<p>Asserting that India has full potential to emerge as a global hub for electric vehicles by 2025, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday asked automobile manufacturers to reduce cost of green vehicle to capture market and fuel growth.</p>.<p>The minister said he is scheduled to make an hour-long presentation on EVs before the Chief Justice of India post-Diwali.</p>.<p>India has the potential to become the largest EV producer in the world in the next five years. However, Indian manufacturers prefer to wait and watch and are late in participating in any global competition, he said addressing a virtual "Electric Mobility Conference 2020 - The Spark Revolution in India" by industry body Ficci.</p>.<p>Assuring help from thr Centre for the growth of the industry, the minister do admitted that significant EV-specific concerns persist like on batteries, charging, and driving range that prevent a large-scale consumer pull, but these issues being addressed rapidly.</p>.<p>He expressed concerns over the fact that India needs to import oil to cover over 80 per cent of its transport fuel, saying import of crude is a big economic problem.</p>.<p>"Air pollution is a million-dollar problem. We need to find an integrated approach to it. Transport sector alone was responsible for 18 per cent energy demand and 70 per cent of it was met through imported crude oil," Gadkari said.</p>.<p>Terming EVs as a solution to it, he said 22 new green expressways are planned, including Bangalore-Chennai - which will be completed in three years.</p>.<p>He said the government is committed to provide all help to EV makers and 100 per cent GST subsidy has already been offered.</p>.<p>He exhorted people to come forward to use such vehicles for rental or personal use to promote and support the EV industry.</p>.<p>The extensive use of small vehicles such as two-wheelers, three-wheelers gives greater opportunities to manufacture these vehicles in the EV segment.</p>.<p>One challenge for the wide usage of EV technology is the affordability of batteries with efficient technology, but has seen enormous technological advancement in recent years, in both improving battery performance and reducing cost, he said.</p>
<p>Asserting that India has full potential to emerge as a global hub for electric vehicles by 2025, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday asked automobile manufacturers to reduce cost of green vehicle to capture market and fuel growth.</p>.<p>The minister said he is scheduled to make an hour-long presentation on EVs before the Chief Justice of India post-Diwali.</p>.<p>India has the potential to become the largest EV producer in the world in the next five years. However, Indian manufacturers prefer to wait and watch and are late in participating in any global competition, he said addressing a virtual "Electric Mobility Conference 2020 - The Spark Revolution in India" by industry body Ficci.</p>.<p>Assuring help from thr Centre for the growth of the industry, the minister do admitted that significant EV-specific concerns persist like on batteries, charging, and driving range that prevent a large-scale consumer pull, but these issues being addressed rapidly.</p>.<p>He expressed concerns over the fact that India needs to import oil to cover over 80 per cent of its transport fuel, saying import of crude is a big economic problem.</p>.<p>"Air pollution is a million-dollar problem. We need to find an integrated approach to it. Transport sector alone was responsible for 18 per cent energy demand and 70 per cent of it was met through imported crude oil," Gadkari said.</p>.<p>Terming EVs as a solution to it, he said 22 new green expressways are planned, including Bangalore-Chennai - which will be completed in three years.</p>.<p>He said the government is committed to provide all help to EV makers and 100 per cent GST subsidy has already been offered.</p>.<p>He exhorted people to come forward to use such vehicles for rental or personal use to promote and support the EV industry.</p>.<p>The extensive use of small vehicles such as two-wheelers, three-wheelers gives greater opportunities to manufacture these vehicles in the EV segment.</p>.<p>One challenge for the wide usage of EV technology is the affordability of batteries with efficient technology, but has seen enormous technological advancement in recent years, in both improving battery performance and reducing cost, he said.</p>
