Panel To Submit Policy On Electric Vehicles

A committee set up by the ministry of non-conventional energy resources will soon submit a draft policy on zero emisssion vehicles (ZEVs).

The committee is headed by Ramesh A Mashelkar, director general, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

The committee, under the ministry of non-conventional energy resources, has been set up to formulate a electric vehicle(EV) strategy in the country.

"We will come out with a draft policy statement in three months," said Mashelkar. "The policy, which has taken a lot of technological and environment factors into considerations, will have a long term and short term aspect. The business interests linked to the short term aspects have duly been taken into account," Mashelkar said.

Zero emission vehicles(ZEVs) is an emerging concept globally and is widely being favoured by the green lobbies as an effective way to reduce pollution.

"We have taken into account the latest technical and environment factors in order to be abreast with the world trends," Mashelkar said.

The committee has been actively interacting with various research and development organisations in the country and abroad covering a wide cross section of industries. The committee's recommendations will determine the broad framework and guidelines for EVs in the country in the future.

A team from the US-based two-wheeler battery manufacturer Energy Research Corp (ERC) will visit India in November and meet the high-level committee members. ERC is expected to conduct a presentation focusing on the latest technologies related to the development of two-wheeler battery for EVs.

Some of the top two-wheeler manufacturers in the country have expressed interest in lining up "electric versions" and the government feels that a broad policy framework covering such vehicles should be in place.