This is a Guest Blog by Nitish Arora and Sahana Lokesh of NRDC India
Auto-rickshaws, or three-wheelers, are the dominant mode of public transport in medium and small cities in India, accounting for 42–76% of public transportation trips. Even in larger cities, auto-rickshaws still account for 8% of public transport. By 2030, India’s extensive fleet of 7.4 million passenger auto-rickshaws is expected to grow to 11 million. Electric auto-rickshaws, however, remains as low as 0.4% of the market as of 2022. The tailpipe emissions from the auto rickshaw sector, under best case operating conditions, constitute nearly 10% of the total road transport emissions in cities. Transitioning to electric autorickshaws, by requiring new vehicles to be electric as well retrofitting existing vehicles, could help decarbonize the road transport sector and reduce urban air pollution.
The Benefits and Challenges of Retrofitting Auto Rickshaws to Become Electric
Retrofitting has emerged as a viable cost-effective solution to address the declining efficiency and increasing operational costs associated with aging vehicles, such as ICE auto-rickshaws that have already surpassed the 4-5 years lifespan. This technology effectively prolongs the operational lifespan of these vehicles by an additional 5-7 years, leading to tangible reductions in resource consumption and carbon emissions, while significantly reducing capital expenditure by at least 50-60% compared to purchasing new electric three-wheelers. In terms of material consumption, retrofitting a single auto-rickshaw can both reclaim approximately 220-230 kg of metals from the existing ICE engine and components, and save the approximately 390 kg of metals that would have been required to introduce a new auto. Given that approximately 750,000 three-wheelers across the nation will reach their end-of-life status by 2025, nationwide retrofitment initiatives offer a crucial chance to recover substantial amounts of valuable metal resources.
Retrofitting also presents a viable solution to address the significant challenge of range limitations in new electric three-wheelers (e-3Ws). By allocating a significant portion of capital expenditure towards enhancing battery capacity, retrofitting effectively tackles operational concerns. This strategic approach can extend the range of e-3Ws, thereby better meeting user needs. Converting autos to electric also offers substantial health benefits for driver partners by eliminating manual transmission.
However, there are bottlenecks to retrofitting. Given that retrofitting is still in its nascent stages in India, there are some key barriers which make the driver partners apprehensive to opt for retrofitting. Lack of affordable financing options for driver partners, permit restrictions, difficulties in getting insurance for the retrofitted vehicle, along with concerns around warranty and after-service support as well as inadequate charging infrastructure hinder the growth of retrofitting industry in the country.
New Research Identifies Solutions
Based on stakeholder consultations and new analysis, NRDC and partners have developed a white paper that looks at the current landscape for retrofitting ICE vehicles in India and offers solutions to mitigate the bottlenecks. The white paper, “Powering Progress: A Blueprint for Retrofitting Three Wheelers from Internal Combustion Engine to Electric,” was released last week at a workshop, “Advancing Electrification of Passenger Autorickshaws through Retrofitment Solutions: A Blueprint for Indian Cities,” held in conjunction with the Government of Telangana. The workshop featured participation from senior state officials from Telangana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala, along with river partner unions across South Indian states, technology service providers, financers, fleets, CPOs, and civil society organizations. During the event, a tripartite MoU was signed between the Government of Telangana, NRDC India, and ASCI to advance the clean mobility transition in the state of Telangana.
