Electric cars are still not as affordable in India as they are in many developed countries. To help this, the Indian government has been progressively taking steps to accelerate EV adoption in the country by rolling out various subsidies and incentives to both manufacturers and car buyers. 

The incentives vary depending on which Indian state you live in, plus new concessions are rolled out as electric vehicle regulations evolve, confusing EV buyers even more. So, on this World Environment Day, we have decoded the various schemes and incentives awarded by central and state governments to make your decision of switching to an electric car or bike easier. 

First, let’s talk about the central government’s scheme. The 2019 Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME-II) scheme offers the following incentives: 

For two-wheelers: Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity, up to Rs 20,000

For four-wheelers: Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity, up to Rs 1.5 lakh 

The above benefits are applicable on the electric cars and two-wheelers that meet the criteria defined under the FAME-II scheme, over and above state government concessions. From the cars that are currently on sale in India, the Tata Nexon EV, Mahindra e-Verito and Tata Tigor EV fulfil the eligibility criteria under this scheme. But don’t worry, even if your next EV is not one of these three, a recently drafted amendment to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, once approved, will exempt all electric vehicles from registration and renewal fees across the country. 

All EVs are currently subjected to a lower rate of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at 5 per cent, which can be nearly 6 to 8 times less than that of petrol and diesel cars. First-time individual buyers who take a loan can also get tax benefits of up to Rs 1.5 lakh under Section 80EEB of the Income Tax Act. 

As for charging infrastructure, several state governments have taken up the Centre’s directives for setting up charging stations for electric cars and bikes across the country. Some state governments have invested in EV adoption by offering incentives to electric car buyers that supplement the Centre’s subsidies. Here are the five Indian states that offer the most incentives on EVs: 

Delhi: 

Subsidy for two-wheelers: Rs 5,000 per kWh of battery capacity, up to Rs 30,000 + registration and road tax exemption

Subsidy for cars: Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity, up to Rs 1.5 lakh + registration and road tax exemption 

Delhi tops this list by matching the subsidies provided by the central government. The benefits of buying an EV in Delhi can be nearly twice that of some other states. In addition, the state government has waived off the registration fees and road tax on all types of electric vehicles under its current scheme. There are currently 72 charging stations listed on the Delhi government website, making this one of the best places to own an electric car or two-wheeler in the country. Keep in mind that the benefits for electric cars are only applicable to the first 1,000 cars to be registered in the state. 

Maharashtra: 

Subsidy for two-wheelers: Rs 5,000 + registration and road tax exemption

Subsidy for cars: Rs 1 lakh + registration and road tax exemption 

According to the state’s 2018 EV policy, Maharashtra offers a 15 per cent subsidy on the purchase cost of the first 70,000 electric bikes and 10,000 cars, but the maximum limits set the benefits lower than you would expect. Nevertheless, these incentives are supplemental to the FAME-II subsidies and significantly reduce the burden of electric car buyers in the state. All EVs registered in Maharashtra are currently exempt from road tax and registration fees. The Rs 1 lakh subsidy is applicable to the first 10,000 electric cars to be registered under this policy until 2023. For example, this translates to savings of as much as Rs 5 lakh on a Tata Nexon EV — with a Rs 1.5 lakh FAME-II subsidy, Rs 1 lakh state government subsidy and Rs 1.5 lakh saved in taxes on interest payments. More than Rs 1.2 lakh are saved on road tax and registration fees. The state cabinet is expected to approve a new 2021 policy that offers no new benefits to EV buyers, but sets ambitious goals to build EV-supporting infrastructure and electrify public transport and government vehicle fleets. 

Meghalaya: 

Subsidy for two-wheelers: Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity + registration and road tax exemption 

Subsidy for cars: Rs 4,000 per kWh of battery capacity + registration and road tax exemption 

Meghalaya’s 2021 EV policy is currently aimed at early adopters in the north-eastern state and will cover fewer vehicles than other state policies in this list — 3,500 two-wheelers and 2,500 four-wheelers. Meghalaya’s EV policy is valid for 5 years and exempts all EVs from registration fees and road tax. According to the official document, EVs will be registered on priority at all state Road Transport Offices (RTOs). The state government will support the setting up of EV charging stations by offering lower electricity tariffs and free land to the government, public sector and private companies for the duration of the policy. 

