Electric mobility is seen by many developing countries as a way of reducing their dependence on fossil fuels and at the same time reducing local pollution and CO2 emissions
Electric vehicles (EVs) are seen as a promising technology option by several countries for reducing air pollution in cities, improving energy security and creating green jobs. EVs are also recognised as a serious option for mitigation of CO2 emissions from the transport sector and the integration of renewable energy in the electricity sector. The market share of EVs crossed the 1% mark in a few developed countries in 2017 due to stable policies and incentives.
However, with the exception of China, diffusion of EVs has not been easy despite several developing countries stating EVs as a priority technology within their Nationally Determined Contributions. Uptake of EVs in many counties has been restricted as they face financial, technological and social barriers. Financial barriers mainly take the form of the high upfront cost of the vehicles. The high cost of batteries has resulted in manufacturers coming with EVs with limited driving range, low speed, and low carrying capacity. These technological limitations make EVs not comparable to the conventional vehicles and therefore have not been socially accepted. There is lack of infrastructure for charging which is a major barrier as limited driving range and poor availability of charging infrastructure restricts individual mobility and their confidence to use electric vehicle. Because of technological limitations and physiological apprehensions, EVs are not comparable to the conventional vehicles and have not been socially accepted.
At UNEP DTU, we are looking at different countries to understand the barriers faced by EVs, and have completed studies on this topic in India where we find there is a large economic potential for EVs. In 2017, we completed a study to understand the barriers for EV two-wheeler and EV four-wheelers in India. In 2018, we completed a study to analyse business models for EV charging covering both private and public charging. We are also working in India and Sri Lanka on how to monitor and report EV policies and programs of the government.
We offer a variety of solutions to developing countries covering preparation of roadmaps for electric vehicles, understanding barriers faced by electric vehicles, developing business models for electric vehicles and charging and finally improving transparency with regard to the implementation of policies and programs for EVs.
