EVs are not the only answer for curbing CO2 emissions in India: Maruti Chairman RC Bhargava

At a time carmakers like Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), Tata Motors, Hyundai Motor India, and MG Motor are leveraging India’s booming zero-emission electric vehicle (EV) market, the country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki believes an EV is not the only solution to lower carbon emissions.

The company’s chairman R.C. Bhargava is of the view there should be a technology-agnostic approach to reach the target of lower carbon emissions.  He also believes that in a country like India, where coal is the major source of electricity, hybrid, compressed natural gas (CNG), bio-CNG, ethanol, hydrogen and the like are the multiple technology options towards lower carbon emissions.

“The market in India is very different from the market in Europe, America or Japan… India has options which others do not have. For example, we think of bio-CNG.  We can think of using the ability to use various materials to produce gas and ideally suited for the smaller end of the market,” Bhargava said in a fireside chat with Ravi Krishnan, deputy editor of MoneyControl.com.

Bhargava, who was speaking at an event organised by Moneycontrol titled ‘Policy Next: Rs 10 trillion-dollar Push’, said the company will be rolling out its maiden EV in a year or two. However, he added, “EVs are not going to be the only answer for India. Policymakers need to understand that India is different from every other country in many ways and this is one of the ways.”