Electrification of vehicles can bring down urban pollution, finds CSTEP study

The study, authored by Saad Khan, Spurthi Ravuri and Thirumalai N C projected that on-road vehicle stock in the city is expected to grow by 1.5 times, with the total vehicular population projected to increase from 5.7 million to 8.9 million by 2030.

It also claimed that the city’s electric vehicle (EV) fleet is projected to grow from 75,000 to 2.34 million by 2030, with the most significant increase in the number of two wheelers, followed by three and four wheelers.

“However, despite the addition of 3.2M vehicles by 2030, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter (PM) emissions are expected to increase by only 25 percent, 13 percent, and 8 percent, respectively, owing to the deployment of EVs,” the study said.

Further, to aid in the green transition of the transport sector, the study suggested that the share of renewable energy sources in the overall energy mix should be enhanced.

The study also said that of the city’s 3.2GW of rooftop solar potential, roughly 40 per cent coverage will be sufficient to meet the entire charging demand of all EVs in 2030.

The study stated that approximately 6.2 million units of electricity will be needed to charge the projected 2.34 million EVs on a daily basis.

“In the current energy mix of the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), 55 percent of the energy is sourced from thermal power plants.

However, for a completely green transition, the majority of this electricity should be sourced from a combination of renewable resources available in Karnataka, such as solar, wind, biomass, and hydro.

For instance, 1.37 GW of rooftop solar installations, covering a total rooftop area of 16.4 sq km, will be sufficient to fulfil the charging needs of the projected EV fleet. This is an achievable target, considering the city’s rooftop solar potential of 3.2 GW,” the study said.

In India, the transportation sector accounts for roughly 10 per cent (290 million tonne) of the total carbon dioxide emissions per year, with road transport being the leading contributor.

A previous CSTEP study (2022) concluded that vehicle electrification is an efficient means to curb vehicular emissions and significantly reduce sources of urban pollution.

“Overall, there is significant potential for the city of Bengaluru to move towards sustainable mobility solutions. While electric vehicles are inherently more sustainable than conventional fossil fuel-powered vehicles, by ensuring that the majority of the electricity for EV charging is also sourced from non-polluting and renewable sources, we can envisage a future wherein the mobility sector has minimal impact on the environment,” the study said.