Coimbatore: The craze for electric cars and two-wheelers seems to be unstoppable in Coimbatore district. And the driving factors are nothing but the spiralling up fuel prices and the lower running costs for electric vehicles.If the official data is anything to go by, the district has recorded 82% surge in electric car registrations and 77% jump in two-wheeler registrations so far this year.K Barathan, founder and managing director, Ozotec Automobile Pvt Ltd, a two-wheeler manufacturer, attributes the rise in electric vehicle sales to mainly two key factors – growing consumer awareness about global fuel price volatility and the sharp increase in fuel prices worldwide.He says the demand has outpaced supply since the start of the year. “Earlier, we could deliver in one or two days. Now, deliveries are taking 20 days or more, as the demand is high.” According to him, electric two-wheeler production has increased by 30% across India this year.“Ozotec, which typically produces 800-1,000 units a month, is now manufacturing 1,300-1,400 units. However, around 2,000 units are required to meet the demand. Society for Smart E-Mobility had planned a Rs100-crore testing facility in Coimbatore. But it has been stalled due to lack of govt funding. With two-wheeler subsidies ending, funds should be made available for EV infrastructure,” he says.S Vijayan, managing director, Eco-Dynaamic Electric Vehicles Pvt Ltd, says the Union and state govts should come forward to support the original equipment manufacturers in tier-II and tier-III cities, as these entities mostly fall under the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.“Internal mobility vehicles used in industries, railways and institutions could be manufactured by the tier-II and tier-III firms, but entry into road transport vehicles is constrained by high compliance costs, including central govt testing agency fees of about Rs1core-Rs2 crore, which MSMEs could not afford,” he says.According to Vijayan, finance firms and banks are reluctant to extend loans, as MSMEs lack a separate classification similar to other industries. “Higher fuel prices are pushing demand for electric vehicles, making govt support for EV-focused MSMEs critical. Policy backing is inevitable for increased employment and growth of India’s EV industry. The govt should introduce dedicated quotas and targeted incentives for such MSMEs.”P Dinesh, a resident of Vengitapuram, who owns two electric vehicles, says he is planning to buy a third one owing to rising fuel prices. “My daily petrol expense was around Rs1,000, whereas charging an EV costs just around Rs100. It becomes even cheaper when supplemented with solar power. EVs are ideal for city commutes, especially when spending more than 45 minutes in traffic.” He cites better comfort, lower running costs and zero tailpipe emissions as key reasons for purchasing another EV.Raj Sivanantham, director, New Energy Wagon, a four-wheeler manufacturer and seller, says the firm has recorded a 60% increase in its sales and attributes this growth to the rise in petrol and diesel prices, which boosted demand for electric vehicles. “Since electric two-wheelers now cost around Rs1lakh to Rs2 lakh, many buyers are considering the added comfort of cars.”In tandem with the growth in electric vehicle population, the demand for charging infrastructure has gone up in the district. More than 60 public EV charging stations are currently operational across key locations in the district and plans are under way to establish additional charging facilities for both two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Industry stakeholders have been urging authorities to expedite the rollout of new charging stations to support the district’s transition towards sustainable mobility.
