Electric vehicles: A boon or a curse?

As the Technology is evolving, new innovations, and inventions are happening in the world. The Innovation and incubation happens, the life of mankind became more easy and comfort. Nowadays Electric Vehicle(s) is star of the year. After Tesla Inc. huge success, and market share in electric vehicle, all the other competitor’s gone crazy to manufacture, assemble, or produce Electric Vehicles (EV).

Currently Electric vehicle market capturing rapidly increasing due to craze, but only in Developed Nation, in our nation (India), we still using conventional Combustion Engine, which is cheaper and affordable in price for Average Indian, and since the electric vehicle is something new, for which we have to learn to adapt.

Electric vehicle lacks in manual gear transmission system, and it also may feels like a toy, since the vibration and sound is minimal. These all are good, so now we come to point that why Electric vehicle craze is increasing, and people preferring it.

See, the first things comes to mind, when we say EV, is petrol, and exhaust gas, after burning petrol, as per my previous article on fossil present and electric future, I mentioned n numbers of things, and somehow this is related to that. So in this, I am writing particularly in EV perspective.

So, as we know that increase in pollution, specially air pollution, causing lungs problem, people are unable to breathe properly. In addition to this, Gases which are being exhaust from the vehicle is promoting global warming, and rises in temperature of the environment which causes unwanted condition for living being.

And due to inflation in the whole world, by multiple factor, and dominance of few in Crude oil industry like Middle East, and Russia, and others. They enjoy this dominance, which is not wrong, but it is problematic for developing and poor nation, because ultimately everyone needs energy to fulfil life.

So, as an alternative, for daily use transportation, and travelling in personal and small commercial level, electric vehicles are quite good alternatives, this saves the cost of Fuel, and also not release CO CO₂, like harmful gases. Only for charging too, they consume electricity but cost to person is quite minimal as compared to natural fuel like petrol and diesel.

The cost of one unit of electricity is ₹6.10 per unit where as petrol cost ₹107.24 per litre and diesel cost ₹94.27 per litre. which means if vehicle takes suppose 3 units electricity to charge and runs upto 100KM, which cost just ₹18.30, where as conventional Combustion engine vehicle runes upto 100KM in 6.6 lite petrol (15KM/ Litre) then its cost 107 x 6.6 = ₹706.2 means 38.5x cheaper than conventional. This prove mathematical calculation prove that yes, electric vehicles is money saver.

From Safety point of view also, the Electric vehicles are more advanced and secure than older vehicles, yeah the upgraded version of older vehicles are also advanced and secure, but I am pointing towards connectivity, and alerts, electric vehicles, tree equipped with New advanced iOT devices, which is lacking in even upgraded version of fuel vehicles, and since the electric vehicles have lots of spaces in the chassis, due to lack of combustion engine, and it weight is also little lighter so we have more rooms for luggages.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highway, remarked few points for electric vehicle which boost the industries, and employment in india, and will help in improving Economic growth of India.

1. Emphasis on Electric Vehicles: Nitin Gadkari has been a vocal proponent of electric vehicles and has emphasized the need to promote their adoption in India. He has highlighted the environmental benefits and potential economic advantages of EVs.
2. Push for Manufacturing: Gadkari has expressed the vision to make India a global manufacturing hub for electric vehicles and their components. He has emphasized the importance of domestic production and reducing reliance on imports.
3. Incentives and Policies: Gadkari has supported the introduction of various incentives, subsidies, and policies to encourage the production and adoption of electric vehicles in India. These include financial incentives for manufacturers, tax benefits for consumers, and promoting research and development in the EV sector.
4. Charging Infrastructure: Gadkari has stressed the need to develop a robust charging infrastructure across the country to support the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. He has advocated for the installation of charging stations along highways, in cities, and at public places.
5. Collaboration and Partnerships: Gadkari has called for collaboration between the government, industry stakeholders, and international players to promote electric vehicle manufacturing and establish partnerships for technology transfer and investment in the sector.