Karnataka:

Incentive: Road tax and registration fee exemption

Karnataka’s contribution to making EVs more affordable and accessible in India is less direct but no less significant than that of other states in this list. The state government’s EV policy has recently been amended to offer even more concessions and subsidies for EV component and battery manufacturing, battery swapping, and EV charging enterprises. Apart from inviting Tesla to the country, Karnataka offers full exemption from road tax and registration fees for electric vehicles. 

Andhra Pradesh:

Incentive: Road tax and registration fee exemption

Like Karnataka, the state government of Andhra Pradesh has also announced concessions for enterprises that will help build EV infrastructure, including nearly 400 charging stations. There is pressure on the government to announce state subsidies in addition to FAME-II subsidies for electric car and two-wheeler buyers. For now, EVs are exempt from registration fees and road taxes in the state. 

The list of states with EV policies continues to grow in 2021. Telangana grants registration fee and road tax exemption. Goa has announced registration fee and road tax waivers for electric two-wheelers. If approved, a 2019 draft amendment to Bihar’s EV policy will match the Centre’s Rs 20,000 subsidy on electric 2-wheelers and Rs 1.5 lakh on electric cars! Other states that have drafted EV policies are Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Punjab and Chandigarh. 

But there are several more challenges to be overcome. For one, there are limits on the number of beneficiaries under each scheme and not all electric cars sold in India are eligible for subsidies. models of cars are eligible. Heavy taxes on EVs and hybrids imported by carmakers as completely built units (CBUs) has further narrowed options for those wanting an affordable EV. We hope future policies correct the course so that electric vehicles can soon become the norm for urban transportation.

Electric cars, also known as EVs, have recently gained newfound popularity. Global EV sales rose 40% between 2019 and 2020, due to the growing availability of different types of affordable electric cars, Tesla’s historical stock market success and rising fuel costs. Besides the 19 EVs available from Tesla, Nissan, Kia, Porsche and other manufacturers, there are an additional 18 models expected before 2021 is over — and another 29 to 30 that may be released in the next few years.

The car industry is rapidly changing, with the latest alternative-energy vehicles fostering technology that seems light years away from the combustible-engine vehicle. Extended ranges and a growing network of high-speed EV chargers make it possible for the electric-vehicle driver to travel further, removing one of the biggest objections consumers have. Bankrate weighs the pros and cons of electric cars and discusses how they work.

Electric cars in 2021

Key takeaways:

• EV battery costs have dropped $1,000 per kWh in ten years. (Bloomberg)
• There were 25,313 charging stations in the U.S. by the end of 2020, triple the 7,340 there were in 2014. (U.S. Department of Transportation)
• California leads with 12,389 charging stations, followed by New York, Florida and Texas with 2,000 or more each. (U.S. Department of Transportation)
• There are 10 million EVs on the road. (S&P Global)
• 122,016 EVs were sold in March 2021 setting sales records. (U.S. Department of Transportation)

Some significant developments are pushing EVs into the forefront. As more electric cars are produced, the cost to produce batteries has dropped, making the electric vehicle more affordable. Today, batteries are approaching a remarkable price of $100 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Ten years ago, batteries sold for more than $1,100/kWh. Considering that the battery is the most expensive electric vehicle component, the car has become more accessible to the masses.

In addition, charging stations have more than tripled from 7,340 in 2014. By the end of 2020, there were 25,313 charging stations throughout the country. California leads with 12,839. New York, Florida and Texas have the next highest number of charging stations, with 2,000 or more EV charging stations each.

