Abstract:

This article dealt with the initiative done by SMV Green Solutions. The company provides a safe and affordable transport alternative for last-mile mobility, or the last leg in a passenger’s journey, usually delivered by buses and auto-rickshaws. The company’s thrust rides along with the state government’s objective of achieving 100 percent electrification of auto-rickshaws by 2030 in Varanasi and other cities. Particulate matters and polluting gases from automobile emissions contribute to making breathing the air in the city very difficult. SMV has enabled 1038 e-rickshaw ownerships, of which 550 are in Varanasi, and the company estimates that it has reduced 2076 tonnes of CO2 emissions since its inception four years ago. In March, the Indian government approved the second phase of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME II) to boost the transition to electric mobility. The scheme aims to reduce the purchase price of EVs used for public or shared transportation, which includes rickshaws. To tackle the issue of charging, SMV has established two battery swapping stations in Varanasi with a capacity to charge 15 batteries at a time. The Indian government recently announced a reduced GST rate of five percent instead of 12 percent on electric vehicles. The e-mobility industry is expected to create 10 million jobs.