The automobile industry in India is looking forward to making a future out of electric vehicles (EVs).
By Rohit Chatterjee
Bengaluru, April 9, 2019: The Indian automobile industry is trying hard to match with other countries in the segment of electric vehicles,to make them the new mode of transport. However, certain problems are making it hard for electric vehicle to create an impression.
In recent times, a few Indian manufacturers have made headlines trying to bring electric vehicles in India. Among them, one manufacturer made the headlines from Bengaluru, bringing in electric scooters. However, the manufacturer could not make a presence in the market.
The biggest reason is the cost of the vehicle, along with after sales costs. The parts of an electric vehicle are costly compared to that of a conventional engine. Not just cost but after sales service of the vehicles remains one of the major problems.
To keep a vehicle running in good condition, it is important to create service centers. Not just in the city, but also on the highways. It cannot be limited to Bengaluru only.
Another major problem is the availability of charging points. Since they are not readily available, electric vehicles are less prone to function. Also, the charging period is another issue.
To get an insight on the mechanical aspect of the electric vehicles, the Softcopy newspaper spoke to Saurav Lahiri, a member of Team Poseidon who took part in the SAE Baja Rally.
He said, “The industry is changing. Everyone is trying to get into the electronic vehicle segment. But, with electronic vehicles, there are many problems. The mileage of the vehicle is obviously an issue. None of the vehicle present in India can run for 500 kilometers in a single go. It has to be stopped and charged to cover a distance. And, where are the charging points? There are no charging points in the city. People cannot even go to highways on a road trip because there are no charging points on the highway.”
Saurav also said that since the entire engine set up is different, local mechanics are not able to fix the vehicles in case of a breakdown.
An electric vehicle runs on a pack of battery where as a conventional vehicles runs on fuel which creates combustion. Both have a different mechanical aspect. Without training, a mechanic cannot work on an electric vehicle.
So, if there is a breakdown, one has to wait for the engineers from the company to arrive and get the vehicle repaired which will take a lot of time. In such a scenario, it is important that the company provides a service center at close proximity so that it can be accessed easily by the customers. However, that has not been the case by the electronic vehicle manufacturers currently operating in India.
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