Nitin Gadkari, India’s Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways said that by 2030, 80% of two-wheelers and 30% of private vehicles in India will be electric. This statement is just one of the many goals being set by the government to turn India into the electric vehicles market compition.
And this push towards EVs is being boost by increase consumer interest and awareness about electric vehicles.
But before EVs become a success in the Indian market, there are some of challenges that the sector faces.
Price
There is still a significant price gap that remains between conventional vehicles and EVs.
Range
This is a term many EV owners are familiar with.
It means to the feeling of anxiety when the battery charge is low, and a source of electricity might not be available.
This is serious concerns about being stranded in the middle of nowhere and it adds to the inconvenience and stress of a journey.
There are many studies that show a causal link between range anxiety and avoidance of purchasing an EV.
India’s current charging infrastructure is not even close to matching its ambitious EV goals and this will be a primary deterrent for automobile buyers who might be interest in EVs but are plague by range anxiety.
Consumer Perception
The consumer perception of electric vehicles in India is still uncertain.
It is a technology that the masses are still not familiar with and along with the above challenges, lack of assurance about satisfactory resale value and service infrastructure will tend to act as deterrents.
Advantages of Electric Vehicles
Low Cost
EVs undoubtedly offer a significantly lower cost of ownership in their life cycle when compare to conventional vehicles.
Maintenance
The only major components in an EV are the battery and the electric motor, and this makes EVs much easier to maintain.
Pollution
Electric vehicles do not emit pollutants into the air and the noise pollution component is close to nil when compare to their ICE counterparts.
EVs ensure a cleaner and quieter environment.
Comfort
An electric vehicle is simple to drive and the overall ease of operation is high.
Role of Batteries in Electric Vehicles
Lithium-Ion batteries are a type of rechargeable battery that is essential to electric vehicles and many other portable electronics.
When we compare to typical lead-acid or nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries, Lithium-Ion batteries have a higher energy density.
These battery also deliver several advantages such as high energy density, fast charging, low self-discharge, long lifetime and cycling performances.
And they typically have thousands of charging/ discharging cycles.
This is why their use is highly prefer in the EV market.
A high Capex expenditure and certain safety concerns relate to thermal runaways are the key challenges when it comes to using Lithium-Ion batteries.
In order to improve the safety of Lithium-Ion batteries, they should be operate within specified conditions.
That is why EVs have various types of electronic control systems such as battery management system (BMS) and a monitoring unit like Telematics Control unit (TCU).
A battery management system assists in delivering optimal power to the vehicle systems.
Additional safety is also enhance by using safety materials like thermal interface materials, insulators and fire-retardant materials.
The government has also formulate regulatory standards in order to ensure the safety of Lithium-Ion batteries.
They provide a common language to measure and evaluate safety.
It protects consumers by ensuring safety, durability, and market equity.
These standards also allow the technology to work seamlessly and establish trust so that markets can operate smoothly.
The tests strive to simulate how Lithium-Ion batteries would react in actual use case scenarios.
AIS048, AIS156 and AIS038 are a few of the regulatory standards that ensure battery pack safety requirements concerning the electric power train of various category vehicles.
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