There are over 10 million EVs on the road. EV sales dropped in 2020 to 296,000 units from 331,000 in 2019 due to the pandemic. However, things turned around in 2021. According to the Bureau of Transportation, March sales set records for all types of electric cars. The all-time high of 122,016 EVs sold grew the EV market share to 7.6%:

• Hybrid-Electric Vehicles (HEVs): 75,959
• Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs): 33,370
• Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles (PHEVs): 12,687

Key electric car facts

Electric vehicles are not a passing trend; they become more affordable each year and consumers are becoming more comfortable with the idea of plugging in instead of fueling up. A recent survey by Consumer Reports found that 71 percent of U.S. drivers would consider buying an EV in the future. One third of the respondents said an EV would be their next purchase. Other interesting electric car facts include:

• The first electric vehicle was created in 1832. (Energy.gov)
• An EV would cost only $1 in energy to travel the same distance as a gallon of gas, which currently averages $3.04. (Energy.gov)
• A Tesla Roadster is faster than most sports cars, with an acceleration speed of 0 to 60 in 1.9 seconds. To compare, a Ferrari or Lamborghini accelerates from 0 to 62 in 2.8 to 2.9 seconds. (Tesla and Auto Express)
• Nearly half the EVs in the world are in China. (Global EV Outlook)
• Roughly 96% of EV owners would buy or lease another one. (AAA)
• EVs are more efficient. Up to 80 percent of the battery energy powers the vehicle, compared to 14% to 26% of the energy from a gasoline-powered car. (Energy.gov)
• About 57% of consumers avoid EVs because they worry about running out of charge but only 5% of owners have run out. (AAA)

What is an electric car?

An electric car is powered by an electric motor instead of a gas-powered combustion engine. An EV’s battery can be charged at home or at an EV charging station. The Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) reports that the most popular EV manufacturers are:

• Tesla (Model 3 and Model X)
• Toyota (Prius PHEV)
• Chevrolet (Bolt)
• Nissan (Leaf)

Types of electric cars

Electric cars come in three main types:

• Hybrid-Electric Vehicles (HEVs): HEVs combine a gas-powered engine with one (or more) electric motors. An HEV does not plug in; it collects energy through regenerative braking. The Toyota Prius may be one of the best-known HEVs.
• Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles (PHEVs): Similar to an HEV, the main difference is that a PHEV is able to plug in to charge. The Prius also comes as a plug-in version.
• Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs): Also known as an all-electric car, it needs to be plugged in to recharge. Teslas are BEVs.

How do electric cars work?

An electric vehicle works similarly to a gas-powered car. However, EV drivers may spot some differences from gas-powered vehicles, such as:

• Quiet operation: Many passersby often get startled and say they did not hear an EV approaching, and first-time owners say they sometimes are not sure if their car is on.
• Sluggish acceleration: Some of the hybrid EVs are designed to accelerate slowly and coast, which takes some getting used to. However, electric plug-ins, such as the Tesla or Porsche EVs, are very fast.
• Marked deceleration: EVs typically take advantage of regenerative braking to recharge the battery. Letting off the accelerator could cause the car to noticeably slow down more than a regular vehicle.
• Extra trunk or “frunk” space: Pure EVs don’t have a combustible engine. Therefore, the front hood is empty and, in many models, used as a front trunk.

What powers electric cars?

EVs use batteries to power the vehicle. A traction battery pack drives the vehicle’s wheels. You will find that some cars use electric motor-generators that work to drive the EV and regenerate the battery.

Pros and cons of electric cars

Electric vehicles have come a long way in the last few years — and have much more room for improvement. Consider the following benefits and drawbacks.

Pros

• Energy-efficient: Gas vehicles waste most of the energy they produce. In comparison, up to 80 percent of a battery’s energy powers an electric car.
• Lower maintenance costs: EVs do not have an engine that needs maintenance or oil replacement. And in the case of pure-electric vehicles, brake use is minimal due to the regenerative braking that automatically slows the car down when you let your foot off the accelerator.
• Smaller environmental impact: EVs do not emit pollutants from tailpipes and do not require as much (or sometimes any) gasoline.

