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As the world celebrates World EV Day, India's significant progress in adopting electric vehicles (EVs) across various categories is commendable, however, there is still a long way to go. The government of India's Vaahan Dashboard data shows an increasing trend to shift towards green mobility solutions. The most notable trend in EV penetration has been witnessed in the three-wheeler category, where EVs have surged ahead in overall sales. According to the data, 53.61% of all new three-wheeler vehicles purchased this year (2024) were electric, making this segment the leader in EV adoption. The two-wheeler segment has also shown encouraging signs of EV adoption, with electric vehicles accounting for 4.97% of all two-wheeler sales so far in 2024. While the percentage is lower compared to three-wheelers, the two-wheeler category holds significant potential for growth, given its dominance in India's overall vehicle sales market. As more consumers seek cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives, the penetration of EVs in this segment is expected to grow further in the coming years. However, in the four-wheeler segment, the adoption of EVs remains relatively low, with electric cars making up just 2.14% of total car sales this year. Despite this, the increasing availability of EV models and government incentives are expected to drive further growth in this segment. Interestingly, the penetration of electric buses is higher than that of electric cars, with 3.20% of all new buses sold in 2024 being electric. This trend highlights the growing importance of sustainable public transport solutions as cities aim to reduce emissions and promote cleaner alternatives in mass transit. "Electric vehicles offer a very compelling solutions because they do not emit any tailpipe emissions so that improves their air quality that reduces their air pollution. It also reduces the carbon emission so it helps India to meet with its climate goals and generally, electric vehicles have lower operating cost as compared to the IC engine vehicles," said Samhita Shiledar, Director RMI to ANI. On a state-wise level, the Vaahan dashboard data highlighted that Goa leads the country in EV penetration, with 14.20% of all new vehicles sold this year being electric. Tripura ranks second, followed by Chandigarh in third place. Delhi also stands out with a 10.72% penetration of EVs in total vehicle sales, showcasing the capital's push towards sustainable urban mobility. On the other hand, Himachal Pradesh reported the lowest EV penetration, with only 1.09% of new vehicles sold being electric. In terms of total number of EV sales across all segments in India, the two-wheeler category dominates the electric vehicle market in India, accounting for approximately 51% of total EV sales this year. As World EV Day highlights the global commitment to cleaner mobility solutions, India's data reflects a promising shift but a long way to go towards electrification across various vehicle segments. <meta content="cms.next" name="cmsei" />

World EV Day: 50%+ three-wheelers, 5% of 2-wheelers, and 2% of cars purchased in 2024 are EVs.

Sixty-six percent of road traffic deaths in Southeast Asia are of pedestrians, motorized two-wheeler riders, and cyclists, while the highest traffic fatalities in India are among two- and three-wheeler riders, according to the latest WHO report. The "WHO South-East Asia Regional Status Report on Road Safety" was launched during "Safety 2024", the 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, 2024. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, 30% of reported road traffic deaths involved users of powered two- and three-wheelers. Occupants of four-wheeled vehicles make up 25% of the deaths and pedestrians account for 21 %. Cyclists represent 5% of the deaths. The remaining 20% include occupants of large vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, and other or unknown user types. "In the WHO Southeast Asia Region, the share of reported road traffic deaths is 46% for users of powered two- and three-wheelers, 12 for occupants of four-wheeled vehicles, 17% for pedestrians, 3% for cyclists and 22% for others. In all these countries, vulnerable road users (pedestrians, motorised two-wheeler users and bicyclists) constitute 66% of the total reported road traffic deaths," the report said. "Drivers or riders of two and three-wheelers constitute the highest proportion among all road user categories in India (45.1%), Maldives (100 %), Myanmar (47%) and Thailand (51.4%)," it added. The WHO noted that no country in the South Asian region had achieved the target of reducing its estimated road traffic deaths by 50 %. However, considerable reduction in the WHO's estimated road traffic deaths occurred in the Maldives and Thailand, where estimated road traffic deaths decreased by 46.2% and 41.7 %, respectively. On the contrary, reported road traffic deaths in the region increased by 15 % in the 2010-2021 period. At the country level, no member state of the Southeast Asia Region with more than 10 million population has reported a decrease in road traffic deaths during this period. "However, it should be noted that the reported number of road traffic deaths in Thailand reduced by 22.9% between 2016 and 2021. The estimated road traffic deaths too increased in Bangladesh, India and Nepal during the period 2010-2021 by 23 %, 2% and 25%, respectively," the report said. Etienne Krug, director of the WHO's Department for Social Determinants of Health, said road traffic crashes were a major crisis of the 21st century. "...a large proportion of people who die in road crashes are those who cannot afford to buy a car. This is urgent time to take action. The report reveals that the crisis is huge but we need to understand and act with determination that prevention is possible and needs strict enforcement," he said. The three-day conference is being hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi; George Institute for Global Health in collaboration with the All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS), National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and co-sponsored by WHO. "To reduce inequities, we must acknowledge that injuries disproportionately impact vulnerable communities -- because we are far behind in addressing real problems with real solutions. Lived experience shows how policy shapes differential exposure, risk, and outcomes, underscoring the urgent need for change," said Jagnoor Jagnoor, head of injury division at George Institute for Global Health. During the conference, the international experts are uniting with a shared goal of "building a safer future for all: Equitable and sustainable strategies for injury and violence prevention". The conference will focus on five key themes -- improving coordination and collaboration among stakeholders, strengthening capacity for research and practice, integrating injury prevention with global health agendas such as sustainability and equity, empowering communities, and promoting informed policymaking.<meta content="cms.next" name="cmsei" />

Pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheeler riders constitute 66% of road fatalities in Southeast Asia, says a WHO report

<ul><li>The Indian government has been giving a big boost to Electric vehicles (EVs) to meet its climate change commitments.</li><li>Experts from Gateway House believe that EVs may not be the right way to reduce carbon emission or lower India’s dependency on oil.</li><li>Instead, exploring hydrogen fuel and getting oil-rich countries to invest in downstream assets may be a better option in the long haul.</li></ul>The Indian government has been giving a big boost to electric vehicles (EVs) as a part of its ambitions to meet its climate change commitments on fossil fuels. EVs may be trending, however, experts believe that EVs may not be the right answer for India’s requirements. “In the form of fossil fuels, we have an energy source that’s reliable and it works. EVs have captured the imagination of people due to high-end cars being produced for the super-rich in the west,” said Amit Bhandari, energy and environment fellow with Gateway House. The central theme of switching over to EVs are two-fold. One is to reduce India’s dependency on oil and the second is to reduce carbon emissions. On both accounts, EVs fail to meet the requirements. The dependency conundrum There was a time when the concern of acquiring enough oil to meet India’s energy demand. But over the last decade, the tables have turned and oil suppliers should be equally worried about demand security. “With its already large market and expected growth, India is going to be a key provider of this demand security,” said Bhandari. Not only should India invest in oil-rich countries but it should also get them to invest in downstream assets so that both their fortunes are tied together, he explains. On the one hand, India will get protection against price fluctuations, and on the other, it will also be ensuring that its energy demands are future proof. In pursuing EVs, India may reduce its dependency on oil but it will also create an entirely new dependency as well. “Pursuing EVs at this point of time, very aggressively, is akin to falling into a black hole called the Chinese economy,” said Chaitanya Giri, space and emerging technologies fellow with Gateway House. China can afford to be an EV-centric nation because it has an enormous amount of lithium reserves in its own backyard. For India, it will have to look to countries like China, Australia, the lithium triangle — Bolivia, Chile and Argentina — or the Democratic Republic of Congo for its requirements. “The internal geopolitical stability of Congo is a big question mark. So we really don’t want to create a new set of dependencies by over-focusing on EVs,” said Giri. South America, on the other hand, is a very long logistic distance for India to consider. The problem of carbon emissions Until and unless India switches over to renewable sources of energy at the source, it will only be transferring it problem of carbon emissions from the tailpipe to the back-end, explains Bhandari. “EVs are trying to address the question of clean air. Moving towards natural gases is probably a better solution and can be done with the existing infrastructure,” he said. This is because, at the end of the day, electricity is generated using coal, oil or other fossil fuels — which still produce their fair share of carbon dioxide. EVs, on the other hand, will be duplicating hundred and million dollars worth of oil infrastructure, which we have created over the past century. And, India will be doing it at a time when companies are struggling to stay afloat and to pay wages to their existing employees — to create something from scratch, explains Bhandari. It will also put the jobs of nearly 8 million Indians who work in the Gulf at risk. Is there a third option? Experts suggest that rather than pushing on EVs right now, India can set its own new emission standards. For now, EVs are expensive cars and bikes that only the super-rich can afford. The economics of it don’t really add up. In addition to that, the technology behind EVs is yet to pan out. If India chooses to invest in lithium batteries, it will have to set up plants. Some people may move to supercapacitors. The technology is changing all the time and continues to be dynamic. “Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. And, if we start to use it as a fuel, then it’s also the cleanest of all,” suggests Giri. Hydrogen is made from natural gas, something that India’s existing infrastructure can already support. The Indian Oil Corporation has already demonstrated technology where it can blend hydrogen with compressed natural gas (CNG) — which is already being used for a large chunk of public transportation. “Having said that, hydrogen fuel, even today is very expensive,” Giri explained but it’s something that makes more sense to invest in for the long haul given India’s position right now. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/china-responds-to-prime-minister-narendra-modi-and-us-president-donald-trump-conversation/articleshow/76188158.cms">China responds to Modi-Trump conversation — ‘there is no need for any third party to intervene’</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/india-and-australia-pump-12-7-million-into-ai-quantum-computing-and-robotics/articleshow/76194354.cms">India and Australia pump $12.7 million into AI, quantum computing and robotics — renewing their cyber and critical technology partnership</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/fridays-lunar-eclipse-might-be-difficult-to-spot-heres-how-you-catch-the-difference/articleshow/76189989.cms">Friday’s lunar eclipse might be difficult to spot — here’s how you catch the difference</a> <meta content="cms.next" name="cmsei" />

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World EV Day: 50%+ three-wheelers, 5% of 2-wheelers, and 2% of cars purchased in 2024 are EVs.

Pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheeler riders constitute 66% of …

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Prabhjote Gill