Charging them is unsustainable, says expert
Electric vehicles (EVs) cause more environmental damage than petrol or diesel-run automobiles, according to a study conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. In spite of this, people are purchasing EVs.
Sandeep Anirudhan, an environmentalist and founder of Namma Whitefield, said: “Driving electric vehicles in the city might seem… a good choice because we see no emissions and (it) benefits the user economically. But what people forget is how much damage EVs cause while they are being manufactured…. When we talk about sustainable choices, we should look at the total impact caused by a product. For example, we charge EVs on electricity, which is not sustainable at all in a country like ours. Before making any choice, we should evaluate the product’s life cycle.”
S. Nagaraj, owner and manager of two stores in Rajajinagar, Bounce and Benling, said: “My EV store is a multi-branded electric vehicle store. We have 8-9 dealers in Bengaluru and 45-50 distributors in Karnataka. On an average, we sell 60 electric vehicles a month…. While the business goes smoothly, we receive… complaints about battery and charging issues.”
Amulya HR, an assistant manager working in My EV store, Rajajinagar, said: “Our store became popular post-Covid-19. We sell 50 units per month. Depending on the area, we sell two different types of range. One is low-speed EVs driven in cities, and the other is high-speed EVs preferred for usage outside cities.”
In March 2022 alone, 7,880 e-vehicles were registered — the highest-ever monthly figure in the state. In contrast, only 424 e-vehicles were registered in March 2018; 1,085 in March 2019; 905 in March 2020; and 2,657 in March 2021.
The number of EVs registered in the state increased from 6,453 in 2019 to 9,730 in 2020, and to 33,306 in 2021.
Gaman S, who owns two electric scooters, shared: “I own an Ola S1 Pro and a Bounce Infinity. While both had battery and range issues initially, a little maintenance and repair improved my experience. I prefer electric vehicles because they are user- and budget-friendly.”
Matta Yashoda, a housewife who rides a Benling Falcon scooter, said: “It’s slower than the previous vehicles I ran on petrol. While I do not have to wear a helmet, I often reach late everywhere. The other problem is charging stations; we do not have enough, and I’m always worried about the vehicle running out of charge.”
A report by Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association in collaboration with EY and Indus Law says India’s EV market is projected to witness sales of 9 million units per annum by 2027.
