The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has some good news for people who have been waiting for EVs to become cheaper. As per the minister, electric vehicles will cost almost the same as their petrol counterparts by 2023. Gadkari shared the prediction while speaking at an event on Tuesday. The minister also spoke about the government’s intentions to ravamp the state of buses across India.
‘EVs to be as AFFORDABLE as petrol vehicles by 2023′ says Nitin Gadkari
Fuel demand in India hit highest levels in four months driven by the festive spirit in October, even as prices remained stagnant despite a drop in crude rates. As OPEC+ decided to cut output, oil from Russia outsold fuel from Saudi Arabia and Iraq to make it India’s biggest supplier in the past month. Although commercial LPG prices have been slashed by Rs 115, prices of petrol and diesel in Indian cities have remained unchanged, despite expectations of relief from Indian Oil.
With fossil fuels in focus, India’s road transport minister Nitin Gadkari has claimed that electric vehicles will be as affordable as petrol vehicles by next year. Electric Vehicles have already been adopted at Delhi airport to curb the severe air pollution which has been tormenting the national capital for days. Although states such as Haryana are working on generating revenues for farmers through ethanol from stubble to be mixed with petrol, stubble burning this year has added to Delhi’s air woes.
“For this, we need electrolysers. They are used in separating Hydrogen from Oxygen. India has the maximum electrolysers in the world,” Gadkari said. On a lighter note, Gadkari said that even his wife didn’t believe that a car can be run from the water energy. “That’s why, I decided to travel in a hydrogen car,” Gadkari said.
Sharing some additional data on the state of electric vehicle sales in the country, Gadkari said that the Electric Vehicle business in India soared by 800% with an estimated 17 lakh electric vehicles reportedly registered so far this year. Speaking about the electrification of the country’s buses, the minister said that it wants to ensure all diesel buses are converted into electric models. This would also help India move towards its goal of net zero emissions.
The Union Minister further spoke about hydrogen-powered vehicles, something that companies like Toyota are developing. However, it’s unclear whether these vehicles will gain more traction than upcoming electric cars. Meanwhile, companies like Ola are expected to launch electric cars over the next couple of years. While the government and various private enterprises are ramping up charging infrastructure, it’ll still be a while before electric cars can truly replace petrol cars.
