Indian govt kicking off electric-car use in its own fleet – Asia Times

India is moving toward e-mobility because of pollution. Every year 2.3 million people in India die because of polluted air. Air pollution has also become a threat to the economy.  

The Indian Ministry of Finance has included 15 electric vehicles in its official fleet. The Finance Ministry has leased 15 electric vehicles from Mahindra Verito for 40,000 rupees (US$548) monthly, which will be used by the administrative head and senior officials of the ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs (DEA). This will save 36,000 liters of fuel annually.  

India is slowly coming out of a power crisis. Twenty-eight charging stations have been set up in the government secretariat building in New Delhi to recharge electric-vehicle batteries.

The MEA has signed an agreement with Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), a subordinate body of the Ministry of Power, for the purpose of using 15 electric vehicles for its officers. Apart from this initiative of the Finance Ministry, other federal and state government departments plan to convert 500,000 government vehicles from conventional to electric power.  

The Finance Ministry said in a statement, “The Department of Economic Affairs hopes to save more than 36,000 liters of fuel per year by using these 15 vehicles leased or leased for a period of five years.” In addition, This would allow the reduction of carbon-dioxide emissions by about 440 metric tons per year.