The EV industry sold 156,000 electric vehicles in the FY19-20. Out of this, 152,000 were two-wheelers, 3400 cars and 600 buses. The corresponding sale for the FY 18-19 was 126,000 two-wheelers, 3600 cars and around 400 buses making a total of 130,000 units. This growth of 20% has largely come from two-wheelers. This figure does not include E Rickshaws which is still largely with the unorganized sector with a reported sale of around 90,000 units. The corresponding figures of the E-ricks sold in the previous year have not been documented.
In the E2Ws sold in FY 19-20, 97% were electric scooters and a very small volume of motorcycles and electric cycles filled the rest of 3%. Low-speed scooters that go at a max speed of 25km/hr and do not need registration with the transport authorities constituted a whopping 90% of all the E2Ws sold.
In the electric four-wheeler segment, 3400 units were sold compared to 3600 units in the previous fiscal year. The decrease in numbers is attributed mainly due to lack of bulk purchase of E-cars in FY 19-20 and discontinuation of one of the leading car models. The acceptability of electric cars in the premium segment in the second half of the year was a positive signal of a quantum jump of a much higher volume of E-cars in FY 20-21. The E-Taxi segment is also beginning to get some traction, though the range of E-cars and lack of charging spots in enough density are a deterrent in the growth of E-taxi segment. E-Buses went into a Yo-Yo of big commitments by the state governments not translating into purchases.
Commenting on the sales report, Mr Sohinder Gill, Director General, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles said, “The EV industry is taking shape and we believe that despite the COVID 19, the FY 20-21 will be a defining year for all the EV segments. While the EV industry is surely going to face the brunt of Covid19 like any other automotive business, the clearer skies and the cleaner air in even the worst polluting cities is certainly leaving a permanent impression in the minds of the customers about how they can breathe easy and remain healthy if the society moves towards E Mobility. The latest Harvard research of how PM2.5 pollution can multiply the risk of COVID deaths is a stark reality of how the pollutants of the IC vehicles can harm us and is certainly going to make the policymakers think on how to accelerate the EV growth. I feel, given the right impetus by the government and the industry, the EV industry can spring back faster than the ailing IC vehicles segment. A pertinent factor that may work in favour of E2Ws post-COVID would be the choice of switching over from crowded mass transport to the sensibly priced electric two-wheelers with almost the same cost of commuting, as of public transport”.
“Few experiments like E2Ws being sold without the batteries and customer paying for the batteries as a fuel, E-commerce companies realising the economic benefits of EVs and converting their fleets, E Carts becoming a convenient and cost-effective means of short distance logistics, E taxis fleets beginning to make money due to lower operating costs may bring around the inflection point in the EV industry in FY 21-22”, added Sohinder Gill.
