Electric passenger vehicles could comprise 30%-75% of the new vehicle sales in India by 2030 and 2050 respectively, according to a study by Delhi-headquartered think tank, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). Close to half of the new two-wheelers and over a quarter of new three- and four-wheelers sold in 2030, the study projects, could be electric. Therefore, Centre and state governments would need to invest significantly more in charging infrastructure and support local supply chain development to support this rapid growth in electric vehicle sales.
CEEW’s ‘India Transport Energy Outlook’, as the study is called, underlined that in the next three decades, ownership of four-wheelers could grow by nine times. The ownership of two-wheelers though would saturate with rising income levels. The overwhelming shift to four-wheelers, aided by rising income levels, would significantly impact the transport sector’s energy demand and emissions. At present, India’s transport sector accounts for around 21% of the total energy consumed and produces fewer emissions compared to developed countries.
