Electric Cars in India

Written by Bryan Johannsen

India's dense population centers combined with it's high importation of fuel seem to make it the perfect area for an electric car takeover. What is happening with the electric car market there?

As a country that currently imports 70% (expected to rise to 82% by 2012) of it's fuel, India could benefit greatly with an electric vehicle infrastructure. Fuel prices have continued to rise and imported fuel is of course more expensive than domestic.

India's population centers are dense, the country hold 15% of the world's population in 2.4% of the world's land mass. Second only to China and the only other country over a billion in population you can imagine the effect this has on the country's urban centers. Pollution is also an issue, hundreds of thousands of old diesel engines burn a fuel mixture that is extremely high in sulfur content when compared to the diesel in the US and Europe. With the rapidly expanding Indian economy and companies like Tata offerig the Nano, congestion and pollution will only get worse.

Tata has made allusions at an upcoming electric car offering but nothing is concrete yet. Eelectric car manufacturer Reva has a small 2 seater EV called the Reva for sale in India but the size and price of the Reva have not helped it with the cost concious consumers there.

Most of the government focus on transportation in India is on public transport in the cities and towns but there is talk from the Ministry of Environment and Forests that the Indian government is interested in converting much of it's fleet to hybrid and electric cars but this could just be talk from a politician in an environmental position.

The market and environment in India is an excellent place for an electric car push but charging infrastructure will have to be created and mind must be paid to up front cost versus similar fossil fuel powered vehicles in a cost concious market.

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