Embracing Electric Vehicles

AKSHAT SOOD

Electric vehicles have already begun shaping our future. They are greener and better alternatives to fuel-powered vehicles because of the production of no carbon during operation.

The share of electric vehicles is on the rise in the auto market around the globe. Automobile manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Tesla have been pumping in enormous amounts of money into the production of electric cars in order to secure a better and greener future.

Norway has been spearheading the usage of electric cars, especially in Europe, with more than 1,35,000 registered electric vehicles. For a country with a population of just 5.2 million, Norway has been at the cutting edge of electromobility for many years and has been the electric vehicle pacesetter in Europe.

Norway encourages electric vehicles by providing incentives in an attempt to eliminate the price advantage of conventional fuel-powered vehicles. Incentives such as bus-lane access, privileged parking, toll-free travel and other subsidies provided by the Norwegian government have seen the popularity of electric vehicles sky rocket among the country’s citizens to such an extent that in 2016, almost 40% of the nation’s newly registered cars were electric cars.

Oslo, capital of Norway, is also recognised as the electric vehicle (EV) capital of the world. The country boasts the cleanest fleet of electric cars in the world because 98% of electricity in Norway is produced from hydropower, hence allowing the electric vehicles to leave no carbon footprints.

Having opened the world’s largest fast-charging station, Norway is joined by the Netherlands in an attempt to completely phase-out conventional fuel-powered vehicles by 2025.

All over the world, customers have recognised the need for a greener and better future and are actively making the switch to electric vehicles. India, on the other hand, has a long, long way to go.

Though the plan to replace fuel-powered cars with electric vehicles by 2030 has been drawn up, but it is a bit too ambitious. Besides, getting the supporting infrastructure may prove to be a mammoth task in itself.

Let’s hope that India can draw inspiration from Norway and that we are able to secure a cleaner future for ourselves – and the generations to come.