Cons

• Cost: Although the cost is steadily decreasing, EVs are still 10% to 40% more expensive to buy than a gasoline-powered vehicle.
• Range: According to Energy.gov, electric vehicles can only travel 100 to 300 miles in one charge, depending on the model.
• Charging: Charging an EV takes much longer than filling up a car with fuel. Charging a Tesla at a Supercharger could take 45 minutes to one hour. Charging at home could take an average of 11.5 hours and could potentially cause a very expensive electric bill.

How much do electric cars cost?

Many factors affect the cost of owning and driving an electric vehicle. Compare the price of driving a gas-powered car to an EV, and you will see some balance between the savings and higher costs of owning an EV.

Technology and infrastructure advancements are making EVs an excellent alternative to gas-powered cars. You could eliminate your gas bill and become part of the sustainable movement. Best of all, driving an EV does not mean you compromise performance or fun — many models are well-equipped to drive as comfortably and capably as a traditional combustion vehicle.

Triton Electric Vehicle, LLC, a US-based company has said that it has got an order from a South Indian company for its EVs. Himanshu Patel, CEO and founder at Triton Electric Vehicles, LLC shared this news on social media. He said that Talwar Auto Garages PVT Ltd, one of the largest automotive distributors in South India, has signed a purchase order for 2,000 Triton EV semi-trucks. The trucks are worth USD 300 million (Rs 21,76,96,50,000). The first deliveries are scheduled almost after a year. Himanshu says that Talwar will supply these trucks to their commercial industrial clients in the southern states of India – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Hyderabad. Triton EV happens to be the subsidiary of Triton Solar. “Triton Solar and Triton-EV are committed to engineering a revolutionary new global energy structure and are working closely with partner nations to accomplish this goal.”, says the company motto.

The aforementioned trucks will be made in the US and exported to India. Triton EV was recently in the news when the brand had opened its bookings for the Model H in the country. While the launch as well as price were to be announced on May 10, 2021, understandably due to the present pandemic, it has been postponed. The Model H is an eight-seater electric SUV and boasts 200kWh batteries that propel it from 0-100kmph in around three seconds. At the same time, one can fully charge the SUV in just two hours, using a fast charger. There is also a massive warranty of 10 years on the car. The Model H looks as big and butch as any other American SUV and boasts a massive 1,100km+ range.

The company says that the Model H is capable of producing more than 1,500hp and is built for the long haul. Pre-bookings had started for the Indian market but as discussed before, they have now been stopped.

General Motors announced a “holistic charging approach” to electric vehicle charging that it’s calling the Ultium Charge 360.

Much like Ford does with its FordPass network, the Ultium Charge 360 will integrate GM’s own vehicle apps and software with a variety of third-party charging services, such as Blink, ChargePoint, EVgo, Flo, Greenlots, and SemaConnect. The goal is to create a seamless experience in which an owner of a GM electric vehicle can drive up to a station, plug in, and start charging without having to juggle multiple apps or third-party memberships.

“There is a lot more to EV adoption than just buying the vehicle and just having a large connected network,” said Travis Hester, GM’s chief EV officer. “And our mission is to help every single person get over whatever anxiety they have, and help them into an EV in the most convenient way possible.”“our mission is to help every single person get over whatever anxiety they have”

Unlike Tesla or Volkswagen, GM does not own its own EV charging network. Owners of GM’s electric vehicles must instead rely on a patchwork of third-party chargers, each with their own software and membership requirements.

The challenge, though, will be to ensure that it all works as advertised. A lot will depend on the level of service provided by these various charging services, an aspect that GM will have little control over. EV charging in the US is a bit of a mess, with broken chargers, fraying cables, and unreliable maps. While GM can’t solve some of the more intractable problems, it says it’s doing what it can to make charging a little less of a headache.

A good comparison is to the FordPass network, which the automaker first introduced in 2019. The automaker claimed that Ford EV owners would have access to 12,000 public chargers. But the branding made it seem as if Ford were launching its own version of Tesla’s Supercharger network, when it was actually tapping existing stations from companies like Electrify America.

