Toyota Kirloskar signs MoU with AP govt to introduce electronic vehicles

Andhra Pradesh government and Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to undertake a feasibility study on the introduction of electric vehicles and the necessary systems and infrastructure required for the move.

The study is also directed at the proposed introduction of Toyota's Prius PHEV and Small EV Commuter in the state as part of a smart city project at Amaravati, the upcoming capital city of Andhra Pradesh.

Toyota Kirloskar managing director Akito Tachibana said the collaboration with the state government is intended to find out the suitable types of electric vehicles (EVs) and systems that are required to create an ecosystem for the EVs in the state and the country.

"We would like to contribute to the better life in India. Through this study we would also like to contribute to the evolving policy framework being put in place by Government of India with regard to the EVs and the infrastructure," he said at Amaravati.

The MoU has also been driven by AP government's ambitious thinking in promoting the EVs in the state. "The state government would like to be the largest user of EVs in the entire country. We already held a couple of rounds of discussions with EV manufacturers, EV battery manufacturers and cab aggregators on ways to promote the EVs in our state," AP IT minister Nara Lokesh on this occasion.

According to the minister, the state government is planning to bring out a comprehensive policy on promoting an end-to-end ecosystem for EVs, including the EV charging infrastructure in the state as they believe that the usage of more EVs would also attract investments to AP in manufacturing of EVs, batteries among other equipment besides achieving clean environment in cities.

The minister informed that chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has already asked Government of India's Energy Efficiency Services Limited(EESL) to allocate 5,000 EVs that would be procured as part of the second tender that will be issued shortly.

"Though we asked for 5,000 EVs, EESL has allocated only 1,500 EVs to us in the past. We again asked for 5,000 vehicles in the second round of procurement," Lokesh added.

The government wants to use only EVs for ministers and officials going forward, according to him.