Release Date: Release Date – 12:30 AM, Sunday – October 30
Prof. Siddhartha Ramakanth
Telangana was one of the first states to develop a draft electric vehicle policy and was informed after extensive deliberation with stakeholders in 2020. Telangana Renewable Energy Development Corporation (TSREDCO) is building electric vehicle infrastructure and promoting electric vehicles in the state.
In addition to spending NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) funds, promoting electric vehicles is one of many levers state governments are using to combat climate change. Telangana is also one of the few states that has formed a steering committee headed by the Principal Secretary (Industry) to implement it.
Addressing anxiety is key to mass adoption of electric vehicles. Having an adequate charging infrastructure is the most cost-effective way to deal with range anxiety (the fear that the battery doesn’t have enough power to get to your destination). As of December 2021, countries such as China, South Korea, Norway, Sweden, the United States and the Netherlands have high EV penetration rates.
driving world
China has the largest passenger vehicle inventory at around 7.8 million, or 46% of the global road fleet. It also dominates the light commercial vehicle segment and the deployment of electric buses, with over 65% and 98% of the global fleet. As of December 2021, Europe accounted for more than 32% of global inventories. Europe also has the world’s second-largest electric light commercial vehicle inventory, with around 220,000 vans. U.S. auto sales were 2.32 million.
Large-scale deployments in these countries are mainly due to the government-led deployment of a large number of public EV charging stations, followed by private investment in solving the egg puzzle. South Korea and the Netherlands currently have the most electric vehicle charging stations per 100 kilometers.
in Telangana
In addition to 138 charging stations in various stages of development and 111 charging stations already in operation, TSREDCO plans to open 600 charging stations in Hyderabad. Hyderabad maintains tariffs on approximately 9,000 km of roads, of which 1,000 km are main roads and the rest are lanes and bypass roads. Telangana has about 1000 kilometers of major roads including national highways, national highways and other important roads. The 111 existing chargers boil down to one charging station every 9 kilometers. Chargers are available in a variety of power ratings from 10kW to 50kW, including AC and DC.
Under FAME II (Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Electric Vehicles), a charging station will be built within a 5km radius within a year. TSREDCO plans to build 600 charging stations within 1-2 years, bringing this number to less than 2 kilometers. Telangana is also pushing hard to have charging stations in every commercial establishment that meets energy efficient building codes.
Disruption of battery technology
Electric vehicles on the road are expected to increase by more than 5-10 times by 2030, but the main challenge will be building charging infrastructure. Extending the charging time is one of the main challenges for the popularization of electric vehicles. As of now, charging an electric vehicle takes anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
The survey showed that at least 50% of respondents put off their purchasing decisions because of mileage anxiety. Fewer charging stations and uncertainty about the availability of charging points are the main reasons to stay away. While a minority found the existing coverage to be adequate for their day-to-day business, their anticipated requirements for outings forced them to put their EV plans on hold.
charging point
To understand this case in detail, let’s imagine a scenario. People in Hyderabad or any other metro commute 50km a day on average. The lowest cost EVs are guaranteed to travel at least 100-150 kilometers per day on a single charge. Assuming that the currently available EV will meet his requirements. However, if the person wants to go out on a weekend trip once or twice, he/she may need to travel 200-250 km in one direction, or about 500 km up and down. With an existing electric vehicle, the person may have to charge the car at least 3 times for a risk-free commute.
In general, a break during the trip and a nightly charge should suffice. The real concern, however, is whether there are charging points near the midpoint and near the destination. With a common battery pack costing close to half the total vehicle cost, incremental increases in battery capacity can significantly increase vehicle cost. Even if a vehicle with a higher battery capacity is chosen, the extra capacity is redundant more than 80% of the time, making the investment inefficient.
battery replacement
Another technology available mainly for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers is battery replacement. The technology allows for instant charging of electric vehicles. Existing battery replacement technology allows manual replacement of the entire battery pack with a fully charged battery from the battery replacement rack. This is an innovative high-capacity battery replacement system mainly used in quads and light utility vehicles.
This innovation attempts to use a combination of computer vision and wireless communication, once removed from the quad’s battery pack, the replacement system can identify the exact battery modules to replace; they are placed on a shelf so that they can be charged, similar to traditional swapping systems , and get ready for the next car. The system is made similar to “Lego” to facilitate the operation of the car owner. They have also been tried to be vehicle-agnostic, i.e. batteries should be smart, and when they are placed in a quad, they are designed to know exactly the vehicle type, BMS and adjust the voltage level to match the requirements of the vehicle.
