport Corporation Ltd (KTC) is in the process of signing an MoU with the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) to bring 40 EVs. This action is being taken under the smart city initiative. The buses will be following a ring route wherein they will start from the Kadamba bus terminus in Panaji and travel till Dona Paula. Instead of turning back, like the private buses on this route, the EVs will move forward to the Goa University and take the route from Bambolim to return to the Kadamba bus terminus in Panaji.

The buses will be accessible to the disabled community with low flooring.

The KTC is likely to float a tender for the vehicles. Also, smart bus shelters will be put up for commuters where tickets will be generated. So far, the KTC has identified 36 locations across Panaji where these bus stops will be set up. The bus routes have been planned through prominent parts of the city such that people do not have to walk much to get a bus. Other details like bus timings, fares, etc, are currently being worked out.

TATA MOTORS’ 10 NEXON EVS DELIVERED TO THE GOVERNMENT OF GUJARAT India’s leading automobile company, Tata Motors, as part of its tender agreement with EESL, has handed over 10 Nexon EVs for the use by senior Government officials of the Government of Gujarat, associated with the Statue of Unity, located in Kevadiya, Gujarat. The delivery of the 10 units of the Nexon EV is symbolic of the Government’s celebration of a clean state and their commitment to a cleaner environment. The Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue, is dedicated to the visionary Indian statesman Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Standing at a height of 182 meters (597 ft.), the bronze-clad statue is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty and 29 meters taller than China’s Spring Temple Buddha, which previously held the title of the world’s tallest statue. Located in Kevadiya, which is soon to become India’s first evehicle-only area, the Statue of Unity is designed by renowned Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar and took five years to build.

EMOBILITY+ EMOBILITY+ | JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021

RECHARGE CENTRES FOR EVS TO BE SET UP ACROSS KARNATAKA Karnataka Minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture V Sunil Kumar announced that recharge centres will be opened across the state in the near future as more and more electric vehicles are coming up in the state.

At the BJP state headquarters Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, Kumar said to the reporters – “As more electric vehicles are coming up, electricity recharge centres will be opened all over the state. We have given responsibility to various Electricity Supply Companies (ESCOMs) to open recharge centres at the district centres and tourist centres,”

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PGPG 1616

INCONVERSATION

BISWAJYOTI MANDAL VICE PRESIDENT -TECHNOLOGY, SCHAEFFLER INDIA

PLEASE TELL US HOW IS SCHAEFFLER PRESENTLY INVOLVED IN INDIA’S EV JOURNEY AND HELPING WITH THE PROGRESS? Schaeffler India has a firm grip in the EV space. We cater to various OEMs with the latest technology demands. Additionally, we have a dedicated product portfolio for hybrid and all-electric drive systems.

In India, we see steady progress in the twowheeler EV segment compared to the slower evolution of four-wheel EVs. We are also geared up with hybrid system components as a transition to fully electric vehicles. Multiple initiatives are taken within the organization to bring the production of these products to India. The products manufactured by us are highly flexible and scalable to serve the entire range from compact cars to top-speed sports cars. We are closely watching the EV market space in India and proactively taking strategic decisions to help India progress in the EV journey.

HOW IS R&D SUPPORTING THE PROGRESS IN YOUR TECHNOLOGY OFFERINGS? WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SAME? Research and Development is the core focus point at Schaeffler India and we have been innovating products to make them more sustainable and efficient. Technology is moving at a blazing pace and coping with that needs a strong R&D foundation.

Schaeffler is one of the few core manufacturers in the country to be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for developments, giving a competitive advantage. Our fundamental expertise features in materials technology, forming technology, and surface technology. Fully equipped with the next generation Industrial 4.0 products, technologies for hybrid and all-electric drive systems, and digital products are all a result of R&D efforts.

Some key developments are motorcycles and special vehicle

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around

''THE PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY US ARE HIGHLY FLEXIBLE AND SCALABLE TO SERVE THE ENTIRE RANGE FROM COMPACT CARS TO TOP-SPEED SPORTS CARS. ''

components, X-life product range in performance products from INA and FAG, Mechatronic solutions, Industrial automation, Schaeffler TruPower Lubricants, and many more. Research and development have helped us in making our products highly flexible and scalable, catering to custom-based solutions.

WITH TECHNOLOGY MAKING RAPID PROGRESS, WHERE DO YOU ENVISION THE INDIAN EV TECHNOLOGY ADVANCING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS? The Indian EV technology is moving at a fast pace with consumer perspective changing positively towards EV space. The rising oil and gas prices are favoring the switch faster. Technology infrastructure is important to support and accelerate EV adoption. From established players in the market to many innovative start-ups who are bringing cutting-edge technologies and solutions to the table. With the leverage of rapid prototyping, cloud systems, and Industry 4.0, everyone is equipped to bring out the best to support the EV ecosystem.

Schaeffler itself is a visionary company and crafts products for the latest technology demands.

We also have product developments for alternative fuels and hybrid systems to secure the EV switch.

WITH A LOT OF FOCUS COMING ONTO HYDROGEN-POWERED CELLS, HOW DO YOU SEE THE SAME EVOLVING IN COMPARISON WITH LI-ION BATTERIES FOR EVS?

Hydrogen and li-ion batteries are the two technologies that complement each other towards the country’s common goal of emission free environment. However, the adoption of both will differ widely, for example, 2W, 3W, and last mile connectivity vehicles would adapt to Li-ion batteries in the foreseeable future, while the Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) segment i.e., buses/trucks etc is likely to adopt hydrogen powered technology or a hybrid technology with optimized Li-ion batteries and the mid mobility segment like passenger cars etc. will adopt hybrid technology as it will.

WHAT PLANS DOES SCHAEFFLER HAVE FOR THE REMAINING YEAR 2021? HOW DO YOU SEE IT CONTRIBUTING TO THE INDIAN MOBILITY SECTOR IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS? The future roadmap for the rest of 2021 will focus on Industry 4.0 developments, automation, and hybrid and all-electric vehicle components. Services and products are built to become sustainable and CO 2 efficient. Digitization practice is a big goahead and we are trying to improve customer satisfaction with these solutions and products. Our core remains in material technology, forming technology, and surface technology and we plan to double down on these. Indian mobility sector can highly benefit from our key manufacturing standpoints and can innovate worry-free with all types of components at their disposal. Be it EVs, hydrogen-powered cells, Industry 4.0 solutions, or core components.

