Urbanisation and Its Impact
By 2050, nearly 70% of people in developing countries will live in cities due to rapid urbanisation.
Urban living improves access to jobs and services but worsens traffic congestion and air pollution.
In India, PM2.5 pollution caused about 30,000 deaths annually (2008–2019) in 10 major cities — including Mumbai (5,100 deaths), Kolkata (4,678), and Chennai (2,870).
Rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs)
To combat pollution, cities like Cairo, Dakar, Santiago, and Bogotá are investing in cleaner public transport.
By 2023, there were 40 million electric cars worldwide — a 35% increase from the previous year.
Over half of global EV sales were in China, followed by Europe and the U.S.
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are most common, while Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) are rare.
FCEVs vs. BEVs
FCEVs offer longer range, quick refueling (5–15 minutes), and are better for long trips and cold weather.
Only 93,000 hydrogen vehicles exist globally — 1 for every 330 battery EVs.
High purchase and running costs limit FCEV adoption.
Fuel cell buses/trucks cost 20–30% more than battery-electric ones; prices may equalize by 2030.
Cost of Operation
Diesel buses: $0.27/km; electric buses: $0.17/km — making electric buses more economical long term.
Hydrogen fuel buses are much costlier: Blue hydrogen costs $0.84/km, green hydrogen $0.91/km.
Experts expect hydrogen vehicle prices to match battery EVs soon, but operating costs will remain higher.
India’s EV Progress
In 2023, EVs made up 5% of total vehicle sales in India.
Electric car registrations rose 70% year-on-year to 80,000 units.
India became the largest market for electric three-wheelers (0.58 million units), surpassing China.
India is the second-largest electric two-wheeler market (0.88 million units), behind China (6 million).
India, China, and ASEAN countries dominate global two- and three-wheeler EV sales.
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