Bengaluru residents want EVs for delivery boys amid rising air pollution

Bengaluru: A recent survey conducted by the Sustainability Mobility Network (SMN) found that 96% of people in Bengaluru and Hubballi-Dharwad believe that switching to electric vehicle (EV) fleets in the last-mile delivery sector is crucial for reducing air pollution. The survey revealed that goods from distribution centers to customers are responsible for about 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions each year.

Most people in the city like to reduce air pollution anyway. About 98.1% agreed that switching to EVs is important for combating the air pollution crisis of the city, and 97% believe that air pollution is getting worse. Similar responses were found in Hubballi-Dharwad.

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Manufacturing EV batteries, especially those made with lithium, cobalt, and manganese, requires large amounts of energy, resulting in a high carbon footprint. Studies show that producing an EV can consume double the energy needed to manufacture a conventional car. The electricity used to charge EVs often comes from fossil fuels, making overall emissions comparable to traditional vehicles.

Siddharth Sreenivas from the Sustainable Mobility Network responded to these concerns, saying, the emissions from EVs are still lower than those from traditional vehicles. He further said that the focus will be on two- and three-wheelers, which make up most last-mile delivery vehicles. He added that the cost of these EVs has dropped because of better production systems and new technologies like swappable batteries, which have cut the price of electric autos by Rs 1 lakh in the past year and a half.