NITI Aayog CEO: India to Set up 3-4 ‘Giga’ e-Vehicle Battery Units in 3 years

NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant said that India, in its plans to facilitate electric mobility, will look to set up 3-4 "giga" manufacturing facilities to produce batteries for electric vehicles in the next three years.

The head of the national think tank expects the government to come out with policies to facilitate set up of battery manufacturing facilities in the next 3-4 months. Kant was speaking at the India Energy Forum.

NITI Aayog has been at the forefront for the push for use of electric vehicles in the country over conventional internal combustion engines in order to curb pollution caused by vehicles.

Kant also emphasised that around 80% of India's automobile needs are met in the two-wheeler space where electric mobility has already taken large leaps.

The NITI Aayog head said lithium-ion batteries are expected to remain in the forefront for battery tech for electric automobiles for the next six to seven years. Majority of the world's lithium is mined in China.

Kant said that while India will continue to import lithium, the majority of the process to manufacture electric batteries does not involve lithium. The country should focus on developing infrastructure for battery manufacturing in order to achieve sustainable development, Kant said.

India also needs to facilitate the development of electrified public transport networks in order to grow in a sustainable manner, the NITI Aayog CEO said.