Government launches India’s First Fleet of 200 Electric Vehicles in Nagpur

The Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis launched India’s first  project at the Nagpur airport complex today. This unique project brings together e-buses, e-cabs, e-rickshaws and e-autos on a single platform, the Ola App, which will enable commuters in Nagpur to book them. The fleet of 200 vehicles consists of 100 of Mahindra’s new e20 Plus vehicles, besides those from other manufacturers like Tata Motors, Kinetic and TVS.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Gadkari said that it was his Government’s vision to make India a 100 percent e-vehicle nation. Shri Gadkari said his Ministry was prepared to facilitate manufacturers and other companies to take the Nagpur model to other parts of the country. He said e- vehicles need to be promoted in order to cut down the huge crude oil bill, reduce pollution and create cost effectiveness in transportation. To begin with, the emphasis would be on commercial vehicles and then on others.

Shri Gadkari informed that growing demand, coupled with R&D would gradually help to bring down the operational costs, and especially the battery cost. He added that once the cost of batteries comes down, e-vehicles will compete with diesel and petrol vehicles and finally phase them out.

“The transport ministry is focusing on pollution-free public transport in the country and we have entered into an MoU with Transport for London, the company which looks after the public transport in London,” the minister said.

On manufacturing dual fuel engine for ships in the country, the shipping minister said, “I am working on (setting up) a joint venture between an Indian company and Rolls Royce on developing dual fuel engine for ships to be manufactured in India. The agreement is very close to completion.”