New Delhi, Feb 21 : Indian Auto LPC Coalition, the industry body of auto LPG stakeholders has urged the government to promote a number of clean alternative fuels for automobiles, rather than just focusing on electric mobility.
Citing the recent power grid failure in the American state of Texas, the industry body in a statement said that the incident has reignited concerns over the perils of turning to an all-electric future.
“For India, which is planning an almost complete switch to Electric Vehicles, the Texan crisis serves as a reminder of the need to promote a basket of clean alternative fuels, rather than focus single-mindedly on electric mobility,” it said.
The threat of power failures and grid disruptions is real across the world and this raises questions over the viability of a strategy that shifts all transport solutions to electricity, it said.
Suyash Gupta, Director General, Indian Auto LPG Coalition said: “Climate change is already upon us as is evident by extreme weather events being witnessed across the world, be it the freeze in Texas, the deadly glacier-break in Uttarakhand or the changing winter pattern in Munnar.”
Noting that such extreme weather events may become a norm, he said: “India must take this into account while planning its long-term energy policies.In such a scenario, investing in a basket of clean alternative fuels to include low hanging and immediately viable fuels such as Auto LPG is a more viable long-term strategy, rather than banking totally on electric vehicle technology.”
Gupta was of the view that the government must reconsider its EV-only strategy and opt for promoting a wide variety of clean alternative fuels.Auto LPG is one such immediately available solution that can replace petrol and diesel right away and reap immense benefits for the environment, he said
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