FCVs Will Be A Better Alternative To BEVs In India: Avik Chattopadhyay
After gaining two decades of experience in the automotive industry from various firms, Avik Chattopadhyay, co-founded a brand strategy and solutions practice called Expereal in 2014. The auto industry consultant, who has always been forthright in his views, tells BW Businessworld that Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCVs) could the best alternative to Battery Electric vehicles (BEVs) when it comes to encouraging zero-emission mobility in a country like India. Below are the edited excerpts:
How is the EV development progressing globally and in India?
The EV development is progressing very well globally, with all major OEMs and key technology players committing major investments in this area. In India, while the auto industry is doing a lot of talk about EVs, there is very little action right now and rightly so, due to a lack of clarity on the way forward in terms of policy direction, governmental support and the supporting actions from the ecosystem stakeholders like energy, infrastructure, and enforcement.
Why do you think the EV Policy has been dropped by the current government?
The EV policy has not been dropped at all. Just that the government has finally realized that it cannot drive a unidimensional policy on a crucial subject like reducing emissions + reducing oil imports. It has to evolve from an EV policy to a "Zero Emission Mobility" policy. Therefore it has dropped its misplaced initial bravado of "EV or nothing" to an open policy where the automobile industry should collectively decide on the various solutions possible and what is most relevant for India. I think this change of stand has happened as there has been some serious lobbying by the industry, backlash from certain key commercial partners like Japan and definitely some introspection on what certain ministries and think tanks have been propounding.
What do you have to say about ‘National Automotive Plan 2018' which is expected to be rolled out soon?
FAME needs a greater budget allocation and a rigorous implementation by the government and the industry together. Implementation of the ZEM action plan has to happen first in public transport and all incentives that are needed for conversion of fleets must be given. Quite frankly, the vehicle fleets of the governmental agencies, Municipal Corporation and the Police Force are some of the oldest and worst maintained; therefore they obviously have to be the first bodies where green vehicles have to be inducted, apart from public transport, of course.
Do you think the 100% electric fleet will be achievable by 2030? If yes, what are the key driving factors?
Definitely not possible, feasible and practical in the operating system that India is, but the right start needs to happen. Certain aspects of mobility can be 100% electric, like public transport and closed-loop transport in facilities like airports, educational institutions, and corporate parks. Defence is another key area. Due to much higher levels of control on routes and charging, these aspects of mobility should be targeted. The second focus needs to be (towards) shared mobility like the Olas and Ubers and fleet operations...where they are mandated to have their own parking lots/ cluster zones where they can be charged. Finally, the focus should be on personal transport. This entire 3-stage process should take a good 15 to 25 years to complete. The key factors will be - [1] cohesive and collaborative policymaking, [2] energy generation capacity and mode, [3] energy distribution, [4] charging infrastructure, and [5] adoption incentive.
What is the scope of hybrid vehicles in India? Do they act as the ideal intermediary step towards zero mobility?
Hybrids should ideally have good scope in the country's "Low / Zero Emission Mobility" strategy as they provide the intermediary step for personal passenger transport...the individual cars and 2-wheelers, while public transport and shared mobility gets electrified. The government should recognise hybrids as complementary and not conflicting in the context of the long-term mobility plan.
Will lead-acid batteries fade into oblivion? Will it be replaced by Lithium-ion batteries?
Lead acid batteries should not be used at all in mobility solutions due to the invisible toxins they release. They are being used in the electric rickshaws purely taking advantage of lack of regulations. In fact, the electric rickshaws themselves are taking undue advantage of the lack of regulations and they are totally unsafe. Lithium-ion or LFP, as of now, is the way to go in the case of BEVs [Battery Electric Vehicles]. But I am sure there will be other types that are being worked on right now and will be challenging LFP in terms of range, weight, ballistic safety, and life.
Will Maruti have an edge over rivals as it is a market leader?
Maruti has the strength in numbers, therefore, any technology switch will happen only when they actively adopt it. Seat belts, automatic transmissions, and airbags are good examples of how Maruti provides the strength and comfort in numbers for the technology and component players to move forward. Regarding the battery technology and BMS, I believe Maruti will have to move out of their Toyota-Suzuki comfort zone and collaborate with independent technology players for the most relevant solutions for India.
What steps can the government take to foster zero-emission vehicles in India?
Firstly, collaborate with the industry in creating a cohesive and mature "Zero Emission Mobility" policy. There is no need to see the industry as an obstacle or as a competitor. After all, it is the industry that has to make things happen. The government's role is to facilitate and give overall directions and not to mandate what the specific solutions should be...that is the domain of the industry. The recent softening of the bravado that we saw in the government and its certain specific policymakers and think tanks is a clear example of how not to make a policy on a subject on which most of us in this country have very little knowledge and understanding. From pulling the industry by its hair six months back, to assuring the industry that it will not be destroyed two months hence, to now deciding that an EV policy is not really required is a classic "how not to" handbook on policymaking. And this becomes counter-productive to the India growth story, where the world at large and investors in specific have a few laughs at our expense. Second, work on a forward integration policy and not a backward integration one. Therefore, focus first on clean electricity generation capacity, efficient distribution, charging infrastructure, waste disposal/ recycling plan, internal fleet conversion, public transport conversion and then finally to preaching to the automakers on what they should be doing.
When it comes to e-mobility, don't we have options like FCVs, CNG, etc? What is the future?
We do have other options right now and there will definitely be a couple more cropping up in the next 10 years. The Chinese control the larger sources of lithium and cobalt (key battery components that are increasingly in demand among makers of electric vehicles). The rest of the world cannot sit and allow them to control the prices of this raw material and therefore the entire mobility industry. Therefore, alternatives are being worked on. Just like the US had complete control through fossil fuels for 100 years, the world should not allow a similar monopolistic situation with China. I do see a comeback by gasoline [probably not diesel] and definitely fuel-cells as viable, environmentally responsible and energy efficient alternatives to battery-based electrics in a country like India.