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 17

INCONVERSATION

PRABHJEET SINGH PRESIDENT, UBER INDIA & SOUTH ASIA

HOW IS UBER FAIRING AFTER THE SECOND WAVE? WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MAJOR INITIATIVES ROLLED OUT IN THE RECENT PAST? The biggest lesson we have learned through both the first and the second wave is how we, as a business, could deliver impact and touch lives even during this once in a century disruption like a global pandemic. It taught us the need to be ready for disruption and to be more innovative and resilient.

On the business recovery side, one thing we know for sure is that when cities start moving again, so does Uber. Things change very quickly even though the course of the pandemic remains hard to predict. The need for safe, affordable and reliable transport options is at the core of consumer demand, and that's what Uber provides. Our product portfolio comprises a range of two, three and four wheel products to suit different segments of the market and use cases. Low cost products, especially Auto and Moto are recovering faster than the other categories. Mumbai and Delhi seem to be favoring Autos and we are seeing higher activity than pre-pandemic levels there.

Demand for our delivery service Uber Connect has grown 7x during the pandemic with many people using it to transport essentials like groceries, non-prescription medication, medical devices, and care packages to family and loved ones.

In the last six months, we have rolled out a range of initiatives for Riders, Drivers, Cities and Communities. We know that vaccination is the key to getting cities and economies moving again. In March 2021, Uber extended its support for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), State Governments, and local NGOs in the form of free rides worth INR 10 Crores for everyone eligible for vaccination, including our riders. We also partnered with NGOs like HelpAge India and the Robin Hood Army for deploying free rides for transporting underserved, vulnerable and underprivileged elderly citizens to vaccination centers.

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''IN MARCH 2021, UBER EXTENDED ITS SUPPORT FOR THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (MOHFW), STATE GOVERNMENTS, AND LOCAL NGOS IN THE FORM OF FREE RIDES WORTH INR 10 CRORES FOR EVERYONE ELIGIBLE FOR VACCINATION, INCLUDING OUR RIDERS.''

During the second wave, to strengthen India’s healthcare system, we extended an INR 3.65 crores free rides package for supporting emergency COVID relief efforts such as facilitating transportation of lifesaving oxygen cylinders, concentrators, ventilators and other critical medical equipment. Uber’s support is being channeled through partnerships with several NGOs that specialize in mobilizing emergency assistance to save and sustain lives. The relief package included free rides to NGOs for emergency response efforts.

The NGO Partners include American India Foundation, Go Dharmic, The Good Quest Foundation etc.

Our goal at the moment remains a strong recovery of the business by ensuring safety on our platform, and that's why we are doubling down on our efforts to vaccinate drivers on our platform. Earlier in April, we allocated INR 18.5 crore to pay out cash incentives to 150,000 drivers for time spent in getting their shots and we have almost reached this target.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE RECENT POLICY SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN FOR REALISING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE EV MARKET? We are very encouraged by the big push we are seeing for Electric Mobility at the Federal Level, as well as across several States. This is in alignment with our commitment to becoming a zero emission platform globally by 2040. We are supportive of any efforts that would help drive a green recovery post the pandemic.

We have taken note of the multiple initiatives that States are taking, such as CAPEX subsidy and waiver of registration fees, to drive greater EV adoption.

We also find it encouraging that regulators are zeroing in on 2 and 3 wheelers as the categories that will drive the faster transition to electric. We believe that these categories are likely to see commercial viability emerge relatively quicker. This, of course, would need to be aided by the rapid development of charging infrastructure, which is now being prioritised by some States. We believe these steps shall boost driver confidence in the EV segment. It also helps that important last mile issues, such as vehicle financing solutions, are being addressed.

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| INTERVIEW

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS AT UBER?

WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE UBER PLAYING IN THE INDIAN EV INDUSTRY IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS?

Behind every successful Uber ride is cutting edge technology that many of us take for granted. Our efforts are focused on making that ride experience as seamless as possible and we are committed to providing reliable, convenient and safer transportation options for everyone, everywhere. To make that possible, we’ve built a technology platform that uses complex algorithms to connect riders with driver partners. We leverage pioneering work in the realms of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data to innovate several industry-first solutions in many parts of the world.

Sustainability is a team sport and the entire ecosystem has a role to play in driving this critical agenda. We’re all in it together to fight against carbon emissions and play our part in reducing our carbon footprint. We’re committed to doing our bit towards building a shared, zero emission, multimodal, and inclusive platform for ondemand mobility.

Technology is not just key to our growth strategy but also integral to the way we do business. Whether it is ensuring faster ETAs, maintaining demand and supply equilibrium, or ensuring safety before, during and after the ride, technology makes it all possible for us.

Here are some of the innovations driven by the India Tech team over the past couple of years that enabled keeping crucial supply lines open through the pandemic.

Our Customer Obsession team leveraged artificial intelligence and machine learning to virtualise support for driver and courier partners across the world, preventing them from having to physically visit support centers.

The Eats Engineering team in India led the integration of digital wallet payments in Japan and Belgium, offering access to essential items and food to scores of people.

OUR PLANS ARE TO SCALE UP FURTHER TO HAVE MORE EVS ON OUR PLATFORM AND EXPAND E-RICKS BEYOND THESE TWO MARKETS."

Last year, we announced our global commitment to a zero emissions mobility platform. Our Green Future program provides access to resources valued at $800 million to help thousands of drivers transition to battery EVs by 2025 in Canada, Europe, and the US. Our target is to facilitate 100% emission-free rides in all US, Canada, and European cities by 2030 and 100% emission-free rides globally by 2040.

India has a big pollution problem as 14 out of the 20 most polluted cities globally are in India. Our vision is to be a part of the solution and drive a green recovery. We believe shared, zero emission, multimodal and inclusive mobility can deliver outsized environmental benefits and help cities meet critical economic, climate and electrification goals. For instance, when we help highutilization rideshare drivers make a fair transition to electric vehicles, communities can realize 3 to 4 times greater emissions savings compared to when average car owners switch. Therefore, we are focusing on piloting solutions to test the scalability of existing EVs and work to build regulatory sandboxes for pilots with the Government.

