BENGALURU: Former CEO of Niti Aayog, Amitabh Kant said that the future of automobiles is electric and it is very important for India as the sector accounts for 7 per cent of the country’s GDP. However the automobile industry has seen huge disruptions around the globe, with countries moving away from fossil fuels and combustion engines to electric.
If India wants to grow at a fast pace, capturing this market is critical, he said on Saturday while delivering the keynote address at Ather’s (EV manufacturers) community day event. The former CEO of the think tank also warned that if India doesn’t accelerate in the EV market, other countries will take over manufacturing and export.
“India’s demographic is unique. There are only 28 cars per thousand people, and around 75% of the population which is 20-30 odd crore individuals are using two-wheelers, which is why it is important to make India’s two and three-wheelers an all-electric affair. By 2030, we should achieve this target starting with 30% of all urban scooters going electric,” Kant said.
He strongly advocated that all charging stations and batteries should be interoperable so that more Indians are encouraged to invest in electric scooters. Around 60% of the market for three-wheelers has gone electric, however, for two-wheelers, the figure is a mere 5 % that needs a serious push.
Kant also spoke about how Niti Aayog has worked with 20 IITs and IIITs to introduce a course on electric mobility. “The world of skilling has completely altered and jobs today need data scientists, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning experts. Our startups today need around 100,000 new product developers and therefore all institutions need an overhaul of their curriculum and catch up with evolving technologies.
Encouraging more companies to prioritise manufacturing EVs he added that the aim should be to become the biggest manufacturers in this domain and the largest exporters. Appreciating the company’s newly launched family scooter Ather Rizta with top-notch technology interventions Kant said it is true Indian entrepreneurship as it is ‘Indian hardware and Indian software.’ The new scooter has a large seat and several safety features that help the rider have a good experience. Ather also launched a smart helmet called ‘Halo’.