Rise of EVs: Journey from Niche to Norm
German Engineering Federation (VDMA) India hosted its annual international symposium on May 15th, 2024, in Bangalore with over 150 participants from leading German manufacturing & mobility companies. The theme of the symposium was ‘Electric Mobility – Disrupting Technologies for the Transportation Industry’. The event was inaugurated by Achim Burkart (Consul General), Datta Salagame (President and MD, BGSW), and Rajesh Nath (Managing Director, VDMA India).
In the keynote delivered by Datta, he shared his views in a talk titled ‘Rise of EVs: Journey from Niche to Norm’. His talk started with a view on the global EV landscape and the multi-formatted way in which electric mobility is shaping up in different parts of the world. While the US market exhibits a more gradual rise, Germany and Europe experienced a sharper uptick, though it seems to be plateauing in recent months.
He drew from his own personal experience as he spoke of China as a standout example on EV adoption. The audience was particularly intrigued by the case study of NIO. Datta highlighted NIO's customer-centric approach with its exemplary in-cabin experience, NIO Lounges & Services across malls, comprehensive Trip Management services that ensure no range-anxiety & superior customer experience amongst many more benefits.
From the global landscape, Datta then segued to the India EV Opportunity. He painted a picture of how India would ‘move’ in the coming years. He expressed his optimism on the target of 30% EV Penetration in India by 2030, at the same time, highlighted that conventional ICE technology will still be playing an important role for India.
Amidst the many enablers in the country, Datta emphasized the role of Software Value in EV. He spoke of India's robust software expertise to be a distinct advantage for EV markets. Software can unlock several revenue pools & more consumer-centric experiences in EVs – from management & monitoring systems for battery lifetime/replacements, thermal management systems to Charging Infrastructure use-cases (journey/trip management, smart routing) and more. He illustrated this by citing a scenario of an Indian consumer typically anxious about the availability/accessibility of charging station and how they would greatly benefit from a smart routing application. An application that not only helps with discoverability of charging stations but also maps the available options, corresponding real-time wait-time estimation and more.
Datta concluded his address with an optimistic vision for India's EV journey. He highlighted the importance of sustained government support and targeted R&D opportunities for both global requirements and specific solutions designed to cater to India’s unique market. By harnessing the software expertise, India can expedite its EV adoption and move towards a greener, more sustainable future.
