India’s reliance on foreign nations for critical materials currently impedes its progress in electric mobility.
To achieve energy independence by 2047, India must establish self-sufficiency across its value chain and reduce its reliance on imported petroleum and coal. This effort begins with investments in renewable energy, electric vehicles (EVs), green fuels, and battery storage. In fiscal year 2023-24, India imported 232.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of crude oil, a slight decrease from the 232.7 MMT imported in FY23, highlighting the nation’s ongoing import dependency. To diminish imports and promote green mobility, the Indian government has introduced the EV30@2030 initiative, targeting a 30% penetration of EVs by 2030.
India’s dependency on foreign countries for essential materials is a significant obstacle to its e-mobility ambitions. Strengthening research and development in the automotive sector is crucial to tackle this. To support this objective and facilitate the EV30@2030 goals, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India unveiled the “E-Mobility R&D Roadmap” on July 16, 2024.
This initiative emphasizes the technical challenges and research priorities that India must address over the next five years. It aligns with India’s Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) ambition to position the country as a global leader in mobility solutions.
The roadmap was drafted with contributions from Prof. Karthick Athmanathan, Professor of Practice at IIT Madras, who is currently on sabbatical from Ashok Leyland. Prof. Athmanathan, previously the head of Ashok Leyland’s electric mobility division, described the document as a foundational strategy that will be refined through collaboration with various ministries and departments.
The Consultative Group on eMobility (CGeM) Advisory Committee, which includes prominent figures such as Prof. Ajay K. Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government, will present the report on July 16. This committee and CGeM members from various scientific and industrial backgrounds will discuss and refine the strategic directions outlined in the report.
The projects proposed in the report aim to align with Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) ranging from 2 to 5, focusing on research institutions and academia to develop technologies with industry support. For TRLs 6 to 8, industry leaders are expected to spearhead commercial activities and production. This initiative will address gaps in the current R&D framework, facilitate the adoption of international technologies suitable for the Indian context, and encourage market-driven scale-ups, laying a solid foundation for India’s future innovation and global collaborations.
