Since 2015, eMobility, particularly electric vehicles (EVs), has gained significant attention in India among policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the broader mobility ecosystem. Both the government and industry have initiated various actions, including policy developments, investments, and efforts to raise awareness about EVs. On the research and development (R&D) front, India has made notable progress in several areas.
India has rapidly absorbed existing technologies from abroad, adapting them to the local context, and has ramped up production driven by market demands. There has also been an independent rediscovery of certain technologies already available internationally, with modifications tailored for the Indian market. Additionally, startups have made a significant impact on the eMobility technology landscape by conducting faster and simpler clean slate R&D.
Despite these advancements, there are still areas within the eMobility R&D space that have seen limited investment and action. These areas, which lack major international breakthroughs, include the fundamental science behind manufacturing highly promising materials such as graphene, the development of new storage chemistries and EV powertrain components, and the production engineering of advanced items like wide bandgap devices, fuel cell membranes, and cell separators. Addressing these areas requires substantial investments and involves higher risks of failure, but the potential benefits are immense.
A key challenge for India’s eMobility sector is its considerable dependence on imports, a result of missed opportunities by various stakeholders, including the government, industry, and academia, during the early days of the EV movement. To avoid a similar situation in the future, the report identifies specific actions and projects that need to be undertaken to place India at the forefront of the value and supply chains by 2030. The roadmap emphasizes the importance of taking these actions now to ensure that India remains competitive and does not continue to rely on other countries for emerging technologies.
Launching these actions effectively requires new administrative mechanisms, schemes, and review methods, modeled after successful practices in Europe, the USA, Japan, and China. The roadmap also highlights the need for public funding for higher-risk phases, with appropriate provisions for intellectual property rights (IPR). Industry support would initially be limited to non-fiscal and non-management roles, ramping up investments and project management involvement as projects progress from proof-of-concept to pilot and industrialization stages.
The roadmap outlines four critical streams in eMobility R&D: energy storage cells, EV aggregates, materials and recycling, and charging and refueling. Each stream includes specific projects that aim to keep India competitive on a global level. While some projects focus on areas where significant international success has already been achieved, others target new, high-risk research areas that have the potential for substantial impact.
Successful implementation of these projects requires detailed planning, including gap analysis, global benchmarking, target setting, methodology development, and risk assessment. The projects are designed to be dynamic, adapting to discoveries and inventions that can render existing technologies obsolete quickly. Therefore, bold and long-term initiatives are essential to avoid being outpaced by other countries.
At an executive level, the roadmap calls for bold initiatives, trust-based collaborations, and ongoing reviews to identify new ideas and opportunities. Special programs, missions, or schemes with suitable financial and administrative actions are necessary to support these initiatives. The roadmap provides a budget distribution mechanism to ensure that promising research transitions effectively into practical applications.
Overall, the roadmap aims to position India at the cutting edge of eMobility technologies by fostering innovation, reducing reliance on imports, and promoting indigenous R&D and manufacturing capabilities. By taking decisive action now, India can secure a leading role in the global eMobility landscape, ensuring sustainable and competitive growth in the coming years.