Currently, Elon Musk follows Prime minister Modi, on twitter, this indicates that Elon musk is interested in doing business in india, and shall comply indian rules and regulations which already remarked by Mr. Gadkari in meet with press:

• Welcoming Tesla to India: Nitin Gadkari has expressed his enthusiasm for Tesla entering the Indian market and has welcomed the company’s decision to establish a presence in the country. He has stated that Tesla’s entry will not only boost electric vehicle adoption in India but also create employment opportunities.
• Collaboration and Investment: Gadkari has emphasized the possibility of collaboration and investment opportunities between Tesla and Indian companies. He has encouraged Tesla to consider setting up manufacturing facilities in India and explore partnerships with local businesses to promote the growth of the electric vehicle industry.
• Indian Market Potential: Nitin Gadkari has highlighted the vast market potential for electric vehicles in India, considering the country’s population and the need for sustainable transportation solutions. He has expressed confidence that Tesla’s entry could help catalyse the EV market and drive its expansion.

It seems that Elon Musk and his Tesla is on serious mood, for Indian Market, and currently lithiums found in Indian States, which is great source for making batteries, as currently 97.6% batteries in the world using Lithium chemical, only 2.4% using lead acid batteries, which is only for household, or in old technology. For each and every lithium batteries devices, we (India) needs to import batteries made in china, which boost the Chinese economy, and decreases our forex. So by these indian reserves, we can fulfil our lithium needs, to prepare battery.

Now all these above are the goods things, which help us to improve our lifestyle, saves money, increases employment….etc, but everything comes with a cost.

Now what are the cost we need to pay:

1. The price of Electric vehicles are itself costlier than combustion engine vehicles with accessories.
2. The potential of Electric vehicle is less to carry loads to it, as Combustion engine vehicles generates more energy to carry the loads.
3. Since the Lithium is Highly flammable and a kind of explosive, it can catches fire as it heated, many cases has been found within our countries, where electric vehicles catches fire randomly.
4. Running capacity is dependent on loads, battery size, if the size is big, then it will cost more and become heavy, whereas combustion engine vehicles runs exactly same or even more every ride.

Now comes to one of the serious problem, in our country which is waste management, this thing is not taken seriously from individual level, we throw our waste here n there, not dumping waste properly…etc.
So, when we are mining so much of Lithium to make batteries, ultimately we are depleting natural resources, and one day somehow it will also completely vanish, like fossil fuel. So we are polluting our environment. In Fuel vehicle we burning small amount of fuel, ultimately the gases exhaust from vehicles are in less number, as compared to carbon emission from thermal power plant to generate electricity, because for electric vehicles battery charging, we will need Alternating current, which comes to our homes, and India uses 44% of the total energy source from Coal, which means thermal power plants. So in my view, electrification of vehicle will produce more pollution, as compared to pollution created by fuel vehicles.

Next challenge is e-waste management, because in the current world, n numbers of devices are active, which runs on battery power, suppose I have 3 devices, 2 accessories, ….etc, means 10-12 devices per house, and the total population of the world is approx. 8.2 Billion, means batteries can be around 12 Billion, and still 1 Billion in production for next upcoming products, these numbers shows, actual scary truth of waste material. In my personal Experience, I have tons of e-waste, which I wished to recycle, or I contacted the re-cycle organisation, but no one accepted that waste, and industries generating the same waste yearly.

So when we will make vehicles, ultimately we are adding n numbers of batteries on earth, and some day they will exhaust, so what we will do after it ?

The Waste management infrastructure is not upto the mark in our country, and no common individual taking this things seriously, then only know about normal waste like plastic, and natural waste, which decomposes. Government Authorities, and Common individuals, both needs to take step, to think on concern e-waste management, as even todays, big organisation have waste computer dumped in the corner, which is of no use, so why not they should recycle, or gave to recycling organisation, by this way we can minimise waste, can assure that creating more computers, and peripherals will not create extra waste.

We should assure that parts of vehicle, from screws to engine, to every parts should be recyclable, and reused, after certain period. Before setting up new industry, government and company both should ensure public, that they will strictly comply rules for waste/ e-waste management. Many scientist, and researchers are hardly working on it, and I am sure that it will take some time, but before planning waste management, government should not take initiation to set up new industry.

I would like to conclude, that electric vehicle is boon only when we create in limited numbers, until we successfully manage the waste we create, otherwise it will definitely a curse for upcoming generation.