India's EV Transition (Science and Technology)
India's EV Transition (Science and Technology)
Why In News:
India's electric vehicle transition has reached an inflection point, with policy now needing to 'shift gears' from subsidy-driven push to a sustainable ecosystem.
Key EV Policy Schemes
FAME-I (2015–2019): Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Phase I. Focus: demand-side subsidy, charging infrastructure pilot.
FAME-II (2019–2024): Outlay ₹10,000 crore. Subsidised 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, electric buses. Approved 7,432 electric buses across state STUs.
PM E-DRIVE Scheme (2024): Successor to FAME-II. Covers e-2W, e-3W, e-buses, and ambulances. Emphasises domestic manufacturing through phased manufacturing programmes.
PLI Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Batteries: Aims at 50 GWh domestic battery manufacturing capacity by 2030.
National Critical Mineral Mission (2024): Targets domestic production of lithium, cobalt, nickel- key for EV batteries.
Key Facts for Prelims
FAME Scheme: Under Ministry of Heavy Industries.
CESL (Convergence Energy Services Limited): Government entity that aggregates EV demand and conducts bulk procurement for government fleets.
Bharat Charging Standard: India's unified domestic EV charging standard (modified from Chinese GB/T protocol). Mandatory for all public chargers.
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE): Governs energy ratings and star labelling for EVs and EV components.