Speaking of which, Volkswagen’s subsidiary is noticeably absent from GM’s list of participating charging networks. The automaker said it was seeking to add additional charging providers into its Ultium network in the future.GM said it was making good progress on this partnership

GM wouldn’t say whether its forthcoming EVs would include Plug and Charge capabilities, a new technology standard that allows a much simpler way to charge your car. “We’re not announcing specifics on some of those features,” said Alex Keros, lead architect for EV infrastructure at GM, “but you could certainly imagine Plug and Charge really enabling that seamless experience.”The company announced that it would collaborate with EVgo to create a constellation of 2,700 electric vehicle fast-charging stations in cities around the country. GM didn’t specify the size of its investment in the charging buildout, and the partnership won’t be exclusive, meaning GM’s vehicles won’t get special access to them. GM said it was making good progress on this partnership, with the first stations already up and running in Washington, California, and Florida.

GM, the largest automaker in North America, is in the midst of a historic rebranding as an electric vehicle company. It has committed to spending $27 billion on electric and autonomous vehicles through 2025 — up from the $20 billion it announced before the COVID-19 pandemic. GM has also said it will launch 30 new electric vehicles around the world by that date, more than two-thirds of which will be available in North America. And it has set a goal to phase out its gas-powered vehicles and be a completely carbon neutral company by 2040.

GM unveiled two new EVs in 2020: the Cadillac Lyriq SUV, expected to go into production in late 2022, and the GMC Hummer EV, slated for late 2021. This year, it has revealed more details about an electric Hummer SUV and two new versions of the Chevy Bolt. And GM has also said it would release an electric Chevy pickup truck with 400 miles of range.

Hester said the “major functions” of Ultium Charge 360 will be available by September 2021. He described the new features as “single click, one click to activate” an EV charger, as well as some “gamiefied activity” tied to a specific electric vehicle, adding, “I don’t want to spoil the vehicle news.” 

The Tata Nexon EV is currently the best-selling electric car in the Indian market, and is also one of the most value-for-money EVs in the country.

  The ongoing and rising global transition from ICE vehicles to EVs has resulted in a range of electric cars being launched in the Indian market in the past few years. However, India is still far behind in terms of EV infrastructure. Nonetheless, people are slowly and steadily started accepting EVs as a replacement for ICE cars, and the Tata Nexon EV leads this transition.

 Launched back in January 2020, the Nexon EV quickly gained popularity, and is currently the best-selling electric car in the country. While the Nexon EV seems to tick all the boxes, there are also some reasons we suggest against going for it. Here is a list of the top 5 things we love about the Tata Nexon EV, and the 5 things we don’t, take a look – 

Good: Design 

 The ICE Tata Nexon has been highly praised for its design, especially since it received a mid-life facelift last year. Hence, the Nexon EV, also based on the Nexon facelift, deserves the same praise. The best part of the Nexon EV’s design is how similar it is to the internal combustion Nexon.Apart from blue accents here and there as well as the EV badging, the Nexon EV looks identical to the standard Nexon. Unlike other EVs based on ICE cars, the Nexon EV gets the same front fascia as the regular Nexon, as well as the same alloy wheels.

Bad: Real-World Range

The Nexon EV is the first car to make use of Tata’s Ziptron EV technology. It has been plonked with an IP67 rated 30.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, which is paired to a 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. The car has an ARAI certified range of 312 km on a single full charge.
However, the real-world range of the Nexon EV has been reported by users to be anywhere between 190 to 250 km on a single full-charge, depending on usage. Other users have reported the range to be even lesser, and for the same reason, Delhi government had suspended its subsidy on the Tata Nexon EV last month. This also means that until the EV infrastructure in the country is fully developed, the Nexon EV is best driven in the city. 

Good: Feature-loaded 

Just like its ICE version, the Nexon EV has been packed up to the brim with features. Its equipment list includes an electric sunroof, ZConnect app with 35 connected-car features, 7-inch TFT digital instrument cluster, projector headlamps with LED DRLs, 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, an 8-speaker system by Harman, a 7-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, cooled, multi-drive modes and illuminated glove box and much more.

