Gujarat Tops In Electric Vehicles Sales, Delhi Ranked Seventh

The Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) conducted a survey to carve out a trend of electric vehicle (EV) sales in India. The study was conducted for all two- and four-wheeler EVs which were sold during the 2016-17 fiscal year and are also in use in their respective states. Here’s how the numbers stood:

1. Gujarat: 4,330
2. West Bengal: 2,846
3. Uttar Pradesh: 2,467
4. Rajasthan: 2,388
5. Maharashtra: 1,926

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Additionally, 25,000 EVs were sold across the country over the same duration, with 1,072 EVs sold in Delhi. The nation’s capital has been battling the air pollution plague for a while now. It used to top the EV sales list but with that lowly sales figure, it only managed to secure the seventh rank amongst all the states in the country. Of all the EVs sold in India, 92 per cent were two-wheelers, while only 8 per cent accounted for four-wheeled EVs.

India, like many countries, is on a mission to become a nation with an all-electric transportation setup. However, unlike many, its aim to achieve that by 2030 is commonly labeled as super-ambitious. That said, there’s a lot happening to promote EVs as well. In Nagpur, for instance, Ola planted a milestone by launching India’s first all-electric public transportation solution. Even Indian Oil Corporation, the oil marketing company, chose Nagpur to inaugurate its first EV charging station.

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For EV sales figures to go up in the country, several barriers require intervention. The main hindrance for EVs comes from the lack of infrastructure, high prices, range on single charge, time for charging and overall awareness. As far as price is concerned, it will come down with more localisation of parts and heavier subsidies from the government.

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