Electric Vehicles This Week: India’s Electric Scooter Sales Dip In 2020 & More

The sale of electric two-wheelers in India has declined by 5.4% to 25,735 units in 2020 as the majority of the year was clouded by Covid-19, which resulted in a slowdown in purchase activities as well as importing of components from China. According to the data shared by Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV),  27,224 units of high-speed electric two-wheelers were sold in 2019.

Sohinder Gill, director-general of SMEV, said that the government set an ambitious target of selling one million electric vehicles (EV) under FAME 2 (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles), but the achievement is nowhere in sight. He added that the scheme has not been successful as most of the electric two-wheelers sold in the market do not qualify for subsidies under the scheme due to high threshold level.

Electric Vehicles News Of The Week

Mahindra Logistics Enters Electric Last-Mile Delivery

Mahindra Logistics has launched a new service line of sustainable last-mile logistics and fulfilment for customers in ecommerce, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and other markets. The company said that EDel will deploy a fleet of EVs starting with three-wheeler vehicles designed for cargos. This will be deployed in collaboration with its supply partners.

EDel will start its operations in six cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Later, it will expand into 14 cities.

Jaguar’s I-PACE Lands In India For Testing

Jaguar’s all-electric performance SUV, I-PACE, has reportedly landed in India at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) near Mumbai for extensive testing and validation across the country. The ‘Firenze Red’ electric car is equipped with a 90kWh lithium-ion battery and produces 399 bhp and 696 Nm of torque. The car can accelerate from 0 to 100 Kmph in 4.8 seconds.

Electric Vehicles Headlines From Around The World

Sale Of EVs Triples In Germany 2020

Sale of battery-operated mobility has increased three-fold in Germany to more than 190,000 units in 2020, according to the data shared by the country’s road-traffic regulator. The vehicles with full or partial electric propulsion reached a market share of 22% in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Overall, EVs made up 1.2% of all registered passenger cars in Germany at the end of 2020. The development shows that the German government is working towards its goal to have 7 Mn to 10 Mn registered EV on the roads by 2030.

California’s Governor Earmarks $1.5 Bn For EVs 

Garvin Newsom, governor of California, has proposed a $4.5 Bn budget for economic stimulus in the state this year. Of this, the governor has earmarked $1.5 Bn to help businesses and people purchase electric or hydrogen vehicles and equipment. This fund will also be used for investing in the construction and maintenance of charging and fueling infrastructure.

Newsom’s proposal has also dedicated $300 Mn to maintain and greening of state infrastructure, and installation of charging stations at all state-owned facilities.