Bad: Slow Charging 

The Tata Nexon EV can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent in just 60 minutes with the help of a fast charger. However, the 3.3 kWh portable charger that can be used with any 15 ampere AC charging socket will charge the Nexon EV’s battery from 10 per cent to 90 per cent in around 8.5 hours, as claimed by the automaker. This also means that the Nexon EV would take around 10 hours to fully charge from a zero per cent initial charge.

 Good: Performance 

The Nexon’s electric motor puts out 129 PS of maximum power, along with 245 Nm of peak torque. The car can sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in just 9.9 seconds, while 0 – 60 kmph comes up in just 4.6 seconds! The instant torque delivery makes the Tata Nexon EV fun to drive. Also, the 205 mm ground clearance is more than adequate to be driven on bad roads.

Bad: Wheel-Spin 

Due to the instant torque delivery of the electric motor, the Nexon EV has an insane level of wheel-spin, which means that you have to be careful with the throttle input in order to increase the life of the rubber. The wheel-spin can also scare your passengers as well as pedestrians, since the car barely produces any other sound, amplifying the screeching sound of the tyres. 

Good: Safety Rating 

The ICE Tata Nexon is a well-built car, and the sub-4m SUV received a 5-star rating in the Global NCAP crash tests. While the Nexon EV hasn’t been tested by the organisation, it’s built on the same platform and uses the same body panels.

Bad: Missing Safety 

Tech It should be noted that the Tata Nexon EV misses out on some crucial safety features like ESP and traction control, both of which are available on the ICE version. These features should’ve been offered with the Nexon EV, since they would also prevent the wheels from spinning every time you push the accelerator too hard. 

Good: Most Affordable Electric SUV 

The Tata Nexon EV is currently available in three different variants, namely XM, XZ Plus and XZ Plus Lux, priced at Rs 13.99 lakh, Rs 15.39 lakh and Rs 16.39 lakh (ex-showroom). This makes it the most affordable electric SUV in the Indian market. The entry-level Nexon EV XM is also just Rs 1.2 lakh more expensive than the range-topping diesel variant of the ICE Tata Nexon.  

Bad: Restricted Top Speed

 The top speed of the Tata Nexon EV has been restricted to 120 kmph, and while this is more than enough for city driving, it is a little too shy for the highways. The restricted top speed is also a shame considering the Nexon EV’s 0 to 100 kmph sprint time of under 10 seconds. 

Ola Electric on Thursday revealed its plans to set up the world’s largest electric two-wheeler charging network. SoftBank-backed Ola Electric plans to provide charging solutions to all its electric two-wheeler customers. It unveiled the Ola Hypercharger Network, the charging network for its upcoming two-wheeler products starting with the Ola Scooter to be launched in the coming months.

The Ola Hypercharger Network will be the widest and densest electric two-wheeler charging network in the world, with more than 100,000 charging points across 400 cities. In the first year alone, Ola is setting up over 5,000 charging points across 100 cities in India, more than double the existing charging infrastructure in the country. Ola along with its partners would set it up at an estimated cost of $2 billion over a period of five years.

“For us to ensure aggressive and large scale adoption of electric vehicles, a strong charging network is required,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, chairman and group CEO, Ola. “One of the key infrastructure gaps in our country has been the charging network.”

Aggarwal said ‘electric’ is the future of mobility and Ola is reimagining the entire user experience of owning an electric vehicle. The plans to build a comprehensive charging network is a key piece of this. “By creating the world’s largest and densest 2-wheeler charging network, we will dramatically accelerate the customer adoption of electric vehicles and rapidly move the industry to electric,” said Aggarwal.

In India, Ola is now in direct competition with electric two-wheeler makers, such as Ather Energy, Hero Electric, and TVS Motor Company. However, Aggarwal said the charging network won’t be available to other electric vehicle players and only the customers of Ola Electric.

