The future of electric cars in India

India is in the midst of a significant push for electric cars. The government has pledged to end sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, and India's energy minister expects that more than half of all cars on the road will run on electricity in 10 years.

The country is also committed to improving air quality; it was among the worst affected countries when pollution levels spiked this winter.

But despite these plans, there are plenty of questions about how quickly India can transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

Currently, battery-powered cars only make up a fraction of the market. In 2016, they made up just two per cent of light-duty vehicle sales in India. And despite some recent developments, India still doesn't have many public charging stations, which is essential for most consumers considering buying an electric vehicle.

The government's push for a ban on petrol and diesel cars also doesn't change that India is heavily reliant on coal, which makes up more than 65% of its electricity production.

Even if the country were to replace all its vehicles with electric ones tomorrow, it would need to add the amount of power capacity it currently has to keep up with energy demand from these EVs.

So while there is talk of using renewables like solar and wind power across India, experts say this is years away from reality. In many parts of India, transporting excess electricity produced by regions with a surplus can be a problem too. So unless issues around storage transport sort out, India's push for electric cars could face significant hurdles.

But all is not wrong. India already has one of the world's best solar power programs, and the government also says it is committed to improving India's fledgling EV industry.

Already, over 400 electric vehicle charging stations exist across India. However, by 2026, India will require 400000 charging stations to meet the requirement of whooping 2 million electric cars.

So there is a long way to go. India will require heavy up-gradation of its electrical power generation and distribution systems, setting up charging stations across the country for easy access to electric vehicles, and research and development in battery technology.

However, if all goes well, India could be the first large nation with 100% electric cars on the road by 2030.