EV adoption is a joint task for private players and public sector: E Daddy senior MD

“Charging infrastructure is progressing, but it’s not progressing to the level of how EV (electric vehicle) adoption is happening,” said Yasmine Jawaharali, Senior Managing Director of E Daddy Group at YourStory’s flagship event Tamil Nadu Story 2024. 

Speaking about the developments, shortcomings, and future of EV adoption in India, Jawaharali stressed that it is a collective responsibility to push for EV adoption, which is a sustainable and more viable solution in the face of rising use of fossil fuels. EV adoption is a joint task for the private players and the public sector, she said.

The journey so far

India has seen a growing appetite for green mobility solutions and EVs, with sales touching 1.7 million and an 80% rise in annual sales of EV passenger cars. 

Jawaharali attributed three reasons for this growth: environmental impact that leads to a more sustainable choice, the rising price of fossil fuels; and the regulatory push to adopt sustainable mobility and solutions. However, as demand surges, the challenge also rises, she added.

The challenges

There is an impending need to establish a delicate balance between demand and infrastructure facilities to support the demand. 

“That is the balance which we are looking at now. And that is where India is now, making the infrastructure better for electric vehicles and mobility,” said Jawaharali, in conversation with Shivani Muthanna, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Content, YourStory. 

Jawaharali said one of the main challenges of developing charging infrastructure is the linked capital cost. The second challenge is the cost of land acquisition, and the third is the electricity used for the charging infrastructure. 

“But we are in a very good phase today,” she added.

On combating range anxiety, a term referring to the worry that an EV won’t have enough battery power to complete a trip, Jawaharali said, “Swap stations will be the only solution for range anxiety, or else it should be fast charging or ultra-fast charging.”

Like other players in the market, E Daddy is working closely with the government to understand how to abate range anxiety to promote EV adoption. 

“Everyone believes buying a new vehicle will solve the problem. Sustainable mobility is not that way. Buying a new vehicle is only going to add on to the burden on Mother Earth,” Jawaharali said.

E Daddy focuses on battery technology and has one of the largest electric two-wheeler fleets in West Africa. It also focuses on rural mobility and retrofication.  The company has multiple verticals focusing on renewable energy, auto tech, and energy infrastructure. 

The future

Affordability and accessibility are crucial to attract the larger masses to adopt EVs. The government is encouraging sustainable mobility through subsidies and schemes, and as raw material prices decline, affordability is being addressed. 

Today, there are several financing options too. Companies like E Daddy have adopted different models, such as pay-as-you-go, where the customer pays based on how much distance they have travelled, and rent-as-you-go, where customers can rent vehicles for a certain period. 

The Make-in-India initiative has also prompted many startups in the EV space to cut down on imports and develop technology to build sustainable mobility and batteries in the country. 

Jawaharali said the integration of EVs in the urban mobility space is already happening in many parts of the country and will only increase.