All modes of transport are transitioning towards electric, with 2Ws & 3Ws ahead of the curve compared to 4Ws. We have over 5,500 EV vehicles onboarded on our platform to date, across 2, 3 and 4 wheels as well as ‘e rickshaws’. We have partnered with Lithium Urban Technologies, the largest EV fleet operator, to deploy over 1,000 electric vehicles across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune.

After our partnerships with Yulu, Mahindra and SUN Mobility, Lithium is our fourth partnership in this space that underscores our long term commitment to greener cities and creating healthier lives.

We have also rolled out hundreds of electric rickshaws in Delhi NCR and Greater Kolkata for first and last mile connectivity. We have completed 7M clean/green kilometers with over 5,500+ electric vehicles (4W, 3W and 2W) onboarded to date on our platform.

Our plans are to scale up further to have more EVs on our platform and expand ERicks beyond these two markets.

We enabled the delivery of prescription medication in the US so that patients didn't have to step out of the safety of their homes to get their medicines.

Leveraging artificial intelligence, we enabled a mask detection feature for drivers and riders, towards making rides safer through the new normal.

We leveraged workflow tools to ensure speedy payments to driver partners in India to compensate them for the time they spent getting vaccinated.

We re-engineered Uber's tech stack to allow third-party cabs to be booked through the Uber app in parts of the UK. This helped us offer convenient travel options to riders in cities we weren't directly present in. This was done in partnership with cab aggregator Autocab.

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 19

INTERVIEW |

UBER’S SUPPORT IS BEING CHANNELED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVERAL NGOS THAT SPECIALIZE IN MOBILIZING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO SAVE AND SUSTAIN LIVES."

HOW IS UBER GAINING THE CONFIDENCE OF ITS DRIVER PARTNERS Drivers are at the heart of our business and there is no Uber without drivers. Their wellbeing has always been and remains a top priority. Supporting driver communities has never been more important ever since the onset of the pandemic. Over the past year, we have taken a range of actions to maintain and improve drivers’ earnings, and we remain committed to doing as much as we can for their safety and well being.

During the first wave of COVID in 2020, we created additional earning opportunities for them by offering tens of thousands of free rides to state governments, and for services provided on UberMedic, UberEssential, UberConnect and last mile Delivery.

The lockdown also made us cognisant of the fact that our actions have a material impact on others and this made us raise the bar and set new safety benchmarks. Among a range of comprehensive safety measures, we pioneered the safety screens in cabs with the UberMedic service and it became a norm. We installed over 200,000 safety screens in cars and autos.

EMOBILITY+

Our pledge of free rides for vaccination worth INR 10 Crores created immediate earning opportunities for drivers. Earlier in April, we allocated INR 18.5 crore (USD 2.5 Million) to pay out cash incentives to 150,000 drivers for time spent in getting their shots. Car, Auto and Moto drivers showing digital vaccination certificates are eligible for this. In May 2021, we announced an updated financial support program for drivers diagnosed with COVID, where drivers will be able to claim 14 days in partial earnings support after they furnish an RT PCR test from an accredited lab.

Impacted drivers can get up to a maximum of INR 6,800 in partial earnings support for 14 days, depending upon their city of residence and tenure on the platform. This year alone, Uber has facilitated 9,000 free online medical consultations for drivers and their families through MediBuddy.

WE’RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER TO FIGHT AGAINST CARBON EMISSIONS AND PLAY OUR PART IN REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT."

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 20

INSIGHTS

India’s EV transition journey: Transforming policies to support Charging Infrastructure

AUTHOR: N. MOHAN HEAD - EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, CESL (CONVERGENCE ENERGY SERVICES LTD - 100% OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF EESL) India’s push towards electric mobility stems from its commitment to clean energy, sustainability, and the rising concerns over climate change. The EV market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 36% to Rs 50,000 crores by 2025 (according to Energy Storage Alliance estimates). While numerous steps have been taken to propel the nation towards a resilient and efficient future, the path to excel in this transformative journey requires greater diligence.

To achieve its targets of 100 percent electric mobility by 2030, the government has already announced a series of initiatives such as the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020, FAME I and II, EV@30 campaign, etc. However, there is still scope of improvement in the existing policy structure, especially the extension of the FAME II scheme to cover fuelling technologies for battery swapping. The government should also consider revisions in business models for retrofitting fossil fuel vehicles into EVs to address the performance and cost-related issues. At the same time, there is a demand for aggregation of two and three-wheeler markets. This will create new opportunities for the growth of the EV industry in India.

Manufacturers think that there should be some incentives for research and development of new-age fuel-efficient electric vehicles. At present, such initiatives are being implemented at the state level through state EV policies in form of incentives for first-time EV buyers, exemption from road tax and registration fees, priority approvals of land for setting up of manufacturing of electric vehicles and related components etc. These are currently under execution in the states of Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi, and Bihar, wherein financial support is being provided to reduce the purchase price of electric vehicles and subsidize batteries. In addition, the policymakers should also create a conducive policy to increase participation from private OEMs and operators for the development of charging infrastructure.

On the consumer side, there is a need to provide access to supporting infrastructure to instill confidence among users for buying EVs. Here, the government can consider scaling up charging facilities for public usage under the FAME II scheme and enhance the implementation rate across the country. Certain policies should be introduced for the development of dedicated EV zones in Cities with significantly high pollution levels to popularize EVs amongst the general public. Another way to ensure faster adoption is incentivizing the overall cost of ownership by reducing the registration tax, annual fees, ensuring free parking facilities for EVs and GST reduction on charging services. Overall, a distributed approach to public charging infrastructure will become the key to achieving a well-equipped charging infrastructure in the country.

According to a recent paper by World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the EV policy in India requires a series of non-fiscal incentives such as low-emission zones in cities, relaxation for daytime entry of EV urban freight, legalising e-bike taxis, and streamlining the licensing of e-bike rentals across states. For India to realise its true potential in the e-mobility space, it is essential to embrace an inclusive approach towards the policy framework.

This is an exciting time for the evolution of India’s EV story; however, the success completely depends on the strategy being adopted by the government and the response from the consumer segment.

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 21

INSIGHTS

Electrification of the Last Mile Mobility A Revolutionary Advancement in Logistics!

