Is infrastructure proving a roadblock in EV adoption in rural India? Here's how THIS startup is transforming EV ecosystem in India

EV Adoption in India - Electric Vehicles (EVs) are significantly benefiting the environment as an eco-friendly transportation system. They are contributing to India's Net Zero emission target for 2070.

EV boom in India is also helping fulfil country's aspiration of becoming a trillion-dollar economy by leveraging its potential and opportunities in the EV industry. These vehicles can solve many issues including the increasing price of fuel and can become a boon for rural India. 

Walking on similar lines, EkoTejas played a key role in EV transportation in Tier-5 cities. K Venkatesh Teja, Director, EkoTejas said, "It was felt that the need to have such vehicles is more with the rural segment, as they are easy to manage, and there are not many petrol pumps and vehicles. EV will be a good source of transportation for them. The demand rose and the response picked up."

Roadblocks to EV boom in India

Rural India is home to over 70% of the Indian population. Their impact to the Indian economy is the most significant. Many villages are still underdeveloped, and the major reason for this is a lack of decent travel and transit amenities. 

Even if they locate a form of transportation, they must contend with the consequences of rising gasoline prices. When the price of gasoline rises, the price of practically everything rises as well. It is also difficult to obtain fuel in remote regions.

K Venkatesh Teja noted, "Presently, the EV industry is still in its infancy stage, it will require some time to develop full EV infrastructure for Indian auto consumer demand. As we understand this fact well, EKOTEJAS has the very economic charging station buyout option. This means you buy a cell phone with a charger. You can also buy the charging station along with the Electric Vehicle. This charging station is compact and can be easily installed in the parking, garage, or nearby house complex."

Ekotejas intends to disrupt the automotive sector by making transportation economical and environment friendly in India. "Honestly, the people are willing to accept EV vehicles if it's value for money. The only problem is not everyone goes and creates that resourceful belt in rural areas. If they do so, the rural areas will be well developed. In terms of the money aspect, there are money constraints, for which we have asked the authorities to help these buyers to provide the loan and funding facilities," he added. 

Ekotejas is among the fastest growing EV brand in India, especially in the state of Maharashtra. It enjoys an established dealer presence in 10 states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

Increased EV adoption to reduce effects of pollution, global warming

Furthermore, fuel-powered cars are hazardous to the environment. The vapors released by gasoline when it evaporates, as well as the chemicals created when gasoline is burnt, contribute to air pollution. When gasoline is burned, it emits a greenhouse gas, that we call carbon dioxide.  Greenhouse gases trap heat in our atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. 

Indian policymakers have realized the need of EVs, as the increased use of these vehicles will help reduce the effects of pollution and global warming. The growth of EV industry will also benefit the economy of India. The country's EV market was worth USD 7,025.56 million in 2021 and that figure is expected to significantly rise  in the future.  Hence, the government is  implementing many fruitful steps for India especially its rural parts to become self-sustainable through the EV sector.  Ekotejas is hence benefiting not only the environment but also the economy of India. In fact, the brand is impactful in creating zero emission. 

The company currently has 2-high speed models Prive and EVXTRO with top speeds of 80 Kmph and 65 Kmph respectively. Venkatesh Teja opined, "Unlike urban cities, towns and other rural areas are much more suitable for operating EVs. Population is less dense, which means individual open parking space to customer, closer to their homes. This makes it suitable for the customers to charge their vehicles without the need to set up additional charging stations. Further the Govt. of India’s Rural Electrification Program and the increased roads and highway networks all over the country has further contributed to the sales, as more and more villages will have power connection to charge the vehicles."

EkoTejas is geared up for pan India distributorship and is set to be the torch bearer in the EV sector. The company is all set to launch a High Speed Cruiser E-bike 'E-Dyroth', which will be available in the market from December 2022. E-Dyroth will probably be 1st ever Made in India Muscle E-Motorcycle, designed as per the tastes of Harley Davidson. The vehicle will have a top-speed of 100 Kmph, which will be achieved with its 4 Kw high RPM Mid-drive motor.

"We are planning to have all the parts to be made in India, however, we have a 90% success rate over this. As the demand is increasing per unit cost will come down. There are many government subsidies provided by the government. We are also providing the financing options from banks for EKOTEJAS vehicles also, the insurance options are also there," K Venkatesh Teja further noted. 

The policy makers are worried about the rising levels of air pollution in cities across India. The list of the 100 most polluted cities in the world includes more than 20 states. 

There are several factors contributing to the rising levels of air pollution in cities, but the transportation industry has a big impact. It's critical to reduce transportation-related emissions. Many state governments have successfully adopted strategies to promote electric vehicles since they are considered as a promising sustainable choice.

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