Amitabh Kant reveals EVs he plans to buy, urges Indians to go electric

Former NITI Aayog CEO and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant

Former NITI Aayog CEO and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Friday said that he is a long-time proponent of electric vehicles (EVs), adding that the fossil fuel technology belongs to another era.

Speaking at the Green Bharat Summit in New Delhi, Kant said that his official car used to be a Tata Nexon and added that he is waiting for the new Mahindra EV.

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"I used to have a Tata Nexon as my official car. I am now waiting for the new Mahindra car to come in and the new Tata Harrier (both EVs) ... I will buy one after the other," he said.

Making a strong pitch for EV adoption, Kant said that the era of fossil fuel technology is over and urged Indians to buy only electric cars.

"Every single Indian who can afford it [EV]... if you can even take a loan ... you should help catalyse [the sector]," he said, adding that he is a firm believer in being a key player in the sector.

The former Niti Aayog CEO also said that government should ensure that all official vehicles in India, be it corporate or government, should be electric.

"The government should mandate all corporate fleets and government vehicles in India to use EVs. There is no reaosn for them not to have EVs," he said.

Kant added: "The government buys so many cars, why should they be fossil fuel cars. They should all be electric."

Earlier, Kant said that India needs to accelerate EV adoption to catch up with the world.

"China is more than 50% EVs, Europe is at 10%, and India is just 2% ... India should aim for 60% electric vehicles by 2030 and 100% by 2035 to remain competitive," he said.

Kant also emphasised the need for "bold and immediate action" from both the government and the industry to help India become a global leader in the EV market.