This article is an eye opener to the current thinking of sustainable urban mobility. While I see a tremendous role of urban plannerespecially transport planers, in carefully examining the role of national and state level EV policies, if at all they exist in each state of India, the challenges will be how to translate them into action at the ground zero given the history non integrated transport system prevailing at present in Indian cities.
This article should have highlighted both advantages and disadvantages (if there are any) both in short and long run in adopting it or switching to EV in Indian cities.
I am still not convinced that EV would solve the problem of traffic congestion on the already overcrowded roads on major Indian cities. The other long term issues which is paramount, is the disposal of lithium batteries after their stipulated use. India's record of hazardous waste management is very poor. If lithium battery does not fall into a hazardous category, even then the disposal would be a huge task for the urban authorities.
Last but not the least, why don't we use the less expensive technologies in integrating the urban transport system. For example, let us do it in a phase manner, switch to gas based electric mobility for transport system - whether public or private, integrate all mode of transport system in city, state and interstate transport system, disincentivise use of private transport and encourage public transport with huge incentives, even if it is a free ride for selected group of people, women, children, elderly and differently able people with ground zero IPT facilities to make urban mobility a sustainable one. Sustainability also aims at 'equity' which is not included in the EV policy currently in India.
This article is an eye opener to the current thinking of sustainable urban mobility. While I see a tremendous role of urban plannerespecially transport planers, in carefully examining the role of national and state level EV policies, if at all they exist in each state of India, the challenges will be how to translate them into action at the ground zero given the history non integrated transport system prevailing at present in Indian cities.
This article should have highlighted both advantages and disadvantages (if there are any) both in short and long run in adopting it or switching to EV in Indian cities.
I am still not convinced that EV would solve the problem of traffic congestion on the already overcrowded roads on major Indian cities. The other long term issues which is paramount, is the disposal of lithium batteries after their stipulated use. India's record of hazardous waste management is very poor. If lithium battery does not fall into a hazardous category, even then the disposal would be a huge task for the urban authorities.
Last but not the least, why don't we use the less expensive technologies in integrating the urban transport system. For example, let us do it in a phase manner, switch to gas based electric mobility for transport system - whether public or private, integrate all mode of transport system in city, state and interstate transport system, disincentivise use of private transport and encourage public transport with huge incentives, even if it is a free ride for selected group of people, women, children, elderly and differently able people with ground zero IPT facilities to make urban mobility a sustainable one. Sustainability also aims at 'equity' which is not included in the EV policy currently in India.