The right push

Draft policy will increase EV adoption

The NITI Aayog last week released a draft battery-swapping policy pertaining to two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and e-rickshaws to address some key concerns within the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. EV adoption would lower dependencies on fossil fuels and reduce the carbon footprint (assuming India reduces coal-based thermal generation). However, there are related cost and safety concerns. Multiple recent incidents where e-vehicles have caught fire and exploded have created an attitude of risk aversion. EV fires are a serious problem. Short-circuits within the battery are the usual cause and this can occur for several reasons, such as battery overheating due to the weather,