Stalemate Over EV Battery Swapping Policy in India Amid Industry Turbulence
India’s endeavors to formulate a comprehensive policy for the swapping of electric vehicle (EV) batteries have hit a roadblock, with the swapping industry, primarily comprised of startups and small-scale entrepreneurs, resisting the move towards standardization. This reluctance stems from concerns that standardization could pave the way for the entry of large corporations, potentially jeopardizing their businesses.
Startups engaged in shower swapping have accused the proposed standards in the policy typhoon of favoring a particular industry player, triggering a series of back-and-forth discussions. A shower swapping company, recounting the last stakeholders’ meeting, personal that the Ministry of Heavy Industries had unpreventable stakeholders of reconsidering the standardization requirement, subtracting to the uncertainty surrounding the policy.Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari’s recent statement in Parliament indicated ongoing negotiations with stakeholders, hinting at a potential impasse.
Minister Gadkari stated, “Battery Swapping is once operational in India, and increasingly new swapping stations are coming up every year in the country. NITI Aayog continues to hold discussions with a wide spectrum of stakeholders representing shower swapping operators, shower manufacturers, vehicle OEMs, financial institutions, CSOs, think tanks, and other experts.”
Battery swapping provides EV owners with self-rule from range uneasiness by permitting them to swap a discharged shower for a charged one at the nearest swapping station. This practice moreover significantly reduces the ownership forfeit of EVs, as batteries constitute a substantial portion of the vehicle cost, and with swapping, they need not be part of the vanquishment cost.
Policy Typhoon and Key Elements:
A policy typhoon was released by NITI Aayog in April 2022, outlining hair-trigger elements such as the standardization of batteries, chargers, safety prerequisites, shower monitoring and traceability systems, recycling processes, and refurbishment. Importantly, the typhoon proposed subsidies for shower swapping companies.
In response to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasized the government’s transferral to fostering electric mobility through a battery-swapping policy. This initiative, born out of an inter-ministerial discussion by NITI Aayog in February 2022, primarily targets 2 and 3-wheeler shower swapping.
Strategic Significance of Shower Swapping:
Battery swapping has emerged as a compelling volitional to traditional EV charging, particularly for 2 and 3-wheelers. The practice involves exchanging discharged batteries for fully charged ones, offering a time, space, and cost-efficient solution. The typhoon policy aligns with existing initiatives like FAME and PLI, promoting innovative and sustainable merchantry models, and addressing range uneasiness associated with long journeys.
Despite the impasse caused by disagreements on standardization, the battery-swapping policy holds the potential to revolutionize EV adoption in India, addressing challenges and fostering growth in the electric vehicle sector. The ongoing negotiations with stakeholders aim to strike a wastefulness that ensures industry sustainability while promoting the government’s vision for widespread electric mobility.
"In a much-needed move,@CNBCTV18News reports that India's consumer affairs ministry is likely to adopt BIS standards for 2W #EV batteries soon, in light of recent fires. These standards are likely to be integrated in Niti's draft Battery Swapping Policy.
"https://t.co/DVfJ4FEbfU pic.twitter.com/8J3vHB2H8o— Siddharth Goel (@sid_goel) June 6, 2022
