India is pushing forward plans to ease the country’s serious air pollution. India air pollution is serious, with cities across the country suffering from toxic haze caused by industrial and vehicular emissions. To address the problem, the government unveiled the National Clean Air Program in January. Environmentalists welcomed the five-year plan as long overdue but criticised the lack of clear mechanisms.
Now the government has revealed plans aimed at reducing vehicular pollution by banning the sales of the two segments that account for more than three-quarters of traffic on Indian roads. It includes the ban of non-electric three-wheelers by April 2023 and non-electric two-wheelers up to 150 cc engine capacity by April 2025.
Furthermore, the Indian government is supporting electrification with a $1.4 billion plan. It aims at establishing a network of charging stations as well as offering incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs).
Opposition from car and motorcycle makers
While the government sees opportunities for the Indian industry to compete in the worldwide market of EVs, top manufacturers and industry groups criticise the proposed timeline.
Minoru Kato, president and CEO of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India recently told reporters that 2025 is too early to switch over 100%. His company is the second-largest maker of two-wheelers in India, thus the Honda Motor subsidiary had “no concrete plans yet” for electric bikes.
India’s top seller of bikes, Hero MotoCorp., generally welcomed the government’s plans to ease India’s air pollution problem. However, chairman Pawan Munjal warned in a statement that the plans affect an industry “that is a significant contributor to the country’s GDP and a large job creator.”
Furthermore, a recent report predicts that emerging economies such as India will adapt to EVs much slower than the rest of the world. According to a report by research firm BloombergNEF, only 6% of automobiles sold in the country by 2030 will be electric.
India air pollution is a serious problem
Recent data from AirVisual and Greenpeace revealed that 22 of the world’s 30 worst cities for air pollution are in India. India’s capital New Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital city, but “only” ranks eleventh in the overall ranking of cities. Gurugram, located southwest of the capital, led all cities in pollution levels in 2018.
According to the World Health Organization around 7 million people die every year from exposure to fine particles in polluted air that penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system, causing diseases. Costs for the world’s economy are estimated to be nearly $225 billion.