January 8 2022: Sales of total electric vehicles in India are likely to cross 1 million units this year, mainly due to the interest in electric two-wheelers, says the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV).
In 2021, the sales of electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) in the country jumped over two-fold at 2,33,971 units driven by a good traction of high-speed scooters as compared to 1,00,736 units in 2020, says an SMEV statement.
The Indian Electric 2-wheeler is divided into 3 segments: low speed, city speed, and high speed. The low-speed Electric 2 wheelers, having a top speed of less than 25km per hour and needing no license or registration.
The high-speed electric two-wheelers (E2Ws), which have speed greater than 25km/hour and require a full license, registered a four fold growth at 1,42,829 units in 2021, as compared to 27,206 units in 2020.|
Sales of low-speed E2Ws with speed less than 25km/hour grew only by 24 per cent last year at 91,142 units, as compared to 73,529 units sold in 2020.
PTI quotes SMEV Director General Sohinder Gill: “The last 15 years, we collectively sold around 1 million e2w, e-three wheelers, e-cars, and e-buses, and we will most likely sell the same 1 million units in just one year beginning January 2022.” He added that the recent positive changes in EV policy through FAME II are a game-changer and a decisive move by the government to ''ensure a cleaner and greener transportation sector, reducing reliance on expensive and dirty liquid fuel.”
Going by the recent monthly trends, the next 12 months may see five to six times the growth over the previous 12 months, expects SMEV.
The government’s us scheme to expedite the adoption of electric vehicles—Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India Phase II (FAME Phase II)—has been extended by 2 years. Iit will now be in force for up to March 31, 2024.