According to the officials, the Indian Army has opted to purchase electric vehicles (EVs) for a few units and formations in order to support the larger government aim of reducing carbon emissions. The purchase will take place in stages, and it will result in the replacement of 25% of light vehicles, 38% of buses, and 48% of motorcycles in certain army units with EVs.
Officials have stated that the Indian Army has included a pathway to incorporate EVs wherever practicable into the strategy after considering operational commitments to considerably reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
The use of vehicles by the Indian Army, remote deployment areas, and operational commitment were only a few of the distinctive elements that were taken into account, they stated.
Furthermore, the necessary infrastructure, such as EV charging stations, would be installed in order to support the EV ecosystem in the army units. According to the officials, these charging stations would include two to three slow chargers in addition to at least one fast charger. The Army also has time-bound plans to deploy solar-powered charging stations in addition to this.
Rajnath Singh, the defence minister, attended an event organised by the Indian Army in April 2022 during which manufacturers including Tata Motors, Perfect Metal Industries (PMI), and Revolt Motors displayed their products and provided updates on technological advancements.
