EVs in the Budget:
Finance Minister N.Sitharaman presented the 2024 Budget on February 1, and addressed India’s electric vehicle sector prominently.
Let's have a look at the key points:
1. The central government will expand & strengthen the country’s EV ecosystem by supporting manufacturing & charging infrastructure. This support will generate opportunities for stakeholders to develop & supply EV charging stations.
2. The government will also encourage the adoption of electric buses for public transport through a ‘Payment Security Mechanism’. This Payment Security Mechanism is a joint financial security mechanism between India & US that aims to provide an assurance to bus manufacturers to participate in electric bus manufacturing operations and set-up a manufacturing hub in India. The mechanism will address financial uncertainties.
3. The government has increased budget allocation for the PLI scheme (production-linked incentive scheme) to prop up domestic production of green technologies. It has been raised from Rs 483.77 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 3500 crore for 2024-25.
4. The allocation for PLI scheme for 'advanced chemistry cell' (ACC) & battery storage has also been increased from Rs 12 crore to Rs 250 crore.
5. Another green initiative by the government included a rooftop solarisation scheme targeting one crore households.
The automobile industry welcomed the government's approach towards the EV sector and applauded the objective of self-reliance.
Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024:
The Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024, held at the Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, has concluded. The event featured more than 1000 exhibitors and was a tremendous success. Now let’s have a look at the e-mobility aspect of the expo:
Tata Motors exhibited an impressive variety of vehicles at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024.
Tata Motors showcased the Tata Curvv on the first day of the expo. The Curvv SUV’s coupe design made it stand out amongst the many SUVs exhibited at the expo.
Tata Motors will offer the Curvv in multiple powertrains (petrol, diesel, CNG & EV). The Curvv displayed at the expo featured significant updates compared to its previous version showcased at the Auto Expo last year. Notable changes included Daytime Running LED Lights and different grille, bumper & headlights. The rear now features connected LED taillights.
Other EVs showcased by Tata Motors at the expo included Tata Ace EV, Tata Ultra E.9 (electric truck for high-capacity cargo transport), Tata Prima E.28 K (electric tripper truck concept for construction sector), Magna EV (electric bus), Starbus EV, Punch EV, Harrier EV Concept.
Mahindra also showcased its innovative electric vehicle lineup. EVs showcased by the company at the expo included the XUV400 EL Pro, BE.RALL-E Concept, Treo Plus and Zor Grand.
EKA Mobility unveiled a 1.5-tonne electric LCV (light commercial vehicle) called EKA K1.5. The e-LCV can be customized for serving different functions, like last-mile delivery, temperature-sensitive logistics, etc. The company also showcased its 9-metre electric bus, EKA 9 Staff Bus at the expo.
The TVS corner displayed the TVS iQube & TVS X electric scooters. But the highlight was the company’s 1st electric motorcycle, the Apache RTE.
Mercedes-Benz showcased the electric variant of its G-Wagon, the EQG.
MG showcased its ZS EV & Comet EV electric cars. The company also demonstrated the innovative battery tech used in MG ZS EV’s prismatic cell battery. Also on display was MG’s 6-way charging system and 2nd life battery solutions.
Skoda showcased the Enyaq EV.
Maruti Suzuki showcased the eVX electric SUV.
Force Motors showcased the 'Traveller Electric' city bus.
Bajaj showcased the Chetak Premium electric scooter, the RE E-Tec 9.0 passenger electric 3-wheeler and Maxima XL Cargo E-Tec12.0 electric 3-wheeler.
Honda showcased the Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: battery swapping tech (with a Benly electric three-wheeler).
VE Commercial Vehicles, a joint venture between Volvo & Eicher, showcased eco-friendly mobility solutions including Eicher Pro 2055 EV (5.5-tonne electric truck) and Eicher Pro 12-meter EV bus.
Ashok Leyland delivered keys of its 14T Boss Electric Trucks to eMobility-as-a-Service company BillionE at the expo.
Uber officially launched the ‘Uber Green’ ride option (for Delhi-NCR) on its app at the expo.
Joy e-bike introduced a hydrogen-powered electric two-wheeler and a new high-speed electric scooter. Also, the company showcased ‘Joy e-rik’, a new electric three-wheeler.
Kazam at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024:
Kazam also exhibited its EV chargers and SaaS products at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Kazam booth and interacted with our team.
For complete EV charging solutions, explore the Kazam website.
