JSW MG Motor India, which is betting big on India’s potential for electrification of its passenger vehicle segment, is batting for a multi technology approach that also involves ICE-based hybrid propulsion systems along with BEVs, for a cleaner mobility ecosystem.
According to Rajeev Chaba, CEO Emeritus, MG Motor India, “Globally, new-energy vehicles or NEVs are gathering momentum, and charging infrastructure is keeping pace to enable this growth. Moreover, renewable energy sources are being utilised to power this infrastructure. In India too, the EV sector has accelerated at a tremendous pace, and this growth is set to continue further.”
“In line with this growth in EV sales, charging infrastructure too has kept pace with almost 12,000 chargers in the country today,” he said while adding that JSW MG Motor India has been supporting this transition towards cleaner mobility, and that the company’s endeavour is to build a robust EV ecosystem.
“EVs make up around 40% of JSW MG Motor India’s present sales, and we are committed to drive these volumes even further,” Chaba added. The company plans a serious new-model assault in the coming months, with its next EV offering – MG Windsor – slated to be introduced next month.
According to BK Panigrahi, Associate Professor, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, IIT Delhi, “When we compare EVs with ICE and hybrids, we generally focus on one criterion such as the well-to-wheel perspective, whereas the comparison of multiple segments and consumer behaviour also play a vital role in arriving at the right conclusion.
“If we look into the EV-versus-ICE debate, EVs are preferable, purely from a tailpipe emissions perspective, as they significantly reduce local emissions inside cities compared to ICE vehicles,” he said.
Panigrahi further explained that maintenance of an EV is also much simpler and cost-effective compared to an ICE vehicle, further giving an impetus to its growing adoption in the country. “While affordability was a big concern in the initial days of EV adoption, gradually, the barriers are getting reduced, and EVs are coming at par with ICE vehicles,” he added.
Panigrahi was speaking in a panel discussion at the ‘MG DriEV.Bharat’ event organised at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today. His co-panellist, Rashi Gupta, Founder and MD, Vision Mechatronics, said, “We have come a long way from where we were in 2015 when no one would talk about lithium-ion batteries. There is a huge transition from traditional lead-acid batteries to lithium-ion batteries, which also offer better mileage, recyclability, and energy efficiency. We are going towards circularity, and while there is a challenge currently with respect to the charging of EVs using thermal power, India must have the right energy mix with heavy penetration of renewable resources.”
According to Randheer Singh, Former Director, Niti Aayog, and Founder and CEO, ForeSee Advisors, “India has a target to shift to renewable energy – targeting up to 500GW from renewable resources by 2030. However, there is a misalignment between policy and actual executioners on ground. This is something which has already been harmonised in the West, and this is what we need to learn.”
According to Gupta, “The EV transition is also about two-, and three-wheelers, as well as the last-mile delivery segment, and we are witnessing a strong uptake of EVs across all these categories in India. Having said that, while EVs will become mainstream, in India, older propulsion technologies will continue to co-exist as well.”
“Holistically, EVs are emerging as the most preferred sustainable technology because of battery technology. Having said that, a lot of work still needs to be done in the area of mineral mining, and recycling of batteries,” Singh, the former Niti Aayog advisor added.