EVs To Cost The Same As Petrol Vehicles In 2 Years - Nitin Gadkari

Replying in Parliament about the Demands for Grants for Road Transport and Highways Ministry, 2022-23, Gadkari stated that the rapid progress in technology and green fuels would help bring down the costs of electric automobiles.

Speaking to the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said, "I can say within maximum two years, the cost of electric scooter, car, auto rickshaw will be same as petrol-driven scooter, car, autorickshaw. Prices of lithium-ion battery are coming down. We are developing this chemistry of zinc-ion, aluminium-ion, sodium-ion batteries. If petrol, you are spending Rs 100, then on electric vehicle you will spend Rs 10 (for using)."

The Minister urged his fellow Members of Parliament to adopt hydrogen technologies for transportation. He also directed MPs to take initiatives in their own constituencies with regards to the conversion of sewage water for the production of green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen is the name given to hydrogen gas produced using electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy. This 'Green Hydrogen' is considered by many as the fuel of the future but currently accounts for a minuscule amount of the total hydrogen produced around the world.

The most common version of Hydrogen gas used currently is 'Grey Hydrogen'. Grey Hydrogen is produced using the same electrolysis process as other hydrogen versions but the energy used for the electrolysis or any other process used to produce the hydrogen is generated by the burning of fossil fuels. Grey Hydrogen accounts for around 95 per cent of current Hydrogen produced.

Another form of Hydrogen currently being used is known as Blue Hydrogen. While it also burns fossil fuel to help generate Hydrogen, the process of creating Blue Hydrogen uses various carbon capture technologies to capture the harmful carbon emissions from the burning of coal and gas.

Gadkari's push towards 'Green Hydrogen' is nothing new. The minister has been a vocal supporter of the move towards the electrification of automobiles in India whether it be through battery-powered EVs or by vehicles using hydrogen fuel cells.

The Government of India's International Centre for Automotive Technology recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Japanese carmaker Toyota to study and evaluate the latter's Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

The pilot project will use the current version of the Toyota Mirai which was first unveiled in 2019 and went on sale in December 2020.

This second-generation Toyota Mirai uses the company's 4JM electric motor that produces 182bhp and 300Nm of peak torque. The motor is powered by hydrogen fuel cells that generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen together to generate energy.

The second generation of the Toyota Mirai uses three pressurised hydrogen tanks to store their fuel. The capacity of the three tanks when combined together is 141 litres and this allows the Mirai to travel for 647 kilometres on a full tank of hydrogen.

Thoughts On The Government's Claims About EV Costs

The government's claims that the cost of EVs will come down to be at par with those of petrol-powered vehicles is one we really want to believe. Hopefully, the rapid technological evolution currently being taken by automakers with regards to EVs will help make this pipedream a reality.