ELECTRIFYING LAST-MILE DELIVERIES AUTHOR: RAKESH MUNNANOORU CEO & FOUNDER, WHISTLEDRIVE

During the pandemic, we have witnessed how hard COVID-19 hit the industries and put a halt to its operations. Though the logistic industry was its victim, E-commerce and last-mile deliveries showed resilience and redeemed strongly in no time. Covid-19 has acted as a catalyst by accelerating the surge in last-mile deliveries, as people chose to be safe and order conveniently from their homes with just a click of a button. Wave after wave we noticed the boom in E-commerce orders.

As per reports Indian consumers spent about USD 55 billion on online shopping in 2021. The Indian E-commerce market is expected to grow to US$ 200 billion by 2026, which again leads to the increase of delivery vehicle usage which can result in higher transportation costs and air pollution. What is the solution for this? Electric Vehicles add value to the ecosystem by being both environmentally safe and save costs on the transportation.

The Last-mile deliveries accounts for more than 40% of the overall transportation costs. Typically, Two Wheelers and 3 Wheelers are used for the last-mile deliveries. In relation to digital commerce the number of vehicle counts will increase, and by ever-increasing fuel costs will make last-mile delivery unaffordable. And in general, a single last-mile delivery trip will cover about 50kms to the maximum in a day and carries a payload of about 450kgs (Bikes, 3Wheelers), which can be easily delivered using the Electric Vehicles. The minimal operating charges and low maintenance have made EVs more winning in the Last-mile deliveries.

It is estimated that we will have over four million electric vehicles by 2025 and it has the ability to take over the last-mile delivery space.

Also, Due to the second wave of COVID-19 and the changing consumer patterns, the grocery and ecommerce order volumes have gone up. Considering this, several enterprises have opted for 3Wheeler Electric Trucks over 2-Wheeler Bikes, which can carry the load of 550kgs to fulfill the demand of the same day, next day, and hyperlocal deliveries.

THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO SET UP MORE THAN 69,000EV CHARGING STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND COMMITTED TO A GOAL OF MAKING 30% OF THE VEHICLE TRAFFIC BY 2030.''

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AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PGPG 2240

INSIGHTS |

FUEL-RUN VEHICLES ARE HERE TO STAY! The current electric vehicle capabilities are limited, and doesn’t suit the heavy logistics or the transportation covering more than 100kms in a single stretch. In the current market, we have only 2-Wheelers and 3Wheeler Electric Vehicles, 4-Wheeler Cargo Vehicles could take a while to get into the mobility space. Surely, fuel-run vehicles are here to stay till we have advancements in the electric vehicle battery technologies and infrastructure.

The real value addition happens only when we could strategically use a combination of both fuel run vehicles and electric vehicles. At WhistleDrive, depending on the payload and the trip distance, we help the clients with best possible transportation modes, with the aim of reducing their overall costs.

BUILDING AN ECOSYSTEM Charging Infrastructure and Awareness are the key roadblocks for the EV adoption in the country. And to battle this, enterprises like WhistleDrive are stepping forward and bringing all the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Charging/Swappable Battery Infrastructure Providers, Driver Partners and Businesses to work together and promote the advantages of Electric Vehicles.

Also, the Indian government is planning to set up more than 69,000EV Charging Stations across the country and committed to a goal of making 30% of the vehicle traffic by 2030. The businesses working on a collaborative approach and the state Governments across the country coming together with incentives and allowances, we are at a sweet spot waiting to witness one of the greatest revolutions in the mobility space.

THE INDIAN ECOMMERCE MARKET IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO US$ 200 BILLION BY 2026, WHICH AGAIN LEADS TO THE INCREASE OF DELIVERY VEHICLE USAGE WHICH CAN RESULT IN HIGHER TRANSPORTATION COSTS AND AIR POLLUTION.'' EMOBILITY+

AUG-SEP ISSUE 2021 | PG 23

PERSPECTIVE

How Supportive Are Indian EV Policies To Charging Infrastructure In Order To

Power The Mobility Transition?

It is known that adequate and accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is a necessary precondition for the mass adoption of EVs in India. To support an electric mobility future, governments must focus on building the necessary charging infrastructure – one that supports the target vehicle numbers it hopes to achieve. Even though there is no perfect EV to charging station ratio to aim for, every country will have to design fit-for-purpose solutions to cater to their electric mobility needs. Accordingly, policymakers will have to set and finalise targets, standards and financial solutions to accelerate the transition. This transition to electric mobility is governed by both central and state policies in India. The efforts by the government will play an important role in laying the foundation for an electric vehicle based future. Policies must be such that they encourage private participation through new business models suited to public charging in India. The government, vehicle manufacturers, and independent charge point operators and other industry players are all part of this ecosystem, and thus have to play a very proactive role in mass adoption of EVs in the future.

AUTHOR: SPURTHI RAVURI SENIOR RESEARCH ENGINEER, CSTEP

This, indeed, is a timely move. Studies have shown that electric vehicle per charger ratios are crucial for the sustainable adoption of EVs. Currently, India has only 2,300 public charging points, which means one charger for 300 EVs (as compared to a global average of 8 EVs per public charger).

THE HANDBOOK AIMS TO FACILITATE A RAPID TRANSITION

Earlier this month, NITI Aayog released a handbook to guide state governments and local bodies in developing a robust charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs). The handbook aims to facilitate a rapid transition to electric mobility in the country by enhancing the charging infrastructure, a key determinant of EV uptake.

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TO ELECTRIC MOBILITY IN THE COUNTRY BY ENHANCING THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, A KEY DETERMINANT OF EV UPTAKE."

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PERSPECTIVE |

GOVERNMENT EFFORTS Though the Indian EV market is growing gradually (due to incentives at the national and state levels, and increasing fuel prices), the current share of EVs in the overall vehicle sales stands at a meagre 1.32%. At this rate, India’s target–of EVs forming at least 30% of new sales by 2030–seems ambitious. While factors like high capital costs, limited model availability, and low land availability also obstruct growth, the chief impediment is the inadequacy of charging infrastructure (and the associated issue of consumers’ range anxiety).