Replaceable – Scalable Modular Battery System
In this case, the vehicle is purchased with a fixed battery pack with a slot for an additional 2x capacity, which makes the battery pack “expandable”. Battery extension can only be done when needed, and the extended battery can be returned to the service provider. An external battery is also connected to the system and can be charged along with the main battery. This battery system is both cost-effective and addresses range anxiety. Vehicle chassis dynamics in relation to the weight of the additional battery pack can also be easily managed with a “virtual battery” equivalent to the weight of a real battery.
Lithium-ion will get a makeover
The above cases all take the existing lithium-ion battery as an example. However, certain new technology batteries could disrupt the existing battery game and revolutionize the industry when commercialized. Some of them are:
Combination of graphite and lithium: In conventional lithium-ion batteries, the graphite anode is replaced by silicon. The graphite portion of the battery typically accounts for 10-20% of existing battery systems. Replacing graphite with silica can reduce battery weight. The findings suggest that silicon-based lithium cells will have at least 20% higher energy density (700 Wh/L to 900 Wh/L by 2025 and 1400 Wh/L by 2030) and will also charge faster.
The difference between paste electrolyte and lithium: Another such case is the separation between a paste electrolyte and lithium and replacing them with a solid electrolyte. Solid-state batteries are expected to have higher energy density, faster charging speed, longer cycle life and thermal stability. Interestingly, conventional lithium-ion battery production lines can be used to produce solid-state batteries with huge advantages in terms of cost economy. Industry trends suggest that economies of scale can be achieved by 2024.
With new technologies for modular batteries, vehicle costs will become lower. Now is the best time to buy an electric car as the number of charging stations in Hyderabad will at least double when you receive the car (current waiting time is 4-6 months).
Embark on the green gas of Telangana
4W use cases
The current petrol price in India is Rs 102-110 per litre, the average mileage is 16 km per litre; the cost of running is Rs 6.3-6.9 per km. This is in addition to the average repair and maintenance cost of Rs 17,000-22,000 for the first five years (for the Tata Nexon, apples to apples).
Let’s compare the cost economics with the best-selling EVs in India, the Nexon EV with a current range of over 250km and the Nexon EV Max with a range of nearly 450km.The average cost to run a Tata Nexon EV is as low as Rs 0.96 (according to users in Indian Car Blog As of May 2021), up to Rs 2.5/kWh, which is 80-60% lower than the running cost of a conventional ICE (internal combustion engine) Nexon. Additionally, EVs like the Tata Nexon EV also offer free service costs for the first five years, which is 100% lower than the ICE variant. The difference between the on-road cost of the Tata Nexon and the Tata Nexon EV is around Rs 6 lakh. I have used my odometer statistic as an example to calculate its lifetime cost.
In the first 12 months of buying the vehicle, I have driven nearly 22,000 kilometers. Taking into account the current average running cost, the fuel cost is 6.5 rupees per kilometer, increasing by 6% per annum, and the cost will be around 8,50,000 rupees over the next five years. Also, one will spend around Rs 20,000 for maintenance costs and Rs 10,000 for engine oil, bringing the total outlay to Rs 8,80,000. If the Tata Nexon EV is purchased, the running cost is around Rs 2,20,000 @ Rs 2/km. Comparing the two, the Tata Nexon EV will recoup its capital cost in about 4.5 years.
This would make better business sense for commercial vehicle owners, one of whom would drive 4-5 times as much as the average private passenger car, and potentially break even in less than a year.
3W use case
Apart from personal and commercial vehicles (4Ws), the case proved more suitable for tricycles – auto rickshaws, especially in Hyderabad. According to available information, around 1,50,000 cars are on the road with an average lifespan of 7-8 years. Taking into account the average usage of these vehicles, the mileage of such vehicles dropped by 30% to 20 kmpKG (CNG cars). Telangana’s policy of encouraging retrofitting of older cars with electric drivetrains is a boon to the average car driver. The state government provides up to Rs 15,000 per car for retrofits.
However, similar to passenger car and commercial 4W, 3W continues to suffer from anxiety about battery life. TSREDCO needs to establish a special charging infrastructure in the city by means of charging stations or swapping stations through scientifically designed site selection. Studies have shown that one charging station is required for every 15 tricycles and one interchange station is required for every 10 such vehicles. An investment of Rs 7-12 crore is required for this. If retrofit agencies, charging station operators and governments join forces to invest in infrastructure, the case could prove a win-win for all stakeholders in the industry.
The intervention of the Telangana government and TSREDCO in the retrofit could prove revolutionary, delivering windfall benefits for car drivers in addition to improving their economic well-being.
(The author is an assistant professor at the Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Administrators. [ASCI]Hyderabad)