Page 51 - TT Magazine Feb-Mar 2019

MOBILITY

Fleet operators can lead public transport that includes shared NITI Aayog estimates
the e-Mobility revolution mobility. This would naturally that shared vehicles
promote the electrification of high
On the one hand, high upfront utilisation vehicles, i.e. shared could reduce annual
costs, lack of charging infrastructure mobility solutions such as public
and uncertain performance of a transit, commercial vehicles, three- mobility demand by
battery-powered vehicle may hold wheelers, delivery services, etc. nearly 1,800 billion
back rapid adoption of e-mobility.
On the other hand, fleet operators One way to achieve this is to vehicle km in 2035
cite a ray of hope thanks to low subsidise operational expenditures by improving asset
operational costs as they put in of managing EV fleets, which would
more kilometers on their vehicles link incentives to usage rather than utilization with high
each year. It could be more feasible moving vehicles off a sales lot. adoption of ride-
for them to withstand high upfront Such a radical shift in approach
costs, considering a shorter payback has been adopted by NITI Aayog in sharing and public
time-frame, despite a higher total their Model Concession Agreement transit.
cost of ownership (TCO) per km. tender for the introduction of public
transport electric buses in cities
The role of Government based on subsidizing operational Similarly, operational expenditure
It is commendable that the expenditure (opex), i.e. per km cost of commercial services could be
Government of India has budgeted of operating buses. The agreement creatively subsidized. This could
INR 10,000Cr under FAME II, for also promotes innovation and faster be done indirectly by maintaining
three years starting from April 2019 adoption of e-mobility by facilitating the delivered cost of electricity for
to accelerate adoption of EV and public-private partnerships and charging vehicles low for 4-5 years to
hybrid vehicles in India. The scheme enabling new models of vehicle make e-mobility projects financially
emphasizes the electrification of finance. viable, creating zero-emission zones

www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com February - March ’19 / TrafficInfraTech 51