People In India Want Electric Vehicles To Reduce Air Pollution, Says Climate Trends Survey

New Delhi: Eighty-seven per cent of the respondents believe that the need for reducing air pollution is the best reason to purchase an electric vehicle, a survey commissioned by Climate Trends and carried out by FourthLion Technologies showed on Thursday. The survey was conducted online from August 21-24 among 2,178 Indian drivers, vehicle owners and those who plan to purchase, own or drive a vehicle in the next 10 years.

Vehicles account for about 24 per cent of India’s carbon emissions and is a major source for air pollution in several cities across the country. According to a recent WHO report, 14 of the top 20 most polluted cities of the world are in India. The survey revealed that most drivers and vehicle owners are personally affected by poor air quality. Seventy-six per cent say they along with their neighbours, friends or family suffer from poor air quality every day or are starting to show symptoms of being affected by air pollution.

Delhi seemed to be worst affected with 91 per cent of its respondents saying that they or people they know are suffering from poor air quality. Similarly, high percentages were recorded in Hyderabad (78 per cent), Chennai (75 per cent), Mumbai (74 per cent), Bangalore (71 per cent), and Kolkata (70 per cent).

Drivers and vehicle owners say they are ‘much more likely’ to consider purchasing an electric vehicle after learning that ‘electric vehicles reduce air pollution through zero on-road emissions’ (72 per cent) and after learning that ‘recharging and driving an electric vehicle costs less per kilometre than fuelling and driving a petrol or diesel vehicle’ (71 per cent). India is the third largest market for automobiles and the world’s largest market when it comes to two-wheelers.

Over four million internal combustion engine vehicles were sold in India in 2017, and 81 per cent of those sales (20 million units) came from the two-wheeler segment alone. In comparison, according to data from the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles, less than a million electric vehicles were sold in India, of which 93 per cent were electric three-wheelers.

The survey indicates very healthy awareness and potential willingness among the respondents to consider purchasing electric vehicles. However, the respondents identified the lack of easily accessible charging infrastructure (59 per cent) and limited driving range on current battery packs (46 per cent) as their biggest objection towards adopting one.

“Since we invested in the technology we have often been told that we were making a big mistake betting on battery powered vehicles. And today with the world transitioning to the new normal, we are recognized as pioneers in electric vehicles,” Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said.

Also Read: Air Pollution In Delhi: State Government Offers Incentives To Industries, Eateries To Switch To Clean Fuel

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign lends support to the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign aims to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation, the importance of building toilets and making India open defecation free (ODF) by October 2019, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Over the years, the campaign has widened its scope to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and menstrual hygiene. The campaign has also focused extensively on marine pollution, clean Ganga Project and rejuvenation of Yamuna, two of India’s major river bodies.