In the past, the central and state governments have taken several measures to facilitate the expansion of charging infrastructure. For instance, under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicle (FAME) scheme, the government has allocated funds for 2,636 public charging stations across 62 cities. Also, the GST rates for the chargers have been reduced from 18% to 5% since 2019.

Further, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has made amendments to the building bye-laws to enable the setting-up of charging infrastructure, along with the additional power load.

Supporting these central schemes, around 14 states have approved dedicated EV policies since 2017. Most of them provide 25% capital subsidy for charging stations and concessions on power tariff for public charging connections. Other provisions include land provision incentives, amendments to land use and building codes, and promotion of renewable energy (via captive generation or openaccess route).

CURRENTLY, INDIA HAS ONLY 2,300 PUBLIC CHARGING POINTS, WHICH MEANS ONE CHARGER FOR 300 EVS (AS COMPARED TO A GLOBAL AVERAGE OF 8 EVS PER PUBLIC CHARGER)."

GOING LOCAL MAKES SENSE The policy landscape so far indicates that the most crucial aspects in the expansion of EV-charging infrastructure are – finances, land, and governance. Globally, success in this area has been driven by government funding, public-private partnerships (PPP), and pilot projects. While funding is a challenge in the current economic scenario, targeting localised charging demand is economically feasible.

Competitive grants to urban local bodies can nudge them to install chargers at key locations that can later be scaled through PPP arrangements. As land is a major consideration in installing chargers, the local bodies should actively aggregate the available public land parcels near bus stops, petrol stations, post offices, electricity boards, public-sector banks, etc. Urban local bodies can, thus, play a prominent role in creating a robust EV-charging network. For effective governance, a city-level task force with representation from all relevant agencies should be established. This would ensure cooperation at several levels for fast-tracking the implementation of strategies, and address issues related to land and electricity through a single window.

IN CONCLUSION With NITI Aayog emphasising the need for coordination between public and private stakeholders, India has set its foot in the right direction. But this won’t be enough. For building a well-connected charging network that would support India’s EV targets, decentralising funding and power, and according a central role to local bodies is the key.

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| PERSPECTIVE

AUTHOR: GOPALAKRISHNAN VC DIRECTOR AUTOMOTIVE, GOVT. OF TELANGANA

Two big drivers of Mobility Transition are the choice of new EV models and sufficient charging infra. While vehicle manufacturers and their supply chain worldwide are working towards achieving the first, deployment of charging infra has also taken off well to meet the charging requirement.

SUPPORT FROM CENTRAL GOVERNMENT Phase 1 of the FAME India scheme with an enhanced outlay of INR 895 Cr. between 2015 and 2019 had earmarked INR 30 Cr. towards charging infra. This helped set up 314 charging stations in eight States.

Similarly, Phase II of the FAME India scheme (outlay of INR 10,000 Cr.) also has allocated INR 1,000 Cr. against the establishment of the network of Charging Stations. Government agencies, industries, public sector enterprises are encouraged to explore synergies in this space.

Funding of upto 100% of the cost for establishing charging infra is proposed in the scheme depending on the project proposal.

Charging stations, in this scheme, are to be set up in phases – first in metropolitan cities and national highways, and then in other major cities including state capitals, smart cities and UTs. Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is identified as the central nodal agency to rollout charging infra development. Broad targets to achieve – at least one public charger every 3x3km grid, one charging station every 25km on both sides of highways and roads, one fast charger every 100km on highways and roads.

State-wise allotment of Public Charging Stations (PCS) by the Dept. of Heavy Industries (DHI) unfolded and put the FAME II scheme into action. About 2,900 stations have been allotted to 24 States under this scheme.

THE STATE POLICIES HAVE ENCOURAGED MANY PRIVATE PLAYERS INCLUDING CHARGE POINT OPERATORS AND EMOBILITY SERVICE PROVIDERS WITH TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES TO JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON."

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SUPPORT FROM STATE GOVERNMENTS Presently, all major Indian States have proposed/adopted EV Policies that complement the central policy. Apart from the Demand side and Supply-side incentives, fiscal benefits allocated to develop charging infra show the focus and efforts of these States to expedite the switch to electric.

While FAME I and FAME II saw charging stations installed by Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Ltd., Energy Efficiency Services Ltd., Power Grid Corporation and NTPC Ltd.; the State policies have encouraged many private players including charge point operators and e-mobility service providers with technical capabilities to jump on the bandwagon.

Few States have density targets while others have laid out target numbers to achieve over the next few years. These targets can be met with the incentives that have been thoughtfully listed by the States – capital subsidy, net SGST reimbursements, land rebate, electricity tax exemption, interest free loans, special electricity tariff, etc. Non-fiscal incentives like promotion of charging station deployment in office parking spaces, residential communities, usage of renewable energy for EV charging, reserved parking for EVs, etc. also ensure the quick installation of charging stations that are spread out and available at locations of high vehicle density.

According to a report by Grant Thornton Bharat-Ficci, India requires around four lakh charging stations for 20 lakh electric vehicles by the year 2026. As per the latest SMEV report, 1,800 charging stations are currently available for 16,200 electric cars. This is a good start and the momentum will be kept going by virtue of the Central and State policy push.

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PERSPECTIVE

What Are The Opportunities Offered By Robust Charging Infrastructure To Propel

The EV Game In India?

India’s EV game is a dynamic one. To up this game, it is important to have adequate availability of charging infrastructure. This availability is the key prerequisite that will define the adoption trends of EVs in India. The Government of India has been doing its best to support the EV industry through schemes such as FAME 1 and FAME 2 with a major focus on charging infrastructure. The industry players also have been quite optimistic and have shown constant interest in the overall EV Charging ecosystem. While EVs are being worked upon by major OEMs, an ecosystem for the development of chargers, charging stations, and other services are steadily being built. It is very likely that in the next decade, the number of electric vehicles on our roads will rise substantially. Therefore, a sufficient number of charging infrastructure will also be needed to be as easy and convenient as refueling an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle today. The charging infrastructure is the backbone of electric mobility but is also one of the key perceived barriers to EV adoption in India. This indicates that significant opportunities lie in this area and can be tapped for both ecological improvement and business enhancement.

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AUTHOR: RAQUEL SOAT SENIOR ASSOCIATE, RMI

A ROBUST CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK IS KEY FOR EXPANDING THE MARKET AND IT WILL OFFER STAKEHOLDERS MANY BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES."

