The Revolution Brought By Electric Scooters In India
In India, the electric two-wheeler sector is thriving. Foreign players have invested and established Joint Ventures with Indian manufacturers to keep the pace going in the world’s second-most populous country, while export from the country is surely a lucrative transaction for those foreign collaborators. Increased income levels, expanding infrastructure in rural areas, and the rising popularity of scooters among India’s youth are all contributing to the rapid development of two-wheeler EV sales. An electric scooty appears to be the most ethical and strategic product from the consumer’s perspective in 2021.
Current-generation electric scooters — How are they doing in India?
As the Indian environment for electric two-wheelers evolves, foreign two-wheeler firms are preparing to take the plunge into the electric vehicle market, as said earlier. They are either coming on their own or by using a JV mechanism to acquire more shares in the Indian market.
Though the electric vehicle business is still in its infancy, it seems to be the automotive industry’s future in the country. In India, the demand for electric two-wheelers has been expanding in recent months, and overall electric two-wheeler volumes are predicted to exceed 2.5–3 lakh by the end of 2022.
While big conglomerates like Tata, Reliance, Adani are also expected to play a gigantic role in the futuristic EV market with their energy and energy storage solutions, new players like Amo Mobility have already broken several expectations in this latest festive season. The company sold over 5000 bikes in the 31-day festive period while the firm is also eyeing an investment worth $200 million over the next 3 years.
When it comes to volume and quantity, the pandemic has taken a toll this fiscal year, but India nevertheless sold 1,52,000 electric two-wheelers in 2019–2020, up from 1,26,000 in 2018–2019. Due to the disruption caused by lockdowns following the coronavirus pandemic, electric two-wheeler sales fell by 5.4 percent in the fiscal year 2021, from 1,52,000 units the previous year to 143,837 units in 2021.
What is driving the electric scooter revolution in India?
The transition to Electric Scooter In India has been delayed by high product pricing (which is out of reach for the poor citizens), a lack of charging infrastructure, and an inflexible ecosystem. Replacing fossil fuel two-wheelers or ICE vehicles is critical for addressing some of the world’s most poisonous air since they pollute the environment more than regular ICE models, contributing to climate change. The 2015 Paris Summit on Climate affairs was the right momentum for Indian PM Narendra Modi to push towards a sustainable ecosystem in the country. It soon yielded high returns as manufacturers were getting steady sales volume every month.
So, mainly, the catastrophic climate change and easy riding and maintenance elements are consistently bolstering the revolution brought by electric scooters and electric bikes.
Manufacturers’ confidence has been boosted by incentives such as PLI and battery manufacturing incentives for cost-effective electric scooters and motorcycles. Furthermore, India’s road and transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, has made significant contributions to the development of more sustainable and cost-effective infrastructure solutions for electric vehicles in India. The $139,000 budget for over 2,500 charging stations is a significant portion of the $1.4 billion budget, which also includes incentives for the next three years under the government’s primary EV effort, “Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME).” AMO also Convert E-mobility into Mass Mobility.
Challenges ahead for electric scooters in India
However, thinking strategically, challenges remain in the vast country of 1.3 billion people. The country requires a huge amount of effort from all stakeholders to enhance the EV ecosystem in India. Amo Electric Bikes has championed raising awareness among people, which helped people switch from conventional ICE variants to electric scooters and bikes.
Some of the common challenges for India to implement electric scooters and bikes at a large scale are as follows –
A. Battery prices are still high i.e. expensive, due to a lack of charging networks on highways and urban areas in India. Moreover, a higher battery price is also attributed to limited technology and production mechanisms in India. With assistance from countries like Japan, Germany, and Taiwan, India can launch an economical energy solution and storage technology.
B. The supply of electricity in rural regions, where EV can play a pivotal role, is inconsistent. Electric scooters are a must for rural areas as they make up the majority of the populace. It can be addressed by bringing better energy infrastructures in rural and remote areas.
C. Electric scooters and electric bikes are currently not as robust and efficient as their ICE counterparts. This affects the overall adventure in terms of speed and long journeys.
D. As the current generation of electric scooters and bikes have less power, then it is certain that they cannot carry more weight. So, one has to find ways to bring innovative solutions in both battery and motor parts that can together offer more power.
The primary goal of AMO Convert E mobility into Mass Mobility in India
