Is Electric Three-Wheelers The Solution For Polluted Cities?

Piyush Pandey Jun 07, 2023

India's economic growth is being sparked from new geographies as rapid urbanisation continues to spread throughout the country, with cities expanding and absorbing neighbouring villages and smaller towns transforming into tier 2, 3 cities. Clearly, the benefits of urbanisation and economic expansion has some drawbacks too, like the lack of last-mile connectivity.

In order to encourage people to use public transportation instead of private vehicles, last-mile connectivity is a necessity. The economic and social needs of an expanding metropolis must be met by robust public mass transit systems. Therefore, all efforts should be directed toward increasing ridership and facilitating commuters' transition to their preferred mode of transportation. However, most cities face the issue of poor last-mile connectivity, where commuters are forced to use private vehicles, which exacerbates traffic congestion and lengthens commuting times and increases fuel consumption, leading to air pollution.

To address this issue, policymakers, regulators, and Indian OEMs now have a job at hand to quickly accept, adapt, and accommodate fresh and emerging forms of transportation and mobility services that are alluring, dependable, profitable, and most crucially sustainable. During the pandemic, owing to decreased movement of people, Indian cities started to see clearer skies and fresher air. Now, it is essential that we figure out how to lower emissions and create greener cities in order to protect public health. This problem is much more pressing given that six of the world's most polluted cities are located in India. The electrification of our transportation networks is a crucial solution because electric vehicles produce no on-road emissions.

A major shift in India's clean energy policy can be seen in the country's aggressive push for electric automobiles. Controlling pollution and seizing the initiative in a burgeoning industry appears to be the government's two main goals. Also, to promote economic growth and support home-grown manufacturing, the government is also offering incentives for the production of electric vehicles and batteries as part of its Make in India initiative.

This is where electric three-wheelers fit perfectly. It has become more prevalent in India in recent years. Owing to its widespread popularity, the three-wheeler market is typically viewed as the low-hanging fruit in the adoption of electric vehicles. It is positioned as an inexpensive way of intermediate public transit across short-to-medium distances.

The transportation industry is witnessing the most significant change in a century as a new generation of three-wheel electric vehicles (EVs) hit the streets and promise low cost, safety, security, and a lot of fun on three wheels, especially in metropolitan areas. In emerging nations like India, the number of electric auto-rickshaws has dramatically expanded during the past five years.

Riding the wave, it is now becoming imperative to embrace the change in a phased manner and replace auto-rickshaws that are powered by fossil fuels. The use of electric vehicles would contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions and urban noise pollution, as well as an improvement in air quality.

Also, electric three-wheelers are ideal for providing last-mile connections because they provide quick and affordable transportation services. In a country like India, last-mile transportation is driven solely by economics, which is why the cost difference is so significant.

Over the past few years, electric three-wheelers have become popular in many Indian cities, and with a countrywide push from Indian OEMs for electric 3-wheelers, India's 3-wheeler revolution has already shown how it has the potential to become a widespread zero-emission option, and how the 3-wheeler segment is driving the electric mobility revolution in India.

Additionally, it is anticipated that over the course of the forecast period, increasing support from the central and state governments, as well as their efforts to turn the automotive industry into a cleaner industry, will favourably impact the Indian market for electric three-wheelers. The increased affordability of electric three-wheelers is also anticipated to rise significantly in the next years.

However, in order to maximise the advantages of electrification, a supportive regulatory and conductive climate is required. This would entail setting up supporting infrastructure like e-three-wheeler stalls and charging stations, deciding on travel routes, and having a set of explicit rules for enforcement.

If electric 3-wheelers can find its proper place in the transportation solution and are deployed with the right intent, clean technological routes, and a zero-emissions mandate, it can undoubtedly make a difference.

The article has been authored by Piyush Pandey, Head of Marketing at Montra Electric (TICMPL)