AUTHOR: SHIJOY VARUGHESE CONSULTANT, RMI INDIA

ROBUST EV CHARGING NETWORK MUST FOR INDIA’S EV FUTURE Increased visibility of public charging stations will benefit various stakeholders and ease consumer apprehensions about transitioning to an electric vehicle (EV). While electric vehicles (EVs) made up only 1.3% of total automobile sales in India in fiscal year 20-21, there are still many opportunities to expand the market and decrease transportationbased emissions in the country. A robust charging infrastructure network is key for expanding the market and it will offer stakeholders many benefits and incentives. More infrastructure can lead to increased accessibility of EVs, increased revenues for site hosts, efficient management of utility infrastructure, and innovation unique to the Indian market needs.

Stakeholder opportunities Installing EV charging infrastructure throughout the country provides benefits for diverse stakeholders, including distribution companies (discoms), government, and the private sector. With the uptake of EVs increasing, customers of fuel stations will turn to discoms for their core charging needs. This will present discoms with an opportunity to support future revenue growth and improve operations. Discoms could also benefit from demand flexibility opportunities of chargers and EVs through mechanisms such as time-of-use rates and demand-response programmes, thereby increasing grid resilience.

State and city governments could seize several opportunities by installing charging infrastructure, including decreasing consumer range anxiety, local air pollution, and transportation noise issues.

These entities can utilise national government incentives to build necessary charging infrastructure to tackle these problems. For example, the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles Phase 2 (FAME-II) allocated ₹1,000 crore for the development of charging infrastructure in India.

BUSINESS MODEL AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION OPPORTUNITIES While initial low utilisation of charging infrastructure presents a challenge to investment, an effective network in India could provide opportunities to exhibit innovative technology and business models.

Companies in India could showcase their capabilities in new technologies such as battery swapping and inductive charging, and innovative business models such as mobile public charging. There is even an opportunity for India to be a leader in battery swapping given that a large number of two and three-wheelers are prime use cases for the technology. Opportunities also exist for the development of digital business solutions for charging interoperability issues. Finally, there are additional revenue sources that site hosts could take advantage of—for example, additional revenue opportunities for store owners via increased foot traffic while vehicles are charging, and revenue for site hosts from advertisements at or near charging stations.

CONSUMER BENEFITS Better air quality from fewer transportation emissions will leave everyone breathing easier, but consumers stand to benefit from charging infrastructure in other ways too. The increased visibility of public charging will address range anxiety and ease consumer apprehensions about transitioning to an EV. Additionally, consumers would benefit from lower vehicle operating and maintenance costs.

Finally, public charging stations would increase EV access for consumers who do not have home-charging options.

While these are only a few of the benefits, it is clear that a robust charging infrastructure network would provide several opportunities for all stakeholders and is critical for propelling the EV game in India.

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AUTHOR: VAMSI GADDAM JMD, VISAKA INDUSTRIES LIMITED

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, PUBLISHED THE BHARAT STANDARDS OF EV CHARGING STANDARDIZING THE CHARGING PROTOCOLS BY DIFFERENT OEMS

“The three biggest deterrents against the adoption of EVs are PRICE of the electric vehicle,

DRIVING RANGE per charge, and the absence of a robust CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE.”

The measures adopted by India, the fourth-largest automobile market, to promote electric vehicles is laudable. The FAME 2 Policy, which aims at faster adoption of and manufacturing of Electric Vehicles, is being considered by many as a game changer. The introduction of this policy, with incentives from the Government for adopting EVs, is leading to a quantum shift towards a more environmentally friendly mobility solution i.e., EVs. However, this swell in EV sales requires a proportionate increase in the EV charging infrastructure as well.

Industry estimates that India would need about five million public charging points at an investment of approximately $6 billion.

According to the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles, India sold 236,802 electric cars and 25,735 electric two-wheelers in FY21.

India is among a handful of countries that support the global EV30@30 campaign, which targets to have at least 30% new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. This is possible only when there is a robust EV charging station network available across the length and breadth of the country.

Consumers tend to follow a charging hierarchy which begins at their residence. With vehicles remaining stationary for 8-10 hours every night, it is easy to plug in and charge the EVs. It is also more costeffective as, in most countries including India, the unit cost of residential electricity is way lower than commercial or industrial electricity. However, once out on the road, the EVs are vulnerable as there aren’t many charging stations available. This is where a robust network of public charging stations could play a vital role in the promotion of electric vehicles.

WHAT AILS EV CHARGING STATIONS Public charging infrastructure is often perceived as an expensive proposition with low initial returns. Another barrier is the lack of easily available and affordable land in towns and cities, with public charging seen as a stand-alone land use requiring dedicated space, like petrol pumps. What our country needs is a very visible, easy-to-access and cost-effective charging network which is as widespread as the Petrol Station network. This is the most important prerequisite for growth which, unfortunately, is lagging far behind than envisaged.

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IN 2017."

The other challenge is the unification and standardization of EV Charging Stations in the country. The Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India, published the Bharat Standards of EV Charging standardizing the charging protocols by different OEMs in 2017. Today the Indian EV manufacturers follow the DC-001 protocol for their vehicles as per the charging guidelines issued by the Ministry of Power in the year 2018.

With the growth of EV Charging Stations, the other problem will be the additional load on the country’s power grid and DISCOMS. This could be a serious issue in a country like India, where the current electricity generation is unable to meet demand and the addition of EV Charging Stations will worsen the situation.

CONSUMER BENEFITS However, the pros for EVs and a robust EV charging network, far outweigh the cons. The opportunities are endless and, if really optimized, can not only help the environment but also support the national exchequer by greatly reducing the demand for crude. For the end-consumer, While the price of an EV may be like most comparable petrol or diesel cars, the cost of running one is significantly cheaper, particularly over the full lifetime of the vehicle. Electric cars are designed to be as efficient as possible and there are 3 main components powering the vehicle: the charger, inverter, and motor. All this means is that EVs rarely need to be serviced and running, maintenance and service costs are minimal if not negligible.

For the environmentalists and the green lobbyists, fully electric cars have zero tailpipe emissions making them greener, cleaner, and better for the environment than petrol or diesel cars. With newer technology helping create even more environmentally friendly batteries, coupled with advances in hydrogen power and more and more efficient EV motors, the future of driving is bright and clean.

