Motoring as we know it to be and have known it to be has undergoing massive changes right in front of our eyes over the past four decades that I have been at it and yet again there is cause for disruption, some of it difficult to fathom but which has to be done (like bitter medicine to cure a malady), some of which has to be done from a pragmatic point of view, some of which is challenging and some of which we have to have consensus to keep the glory of fossil fuelled mobility alive.
Even though my heart is on the last named attribute of the glory of fossil fuelled mobility the other attributes preceding this are just as strong in my thought process. I think we need change in personal mobility, especially in our cities or urban centers where the roads have remained the same in length and width but traffic density has scuppered easy free flow movement leading invariably to grid lock, frayed tempers and more tail pipe pollution. Here I think that the authorities need to rethink mass transit systems and try and curtail use of cars in city centers. Yes it is easier said than done but one will have to do it whether we like it or not.
“Here I think that the authorities need to rethink mass transit systems and try and curtail use of cars in city centers.”
The second challenge is the impending advent of automotive electrification and this is mighty different from electric cars per se as one of our hon’ble ministers has threatened us with – laudable intent but way off the time scale for a country like ours. That aside I can see that the entire industry – in India and globally is on the cusp of a paradigm shift and this has already begun to play out elsewhere but one where we have penalised hybrids without any due thought or diligence via our tax structures. Maybe some rethinking needs to be done and quickly because I can very well see the first step towards an all-electric mobility universe needs the hybridisation to begin with and so lets incentivise and not penalise this interim technology.
“The SIAM has released a road map, which broadly mirrors what the developed world has outlined, and that includes a complete electric universe from 2047 with not a single vehicle being powered by an internal combustion powertain.”
Also I must say that there was some good news from within industry as the SIAM led by the highly respected Abhay Firodia at its helm finally made known the industry’s stand on the demands of going all electric by 2030. The SIAM has released a road map, which broadly mirrors what the developed world has outlined, and that includes a complete electric universe from 2047 with not a single vehicle being powered by an internal combustion powertain. There are various milestones of course from now until 2047 with the government having to play a major role of course in seeing this happen so let’s get ready for some shocks – pleasant and otherwise!
And finally the pragmatism bit came in as this New Year’s gift to the vintage and classic car fraternity by way of the NGT (National Green Tribunal) allowing the use of such vehicles for sporting events, exhibitions and for carrying our maintenance in the NCR (National Capital Region). This helps almost everyone in the heritage vehicle movement in the country to breathe easy because even though the ban on vehicles over 15 years from plying on the roads has taken effect in New Delhi, this new ruling for cars over 50 years old is a welcome one for the vintage and classic vehicle movement in the nation.
The Delhi-based Heritage Motoring Club spearheaded this thrust ably backed by others like the CIVAA and also other individuals to plead the case and surely this ruling means that the turmoil in the ranks of owners and enthusiasts should now be a thing of the past.