Pledged to switch 100% to renewable energy in our operations by 2025-26: Tata Motors' Kulkarni

Auto Expo 2023 saw the country’s largest electric carmaker Tata Motors launch a slew of new electric vehicles and concepts. The homegrown auto giant expects its EV portfolio to account for 50 per cent of the new sales by 2030 and turn its passenger vehicle unit net zero by 2040, informed Shailesh Chandra, the managing director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (PV) and its electric arm.

Against this backdrop, Anand Kulkarni, Vice president for Operations, Product Line and Purchase & Supplier Quality, Tata Motors Passenger Electric Mobility, tells DH about the company’s race to turn net zero. Excerpts from this conversation:

DH: How does Tata Motors plan its journey to turning net zero?

Kulkarni: The road to net zero is a long one. Net zero comprises scope one, two and three emissions, in which scope one is the embodied emissions (associated with materials and production processes); scope two is in terms of supply chain logistics, consumption of electricity, overheads, etc; and scope three is the in-use (tail-pipe) emissions. For any automobile, scope three is a significant number today. It's almost 80-85 per cent of the life-cycle emissions.

We are trying to reduce scope one by pledging to turn 100 per cent to renewable energy in our operations. We’ve set a target of getting there by 2025-26. Electrification of our vehicles deals with scope three. Scope two is about how we conduct our business, waste management and the energy deployed.

DH: How does Tata Motors plan to cut emissions in its product portfolio?

Kulkarni: We are already very close to 10 per cent on the electric portfolio and that's a low-hanging fruit. Secondly, on the ICE (internal combustion engine) side, we are working on the improvement of efficiencies through various simple measures such as Indirect Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (iTPMS) or 6-speed gearbox or better low rolling resistance tyres, in order to improve the efficiency. We are also taking certain parts of our portfolio to the gaseous fuel, which helps in decarbonisation. That's how we are able to say that we can achieve net zero by 2040.

DH: How are you readying the charging infrastructure for the EV revolution?

Kulkarni: We are working with Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) in two or three cities to make sure that we can provide solutions to large societies so that common solutions are available even for people who do not or may not have dedicated parking. But, as we expand this entire network, we find that more people are able to take longer journeys. Electric vehicles are no longer being said to work only within the city.