Automobiles, like our cars and buses, cause a lot of pollution. It is because they are based on fossil fuels. So, our government is promoting vehicles which can use clean fuel. When it comes to such vehicles, the first thing which attracts the attention of the people is electric vehicles or ‘e-vehicles’. Unlike the common vehicles which run on petrol and diesel, the e-vehicles run on electricity. Hence, they do not produce any harmful emissions and are ‘clean’ vehicles...
These days, there are several options available among e-vehicles. In addition to electric cars, there are many electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, buses and even rickshaws riding on the roads. Many governments in our country, like those of Delhi and Maharashtra, are also providing hefty subsidies for a long time for purchasing e-vehicles.
However, there is a catch! Most people are still hesitant to buy these vehicles. Why? Why? Why?... The biggest reason is their heavy prices! Further, people don’t know much about them. Hence, there is a lack of interest in e-vehicles.
But you know what? Very soon these e-vehicles would become much cheaper and might even cost the same as the petrol and diesel vehicles. Moreover, their biggest advantage is that they are highly eco-friendly! In a world where automobile exhaust has caused among the greatest damages to our air quality, e-vehicles can help us fight best against rising global warming. Plus, we already know that one fine day our fossil fuels will get over. So, switching to e-vehicles is our best opportunity to continue riding ahead.
Deputy Programme Manager, Environment Education Unit, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi
Supplement Editorial Coordinator of the Gobar Times magazine and Senior Reporter-cum-Sub Editor of the Young Environmentalist Programme, Environment Education Unit, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi