The call for a rapid increase in charging infrastructure is getting more strident among electric vehicle (EV) stakeholders such as manufacturers and start-ups as the ambitious government target of one million EV sales in 2023 loom.

“We stand at an inflexion point in the transportation industry, where going from Point A to Point B has to be done sustainably, with environmental consciousness,” an EV insider said.

Vinod Agarwal, MD and CEO of VE Commercial Vehicles — a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors — said: “As charging infrastructure improves and green energy becomes widely available, we forecast rapid adoption of our electric and clean technology vehicles by customers.”

“Both institutional and retail customers in the commercial segment have recognized the benefits of electric vehicles, including increased profitability and a seamless driving experience.

“To accelerate adoption, the industry should also prioritize making electric vehicle financing more accessible while continuing to enhance the charging and service
infrastructure,” Saurav Kumar, founder of Euler Motors, said.

Omega Seiki Mobility founder Uday Narang called for the government to increase incentives and support for electric trucks. He felt that while there have been innovative solutions to EV financing, developing charging infrastructure remains the need of the hour.

Auto Components Manufacturing Association (ACMA) president Sunjay Kapur said EV parts accounted for 2.7 per cent of the components industry’s turnover, which is up from 1 per cent in 2021-22.

“We’ve made significant strides in supplying components for electric vehicles with greater investment in technology,” he said.