India should have uniform charging system for electric buses: Nitin Gadkari

The Indian government has been trying its best to reduce pollution levels and fuel consumption by introducing electric vehicles in every way possible. From prompting people to buy electric cars to introducing electric buses as public transport, the government has left no stone unturned. However, Union road, transport, and highway minister Nitin Gadkari stated that people are facing issues with the charging infrastructure as electric buses of different companies have different charging systems. While speaking at the Mindmine Summit, Gadkari stated that he has asked his officers to look for a solution as there should be a uniform charging system for electric buses. 

"The Himachal Pradesh transport minister told me about the problem of different charging systems for electric buses made by different companies. I have asked my officers to look for a solution as there should be one charging system for electric buses of different companies," he said while speaking at the Mindmine Summit.

Gadkari emphasised the need of encouraging people to use the mass rapid transport system. "We need to discourage people to purchase more cars...We need to start air-conditioned trolley bus services in metro cities," he said. The minister predicted that the prices of Electric Vehicles (EVs) will be on par with the cost of petrol vehicles in the country within one or two years.

Also read: India to SOON have electric highways, solar energy to charge EVs: Nitin Gadkari

Gadkari said the government's target is to reduce the logistic cost to 10 percent of GDP before the end of 2024 from the present logistic cost of 14-16 percent. He noted that green hydrogen is the fuel of the future.

(With inputs from PTI)