“It is a conscious strategic choice,” said Aggarwal. He said by controlling both ends of the ecosystems–the vehicle and the charging infrastructure–the firm would be able to offer a great “seamless” experience to the customers. He said Elon Musk’s Tesla and Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio had also rolled out their own proprietary charging ecosystem and strategy.

“With Hyundai electric car, you cannot charge on Tesla’s supercharger network. It is for Tesla people,” said Aggarwal.

Ola will offer the most comprehensive set of charging options to its electric vehicle customers. This would be done through a combination of widely deployed high-speed Ola Hyperchargers and the home-charger that will come bundled with the Ola Scooter.

Ola Hypercharger will also be the fastest two-wheeler charging network. The Ola Scooter can be charged 50 per cent in just 18 minutes for a 75 km range, providing superior range confidence. Ola Hyperchargers will be widely deployed across cities and will be found in city centres and dense business districts as stand-alone towers as well as in popular locations such as malls, IT parks, office complexes and cafes, ensuring that Ola Electric customers always have a Hypercharger nearby.

The Ola Hypercharger network, being built by Ola along with partners, will be complemented by the home charger that will be bundled with the Ola Scooter. The home charger will require no installation and will provide Ola customers with the convenience of charging at home by simply plugging into a regular wall socket for overnight charging.

Ola Hypercharger network, together with the home-charger and Ola Scooter’s industry-leading range, will ensure that customers have complete range confidence when opting for Ola’s electric vehicles.

The company said Ola Hypercharger network will offer an effortless and seamless charging experience to Ola customers. They have to simply arrive at a charging location and plug their scooter into the charging point. Customers can easily monitor the charging progress in real-time on the Ola Electric app. The same app can be used to seamlessly pay for the charging as well.

“We have also built navigation features,” said Varun Dubey, head of marketing at Ola Electric and Ola Financial Services. “If you are going from point A to B, our app would automatically know whether you have enough charge.”

The much-anticipated and soon-to-be-launched Ola Scooter is a tech-driven electric vehicle with industry-leading range and speed. It will be manufactured at the Ola Futurefactory which is being built at record speed in Tamil Nadu, India, with its first phase to be ready this summer. The facility is being built with an investment of Rs 2400 crore on 500 acres of land.

The company said the electric two-wheeler will be priced aggressively to make it accessible to all and will help accelerate India’s transition to sustainable, clean and electric mobility.

The Ola Scooter has already won several prestigious awards including the IHS Markit Innovation award at CES and the German Design Award. The firm said it has industry-first smart features that reimagine the entire scooter experience for customers in India and around the world. The scooter has a sophisticated design and a unique banana-shaped battery that is easy to remove and charge anywhere.

In July 2019 Ola Electric Mobility (Ola Electric), the ride-hailing firm’s electric vehicle arm raised $250 million from Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank. It was just a two-year-old firm at that time. The investment made the fledgeling venture a “unicorn”, or a start-up valued at more than $1 billion.

Covid-19 impact

At a time when the second wave of Covid-19 has wreaked havoc in the country, Aggarwal doesn’t foresee any major disruption presently, in the roll-out of its charging network, vehicles and setting up of the Futurefactory. He said there were supply chain issues before the second covid wave as well. “We don’t forecast any major issues ourselves, but the next month is going to be critical.”

Ola’s mega-factory will have an initial capacity of 2 million units a year in phase 1 around June this year. It will serve as the company’s global manufacturing hub for its range of electric-powered scooters and two-wheelers across India and international markets including Europe, UK, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.

Aggarwal said the automotive sale got hampered due to coronavirus waves, but EV penetration went up drastically in regions such as Europe, China and the US.

“I feel EVs are so disruptive,” said Aggarwal. “EV penetration will actually thrive and go up significantly (due to) any kind of demand issue.”

Ola Electric said its technology in the new charging network is cutting edge compared to innovations in other countries. Aggarwal said the majority of the electric two-wheelers in China using lead-acid batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries as the country had started electrification many years back.

Few of the industry executives have called Aggarwal’s plans for the electric vehicle business ‘outlandish claims’.

