Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday made an ardent plea in Parliament for adopting alternative fuel and and said the sale of electric vehicles (EVs) was set to rise by 10 times by the end of the year in the country.
The Minister also cited official figures to show that the EVs had in the recent past shown an uptick in demand. He said that between 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, the two–wheeler EVs rose by 422% going up from 28,508 to 1,49,068; three–wheeler vehicles by 75% from 90,216 to 1,57,682; and four–wheeler vehicles up by 230% from 4,695 to 15,860. The number of electric buses also increased from 80 to 1,177 — over 1,200%.
“I am sure and with full confidence I am telling the House that up to the end of this year, the cost of petroleum two–wheelers, petroleum cars and petroleum buses will be the same [as their electric counterparts]. Sale is increasing. I am giving an assurance in this House [and] my prediction is that at the end of this year, the sale of EVs will be increased by 10 times [sic]. The market is now supporting this,” Minister Gadkari said in the Rajya Sabha.
