EV NEWS
Go Green Initiative by Governement:
Long Awaited revolutionery steps taken by Indian Government finally came in to Existence – A Revolutionery News for EV Conversion & Care Center :
Indian Citizens having old 2,3 & 4 Wheelers -Can Now Legally Convert their Petrol, Diesel Car Into An Electric Or Hybrid With Aftermarket Kit
In an effort to fight the rising air pollution in the Indian cities, the union government has made changes to the law, now allowing people to convert their IC engine into electric or hybrid ones through aftermarket retrofit kits.
The move comes soon after 15 Indian cities were named on the list of 20 most polluted cities across the globe. The decision will compliment the government’s plan of EV adoption, mostly to curb the emissions from gasoline vehicles, now also reducing the existing number of such polluting vehicles and propelling them through electric drivetrains instead.
To enable the initiative, the ministry revised the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, allowing retrofitting of existing vehicles with electric kits or electric battery-operated systems. The new guidelines and specs around the retrofitting are divided into three categories: pure electric conversions for all classes of vehicles, hybrid conversions for vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonne and hybrid conversion for vehicles above 3.5 tonne.
As per an HT report, a senior official at the ministry of road transport and highways said, “In order to give a boost to hybrid electric and electric vehicles, we have issued a notification providing specifications and a better mechanism for all cars to be converted. It will also help in reducing vehicular emissions.” The official further added that the ministry had also clarified retrofitting specifications for vehicles with hybrid electric or pure electric systems.
While the amendment is only expected to have positive impacts, both for those opting for the retrofitting as well as the environment, experts warn that the process might prove to be costly for the users. For the retrofitting, components like the engine of the conventional vehicle will have to be replaced with an electric drive-train. The transition, however, should be easier in a hybrid vehicle in comparison.
The amendment will also open up business opportunities for several aftermarket players in this segment. Back in November, E-trio Automobiles, a Telangana based start-up became India’s first ever ARAI approved company for such retrofitted car Kits.
Recently, PM Modi led cabinet also approved the National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage (NMTMBS) for a Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) of EV batteries. Through this, the cabinet aims to set up an indigenous battery production which will in turn help increase the EV adoption in the country.
Old vehicles can now get electric, hybrid makeover
Such modification can potentially help turn old petrol- or diesel-run vehicles into more eco-friendly versions, although experts warn that the retrofits may be expensive.
The Union government has made changes to the law in order to allow people to convert conventional vehicles into electric vehicles or hybrids, a decision that officials said could help fight air pollution.Such modification can potentially help turn old petrol- or diesel-run vehicles into more eco-friendly versions, although experts warn that the retrofits may be expensive.
“In order to give a boost to hybrid electric and electric vehicles, we have issued a notification providing specifications and a better mechanism for all cars to be converted. It will also help in reducing vehicular emissions,” a senior official at the ministry of road transport and highways said, adding that the ministry had laid down retrofitting specifications for vehicles with hybrid electric or pure electric systems. The official asked not to be named. According to the notification, seen by HT, the ministry amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, to enable retrofitting of existing vehicles with electric kits or electric battery-operated systems. The move comes against the backdrop of the government’s aim to move 25% of transportation to electric vehicles by 2030 in a bid to reduce air pollution, blamed on a combination of factors including vehicular emissions and stubble burning by farmers in the countryside. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is also likely to meet on Thursday to clear the Centre’s much-awaited electric vehicle policy titled “Strategy for Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage”. The policy, delayed by four years, was steered by the government’s apex think tank NITI Aayog, which was tasked with rolling out the ambitious electric vehicle plan in 2018. A conventional vehicle can be turned into a hybrid or fully electric one by replacing components of the engine or the drivetrain. A hybrid vehicle, several of which are in the market, uses both – a petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor. The notification lays down guidelines and specifications that the modifications will need to conform to. These guidelines and specs are divided into three categories: hybrid conversions for vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonne; hybrid conversion for vehicles above 3.5 tonne, and pure electric conversions for all classes of vehicles. According to an expert, this policy change will complement the recent unveiling of phase II of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) Electric Vehicles (FAME) policy, which offers subsidies and incentives for electric vehicles in the public transport sector. “Under FAME II, subsidy has been provided only for vehicles used for public transport and vehicles using advanced battery like a lithium ion battery. In terms of retrofitting from conventional vehicles to full electric, this has its own legal and commercial issues, as also specialised skill set required for conversion,” said Pranavant, a partner at the consulting firm Deloitte India. The Centre had also permitted private charging of vehicles at residences and offices. The government plans to set up charging stations every 25 km on both sides of highways and roads. On December 14, the power ministry issued guidelines for setting up charging infrastructure across the country’s major corridors.
Drive for 7 months without charging! This solar-electric car has over 1000 km range
Every other day we see new electric cars being unveiled with better features than the previous ones. Swift innovation has remained the key to survive and thrive for auto companies in the growing and highly competitive e-vehicle market. Latest buzz in the market belongs to solar electric cars, which not only offer better options to consumers but also give them an option to rely on two power sources. Previously, there were solar cars only, mostly prototypes, which were usually displayed in exhibitions.
Lightyear, a Netherland-based company that manufactures electric vehicles, has unveiled their first production-ready solar electric car – the Lightyear 0. This car combines solar and electric power, which extends the range beyond 1,000 kilometres, the company claims.
In an official statement, Lightyear said that after investing six years in the R&D, engineering, design, testing, and prototyping, they have finally come up with this premier car which they intend to send into manufacturing by this fall.
Lightyear first came up with the idea of a solar car in 2016, and in 2019, they were ready with a prototype. Finally, after six years of countless efforts and facing a lot of hurdles, Lightyear 0 is no more a dream, the company states.
As far as other features are concerned, Lightyear 0 is an aerodynamic family sedan. As per the company, the manufacturing of this car is slated to begin next year, and the manufacturing cost will be roughly around two crores. However, this car will have an accessible price and can start from twenty-seven lakhs.
- Lightyear 0 boasts dual-curved solar arrays that span around 5m² on the car’s roof, which helps it absorb the sun’s energy.
- The car also sources power from the four in-wheel motors with a capacity of running over six hundred twenty-five kilometres with a single charge.
- If the car is driven at the highway speed, which is estimated to be around 110 kilometres/hour, then the vehicle can run for 560 kilometres ..
More about Lightyear 0
Lightyear 0 is based on the idea of focusing on efficiency, not much on performance. Along with solar charge, one can also charge this vehicle via other power sources. Lightyear 0 is made using sustainable materials. While the interior is eco-friendly, mainly comprised of recycled PET, the exterior is built using reclaimed carbon. The charging speed of this car is said to be ten kilometres per hour via solar, five hundred and twenty kilometres per hour via fast charging and thirty-two kilometres per hour via traditional home charging.
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