Kant encourages EV makers to build a high-value product for the world at the Ather Energy Community Day | Autocar Professional

baua

Kant encourages EV makers to build a high-value product for the world at the Ather Energy Community Day | Autocar Professional


G20 sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant advised EV makers not to create a low value brand, but one for the aspirational middle class, at the second Ather Energy Community Day in Bengaluru.

In his speech, Kant advised EV makers to drive more penetration without burning cash. “My advice is don’t create a low-value brand, create a brand for the aspirational middle class. If 70% of India moves on two-wheelers, only 5% of the scooters are electric. ICE is a dead technology according to me. The future has to be electric,” he said. 

Kant also called Ather’s family electric scooter Rizta an example of a make-in-India product that’s “got better technology than a small car.”

 

“It’s a great make-in India scooter and a great example of innovation of R&D, and young entrepreneurship in India. The focus is on comfort and safety with a lot of storage space,” Kant said at the Community Day, which saw a host of tech-enabled products including India’s first smart helmet the Halo. 

In his speech, Kant advised EV makers to drive more penetration without burning cash. “My advice is don’t create a low-value brand, create a brand for the aspirational middle class. If 70% of India moves on two-wheelers, only 5% of the scooters are electric. ICE is a dead technology according to me. The future has to be electric,” he said. 

He added that like America was made for fossil fuel vehicles, India can be the champion of the world in electric two-wheelers and not only make for the country but also export it to the world. 

The auto sector accounts for 35% of the manufacturing and 7% of the GDP, he points out. “The world is moving away from combustion engines to electric vehicles,” he said.

Our target should be very clear that we would be the biggest manufacturers and exporters of electric two-wheelers,” he said. 

Kant added that disruption in the sector will be much larger, with close to Rs 55,000 crore for PLI in the automobile sector, the FAME scheme and a push in battery manufacturing. “We should target 100% electrification in two and three wheelers by 2030,” he said. 

Kant’s words come at a time when the FAME II subsidy ended on March 31. As per the interim budget, the central government had slashed the budget allocation for FAME Scheme by nearly 44% to Rs 2,671 crore for FY25. This affected the industry growth and adoption rates to a great extent as EV makers had to resort to price hikes. FAME III is likely to be a part of the main budget in July.

 

 

Toyota and Subaru plan another global electric SUV to join bZ4X, Solterra

Another Toyota and Subaru co-developed electric SUV is coming to the US, Europe, and Japan….

Anker fall Prime Day sale saves you up to ,134, GoTrax EBE1 e-bike at 0 low, Greenworks, AeroGarden, more

Amazon’s Prime Big Deals Day event is in full swing and we’re working non-stop to…

Here’s why Rivian (RIVN) is cutting its EV production goal for 2024

After Rivian (RIVN) lowered its production goal for the year, the EV maker said it…