Analysis of electric vehicle trends, development and policies in India

India has been falling behind other countries in the deployment of electric vehicle (EV), as it has no explicit policy or strategy. This contrasts with the USA, China, Norway and Germany, who have offered substantial subsidies and incentives to upgrade to EVs, to minimize air pollution and fossil fuel consumption. The main purpose of this paper was to review the policies, strategies, and technical considerations for developing EVs, by analyzing both the Indian EV market and the global evolution of EVs. This study also considered the development and research status of EVs in India. In addition, the current deployment of EVs in India, together with the challenges and opportunities within this sector, was explored and a strength weakness opportunity and challenges (SWOC) analysis performed. This study will encourage policy makers, government and businesses to incentivize the deployment of EVs in India in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was concluded that the Indian government should provide more research funds for the development of both EVs and the charging infrastructure. Also, central government could play a major role in coordinating the activities of the state and EV related businesses, to support the emerging Indian EV sector.