With just a charger, an inverter, and a motor, driving an Electric Vehicle is a completely different experience as compared to an ICE vehicle. All EVs, because of battery power, have instant torque, which means there is power available as soon as you switch on your vehicle. As soon as you hit the accelerator, you’ll get an instant response and surge of speed from the car, making these vehicles ideal for city driving.

Moving to EVs will benefit everyone. If we invest in the right EV Charging infrastructure, the right technology to develop better battery packs and price the vehicles correctly, we have a winner on our hands.

Remember, the FUTURE is ELECTRIC.

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THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT AUTHOR: PANKAJ TIWARI CMO, NEXZU MOBILITY

ANNOUNCED AN OUTLAY OF RS 10,000 CRORE IN 2019 FOR FAME II, THE FASTER ADOPTION AND MANUFACTURING OF HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES SCHEME, FOR THREE YEARS UNTIL 2022."

The push for electric mobility in India is seeing steady gains in the sector, with both EV brands and ICE brands introducing new, cutting edge EVs especially designed for Indian roads. EV sector saw a boon for two years, consumers are purchasing e-cycles, e-scooters as per their requirements. This is also an alternative to fight a few environmental problems. Given India’s dire need to reduce dependency on crude oil imports, this is the only way forward. Apart from this, State EV policies in India are also supporting charging infrastructure through private companies.

While the intent is in place and manufacturers are more than geared up to meet the deadline, there are a few more factors to consider, the central challenge being a lack of charging infrastructure. The electric Vehicles industry first launched its electric two-wheelers a few years ago with a three-year target from 2019 to 2022 to sell one million electric two-wheelers. Even with the tough blow dealt by the pandemic, they have managed to reach 1.4 lakh till now.

THE CHARGING CONUNDRUM India has ample infrastructure when it comes to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles with 70 000 fuel stations all over the country; thus, people can easily travel where ever they want without any hesitation, but when it comes to electric vehicles, their fuel is charged with battery supply just like mobile phones, so it makes it difficult for Indian citizens to travel with electric vehicles, as there are less charging points for electric vehicles in India. According to the experts’ analysis, 80% of the time, charging the vehicle takes place in the owner’s residence or at their workplace as there is a lack of a public portal available for them to charge their vehicles. There is no surety that the driver can recharge the battery when it is running low, thus creates anxiety issues between the citizens.

WHAT’S FUELLING THE GROWTH OF EVS

Two-wheelers take less time to charge than cars; cars take around one hour to charge the battery. A two-wheelers battery capacity is around 2 – 3 Kwatts per hour, and a four-wheelers battery size is 45 KW per hour.

The billing of the charging is based on the home metering system until there is a policy to bill differently for electric vehicles at home.

To shift from ICE vehicles to electric vehicles, that is, cars or twowheelers, consumers have to look to the two main segments: affordability and mileage. In recent times, EVs have gained popularity given their drastically low total cost of ownership as compared to ICE vehicles. If we can indigenize EV parts such as the battery pack, we will see a further reduction in the cost followed by mass adoption.

The Indian EV manufacturers follow the DC – 100 protocols for charging the electronic vehicle guidelines, which the Indian Government Ministry of Power issued in 2018. In addition, many private sectors and some government agencies have placed DC – 100 standard EV charging stations all over India for the customers to easily charge their vehicles.

The Indian government announced an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore in 2019 for FAME II, the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles scheme, for three years until 2022. This scheme had foreseen the supporting of 10 lakh electric two-wheelers, 5 lakh electric three-wheelers, 55 000 four-wheelers and 7, 000 buses.

In India, there have been huge strides in Electric Vehicle adoption.

However, all this has to improve if the Indian Government wants to improve the adoption process and support the infrastructure with confidence and aspiration.

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PERSPECTIVE

Charging Ahead: How Promising Is The Future Of

Indian Charging Infrastructure In The Coming Years?

India has big plans to become a global EV superpower, but this is not possible without proper charging infrastructure in place. A lot depends on the country’s strategy to roll out public, private and domestic charging solutions, which must support not only drivers in major cities but also those in rural areas. Research has also shown that the charger-per-vehicle ratio of India is lower than other markets in the world. The answer is basically simple; without a suitable density of charging stations, many drivers will not be able to run an EV. When it comes to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, we have adequate infrastructure for as many fuel stations across the country. This gives drivers the confidence to travel anywhere without the fear of being stranded. However, in electric vehicles, ‘fuel’ comes from the charge left in the battery. The lack of publicly available charging stations comes with what is referred to as ‘range anxiety’. There is no surety that a driver can top up in case the charge is running low. Of course, there is no denying that India has taken significant strides towards shifting the world’s fourth-largest automobile market to an electric vehicle one. Also, the demand for electric vehicles is increasing every day. As we are charging ahead towards an EV future, we wanted to understand how promising the future of Indian charging infrastructure is in the coming years. We approached our experts with this question and here is what they had to say.

AUTHOR: PRABHAT KHARE DIRECTOR, KK CONSULTANTS

In the next two decades, India is focusing on becoming one of the major global players in the global EV market. Though the Indian EV market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 44% during 2020-2027, with the annual sales hitting 63 lakh units by 2027, India still has a nascent ecosystem for EVs & faces many challenges, like establishing a robust, reliable & easily assessable, well spread out electrical charging infrastructure covering two most critical factors - first, provision of sufficient energy capacities of charge stations (Wh/ KWh) to charge to the growing number of EVs, like the way current filling stations cater to the ICEVs, and the second would be related to the time required to charge the EVs for a reasonable traveling range.

THE SHIFT OF ENERGY GENERATION FROM CONVENTIONAL WAYS TO NON-CONVENTIONAL WAYS WOULD CERTAINLY BE A BOON FOR THE EV CHARGING SETUPS OF THE FUTURE MOBILITY WORLD COMPRISING OF EVS."

While principally any EV can be charged by just plugging in an electric socket but that is only a theoretical concept in the present scenario, where each EV manufacturer is trying to push his charging set up & requires and standardization while the second one is related to the charging capacities of these stations which would depend upon the number of EVs to be charged at any given time, their model, battery characteristics, and the charging rate for which it is designed. Any mismatch in of these will be badly affecting the battery performance in long run.

