The Union Cabinet has given the green signal for establishing a “National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage.” This initiative aims to push for cleaner, better-connected, shared, sustainable, and comprehensive mobility initiatives. In association with a Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP), set for five years until 2024, the mission aspires to bring about a revolution in India’s electric vehicle (EV) industry.
National Mission Composition
Encompassing expertise from multiple disciplines, this National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage will be guided by an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee under the leadership of NITI Aayog’s CEO.
Mission’s Role
This mission is mandated to propose and carry out the strategies for transformative mobility along with Phased Manufacturing Programmes for electric vehicles, EV components, and batteries. The mission also aims to set new standards for value addition through each phase of localization, fostering a robust ‘Make in India’ strategy for electric vehicle components and batteries.
PMP Launch and Integration
The launch of a Phased Manufacturing Program (PMP) is planned with the aim of localizing the production process across the entire EV value chain. The National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage will be responsible for determining the PMP structure and finalizing the details of this program, working closely with key stakeholders in Ministries/ Departments and the states to unify various initiatives transforming mobility in India.
Battery Manufacturing Roadmap
The mission will consider a phased roadmap for implementing battery manufacturing on a Giga-scale. Initial focus will be placed on creating large-scale module and pack assembly plants by 2019-20, with full integration of cell manufacturing by 2021-22. The mission will ensure this initiative promotes holistic and comprehensive growth of the battery manufacturing industry in India.
Impact of the Mission
The mission promises significant benefits to the industry, economy, and the country as a whole. It is expected to improve air quality in cities, reduce India’s dependence on oil imports, enhance the uptake of renewable energy and storage solutions, and boost domestic manufacturing and employment generation through ‘Make-in-India.’
Table: Key Facts
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The Need for EVs in India
Rapid urbanization has increased the demand for energy and transport infrastructure in India. Climate change commitment requires alternative fuels for environmental sustainability. The shift towards renewable energy sources, along with technological advances in battery technology, necessitates the adoption of electric vehicles. With oils imports becoming expensive due to changing geopolitical conditions, moving towards alternative energy sources is key to ensuring India’s energy security.
Challenges to the Development of the EV industry in India
India’s EV industry faces several challenges, including lack of a stable policy for EV production, infrastructural support, and skilled workers. Domestic factors such as the absence of lithium and cobalt reserves also affect EV production. The depreciation of the Rupee has negatively impacted the import of lithium-ion batteries from nations like Japan and China. High servicing costs of EVs and lack of dedicated training courses for skill development also pose significant hurdles.