Chennai: Battery swapping for electric vehicles (EVs) should focus on higher-range vehicles, as lower availability of docks initially would force users to make detours for a swap, industrialists said.
This came in response to a draft policy by government think tank Niti Aayog.
They, however, agreed that swapping was a welcome move to jump-start the adoption of EVs despite fundamental questions about its viability.
IT industry body Nasscom, in its response to Niti Aayogs Draft Battery Swapping Policy, has recommended that batteries with a higher range, at about 80-100 kilometres a swap, should be encouraged to meet demand to go longer distances without having to take detours to find a battery swap dock.
Nasscom, which has among its members EV brands such as Ather Energy, has also pointed out that EV riders are likely to rush to a swap dock due to range anxiety, meaning users could initiate swap before the battery runs out.
The budget had outlined a battery swapping policy for EVs.
The Niti Aayog draft policy drives battery swapping as an alternative to charging to reduce downtime and focuses on light EVs such as two-wheelers and e-rickshaws/e-carts.
Source: PTI