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Due to these prevailing conditions where the EV battery ecosystem is still maturing, the option of battery swapping is also gaining momentum, in which the batteries are kept precharged at stations & swapped whenever needed. Though this also has its challenges & would need some standardization of batteries for universal use in all the EVs. It may be noted that, currently, India has only 2,000 charging stations as of March 2021, & would be needing around 4 lakh charging stations by 2026 to accommodate the projected demand for 20 lakh EVs. Of these, about 2.80 lakh (70%) chargers would be of low capacity chargers used for supporting two-wheelers and three-wheelers. This has also been estimated that with an increased number of EVs the energy demand is expected to shoot up by 100 TWh by 2030 while the share of renewable energy is expected to increase from 18% to 44%, the share of thermal power is expected to reduce from 78% to 52% (as estimated by CEA) and with this change, by 2030 the renewable energies are expected to account for about 55% of the total installed power capacity of India. The shift of energy generation from conventional ways to non-conventional ways would certainly be a boon for the EV charging setups of the future mobility world comprising of EVs. With all-new developments forecasted on the energy front as well as on EVs, the prospects of putting up these different EV charging stations are pretty good with multiple options and has great possibilities. Some of them are summarized below (from the Handbook of Niti Aayog released recently on EV Charging Infrastructure):-

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However, these are not fixed, tight walled categories, and while some of the charging facilities may be dedicated to a single vehicle or single EV model, there will be many more facilities that will be demonstrating hybrid characteristics, fit for public use, and suitable for multiple EV model charging. Similarly, a charging infrastructure owned by EV fleet owners/ operators for captive use may be used for private use, but it can be offered to the public as a paid charging service during the period when fleets are in circulation. EV charging infrastructure at bus depots or parking may also be offered for semi-public or public use, depending on whether they are open only for transit users or for all EV users.

Last but not the least, many innovative possibilities are emerging across the world to meet the needs of EV charging. One of them is related to utilizing the street light poles installed by either upgrading them to smart poles and/ or installing new age smart poles on the future roads. These poles will be cloud-connected allowing users to get connected to their own power utility operator using multiple connectivity modes. Charging and billing data will also be shared live on EV’s dashboard for settling the payments. Once the payment is settled, the user will automatically receive the bill.

NEW AGE SMART LIGHT POLES

IT MAY BE NOTED THAT, CURRENTLY, INDIA HAS ONLY 2,000 CHARGING STATIONS AS OF MARCH 2021, & WOULD BE NEEDING AROUND 4 LAKH CHARGING STATIONS BY 2026 TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROJECTED DEMAND FOR 20 LAKH EVS."

UPGRADE OF EXISTING STREET INFRASTRUCTURE

However, India has its own set of challenges related to charging infrastructure as well as the setup itself. With many of the new policies coming up in favor of adaptation of EV technology, many of the operational challenges will certainly be taken care of with time, yet one of the biggest hurdles in India would always be the non-availability of power in many areas & authorities need to work on the existing power distribution system and integrate the with other non-conventional energies like solar & wind. Once these factors & challenges are taken care of in a planned way & with more clarity, it would certainly be giving a much-needed boost in creating and sustaining the EVs charging station in coming years.

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AUTHOR: MEGHNA NAIR RESEARCH ANALYST, CEEW CENTRE FOR ENERGY FINANCE

India’s attempt to spearhead its mobility transition has relied heavily on establishing an extensive network of charging infrastructure. On a frequent basis, we see new market developments or a new policy unveiled. In August of 2021 alone, Mumbai inaugurated its first-ever public charging station, the Delhi-Chandigarh highway became the country’s first electric vehicle (EV) friendly highway and Odisha’s cabinet approved its EV policy. Players like Tata Power have placed high bets on the future of EV charging in India as it aims to establish one lakh chargers in the country by 2026. As fuel prices surpass the INR 100 mark, the case for alternative technologies is becoming even stronger.

The future of EV charging is multidimensional – it could unlock features previously unavailable in fuelling conventional vehicles and impact the wider electricity and transport ecosystem.

Firstly, it’s bi-directional. An increasing number of EVs could pose immense pressure on the existing grid. In 2019, BSES Yamuna – one of Delhi’s leading utilities – estimated that uncontrolled EV charging could contribute to 12.3 percent of its peak demand in 2030. However, EVs don’t just consume power; they could be a potentially gamechanging energy resource, too. According to CEEW analysis, the average Indian household still receives only 20.6 hours of electricity daily and two-fifths of urban households face at least one power outage a day. This is where vehicle-to-grid integration (V2G) has the potential to solve India’s electricity problems. Using technologies like vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging, India’s EV future could supply individual households with backup electricity in time of need. The early adoption of V2G avoids major course correction in hardware (charging and vehicle) later on. EV manufacturers should incorporate these technologies at the onset of India’s EV boom.

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IN AUGUST OF 2021 ALONE, MUMBAI INAUGURATED ITS FIRST-EVER PUBLIC CHARGING STATION, THE DELHI-CHANDIGARH HIGHWAY BECAME THE COUNTRY’S FIRST ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) FRIENDLY HIGHWAY AND ODISHA’S CABINET APPROVED ITS EV POLICY." Secondly, the future of EV charging is also through renewable energy (RE). Incentivising EV drivers to synchronise their charging patterns with the time of day when more RE is generated helps further control the carbon footprint of EVs. User demand can be adequately manoeuvred by using appropriate regulatory mechanisms like time-ofday (ToD) tariffs. Additionally, solar-powered charging could increasingly become the norm in India as multiple charging stations around the country plan to complement them with rooftop solar systems. While ToD tariffs exist for EV charging across multiple Indian states, policymakers could align them with hours of generous RE generation. Moreover, EV policies could incentivise charging systems with integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems.

Thirdly, EV charging of the future will also be fast and more standardised. Charging providers are looking to install fast-charging Combined Charging System (CCS) and CHAdeMO chargers, and policymakers are looking to further narrow down on the existing five prescribed charging standards.

That Indian EV charging is still in its infancy helps us invent and play around with technologies that suit our needs. EV charging can help stabilise the grid and increase RE demand while accelerating EV adoption through the increased process and operational efficiency.

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