“I would like to ask them, what have they been doing,” said Aggarwal.

He said the US and China are ahead of India in this space and the players here have remained circumspect.

“Why is the world ahead of us. We want to put India on the global map,” said Aggarwal. “For that, we have to build research and development and the manufacturing capabilities.”

An independent study by CEEW Centre for Energy Finance (CEEW-CEF) in December 2020 claims that India’s electric vehicles (EV) industry will become a $206 billion opportunity by 2030. And journeying In this ambitious road towards embracing change in transportation, a number of companies are riding the EV wave.

Okinawa Autotech, founded by Rupali and Jeetender Sharma in 2015, claims to be the first company to launch India’s high-speed electric two-wheeler Okinawa Dual, which is expected to help businesses with last-minute deliveries.

Born and raised in Ganganagar, Rajasthan, Rupali Sharma moved to Gurugram after her wedding to Jeetender Sharma. There, she worked as a dentist for over a decade before joining her husband, a veteran in the automobile industry, to start Okinawa Autotech in 2015 with a “vision to create a greener and cleaner environment for the present and future generations”.

Rupali says Jeetender’s visit to Okinawa Island in Japan is what inspired him to launch this startup. “He observed and realised the key reason behind the people in that region having one of the highest life expectations is the low pollution levels,” she adds.

Setting up the business

But the idea of Okinawa Autotech was faced with scepticism initially. “One of the most common questions was whether they would be able to return home if they ride an EV — the ‘range anxiety’ was real. Besides, people believe electric vehicles are ‘low-speed’ vehicles that could never match an ICE. We wanted to manufacture and sell high-performing e-vehicles in order to break this myth and make people realise that EVs could offer the same performance as vehicles run on conventional fuels.” says Rupali.

Okinawa set up its corporate base in Gurugram, with its manufacturing unit in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. The first two years were spent on market research, understanding the customer requirements and challenges, development of the entire supplier base, prototype formation, endurance testing, and other parameters.

The first prototype was tested for 25,000 km in different road conditions. Based on the results, Okinawa improved its prototype and launched its first product, a high-speed scooter RIDGE in 2017. At present, it has six electric scooters in its portfolio in the price range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.14 lakh. These are a mix of lithium-ion slow-speed and lithium-ion high-speed scooters.

In the low-speed range, Okinawa Autotech offers Okinawa R30, Okinawa Lite, and Okinawa Dual. On the other hand, the three high-speed products are Okinawa Ridge+, Okinawa Praise Pro, and Okinawa iPraise+. It is also planning to launch two more new high-speed two-wheelers this year.

The startup’s target audience spans across India in both B2C, as well as B2B segments. The consumers are between the ages of 16 and 60 and above. Among businesses, it is focusing on ecommerce and food delivery companies, to begin with.

With India slowly emerging as a hub for EV manufacturing, Okinawa has several competitors, including Ather and Hero Electric.

However, Rupali says the startup differentiates itself with its extensive dealership network, provision for road-side assistance, EMI options, and app-connectivity, among others.

“Okinawa is a bootstrapped venture. We have invested close to Rs 150 crore in operating and growing the business. In the last fiscal, we saw significant growth in revenue, clocking approximately Rs 140 crore and we are aiming to achieve a revenue of Rs 155 crore in FY21. We are looking at a three-fold increase in revenue to Rs 400 crore in FY22,” she says.

Rupali believes she has been fortunate enough to get the right support from her family and peers to step into an industry generally perceived as ‘not fit for women’. However, there’s still a long way to go for a genuinely welcoming environment for women entrepreneurs.

For her fellow women entrepreneurs, she has one piece of advice, “Do not hesitate from dreaming. When you dream it, set out to achieve it. The path might be difficult and filled with obstacles, but if you have a clear vision, then nothing is impossible.”

This year, Okinawa has forayed into the B2B segment with the launch of Okinawa Dual, an electric two-wheeler, specifically designed to help businesses in last-mile delivery. The startup also plans to expand its footprint in the global market.