Thursday, November 17, 2022
By Kamal Swami
India Strong Enough To Lead The Production OF EVs Globally
According to a research report published by the Berkeley National Laboratory and UCLA, India is strong enough to dominate the production of electric vehicles worldwide. The report also highlights that the shift from diesel-powered trucks to electric trucks will help the country meet its objective of attaining net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070.
At present, India imports 88 per cent of its oil from different countries, out of which 60 per cent of the oil is consumed by goods carrying trucks. A study conducted by the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) reveals that operating electric-powered trucks would be more affordable than diesel trucks in India and, it can lead the world in the production of electric vehicles. The shift to electric mobility will also reduce India’s dependency on importing fuel from other countries, improve the quality of air, and achieve the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070.
In the words of Nikit Abhyankar, a scientist in Berkeley Lab Research and the author of the report, “Electric trucks would be instrumental in enhancing India’s energy security and reducing the goods transport cost”. The report says that based on the existing grid emissions in India, the shift to electric trucks would minimize the greenhouse gas emissions to nine per cent from the current 35 per cent per kilometre emissions generated from diesel trucks.
According to another scientist at Berkeley Lab and UCLA, Deepak Rajagopal, India started its journey towards electric mobility before the publication of this report. In a statement issued by Berkeley Lab, “We find that the time is now ripe to put targeted policies on trucking”.
