Two crore electric vehicles will be on Indian roads by 2030: Gadkari

Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has envisaged two crore electric vehicles on Indian roads by the end of this decade. Speaking at an event on electric mobility and future mobility, the minister said that e-mobility has a huge potential and that investors should come and invest in this sector to save ecology and the environment. Gadkari also added that there will be around two crore electric vehicles in India by 2030. He also said that an increased focus on electric mobility would not only help in reducing pollution but help with employment generation, which would eventually result in the growth of the country's wealth. Gadkari further added that it would help India to become Atmanirbhar (self-reliant).

Talking about environmental pollution, which comprises noise pollution, air pollution and water pollution, Gadkari stated that the transport sector contributes 40 per cent to it, reports PTI. He emphasised on the increased operation of electric buses, which would help in boosting greener and cleaner mobility in the country.

Increased focus on electric mobility and the growth in this segment will ensure India becomes self-reliant in the fuel sector as well, claimed Gadkari. He said that the import of fuel is a major challenge for India. The minister stated that around ₹16 lakh crore of the Indian economy goes out of the country due to the import of petrol and diesel. India imports more than 80 per cent of its total fossil fuel requirement from overseas oil producers, which results in the country spending a large sum of its foreign exchange reserve. Gadkari believes that the growth of electric mobility will eventually bring down this import cost significantly.

He also stated that state governments should formulate a policy to meet the requirement of batteries for electric vehicles, which would generate large-scale employment.