NEW DELHI: Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, stated that the central government is planning to introduce electric buses in all Indian cities as well as long routes such as Delhi-Shimla, Delhi-Chandigarh and Pune-Mumbai over the next five years.
He added that the decline in battery prices will lead to travelers saving 30 per cent on fares and help bring down pollution.
The minister pointed out that the cost of lithium-ion batteries has come down from $150 per kilowatt per hour to $112 as the segment has recorded a 350 per cent growth in the country.
“When this comes down to $100, the operating cost will be the same as that of petrol and diesel vehicles,” Gadkari said. “If you spend Rs 20,000–25,000 on petrol vehicles in a month, you will incur only Rs 2,000 on electric vehicles,” he added.
EV manufacturing has gained pace in the country, with output rising across segments. “There are 400 electric scooter manufacturers (in India). We have manufacturers making electric scooters with a range of 60 km,” Gadkari said.