TOP 10 events that shaped the EV world in 2020

As 2020 drew to a close, we looked at significant milestones achieved by the Electric vehicle industry Globally as well as in India

Here we have provided a compilation of Top 5 Global events and Top 5 India events covering the following areas :

  • Product launches

  • Government Policies

  • Technology breakthroughs &

  • Star performers

GLOBAL

1. ID3 – VW’s commitment to EV

  • Volkswagen’s ID3 launch marked the beginning of serious EV play from one of the world’s formidable Auto OEM

  • The car won accolades for its brilliant all-round performance, interior space, and safety

  • VW is planning to extend the ID badge to all their electric line up in the future and is aiming to sell 28 million electric cars by 2028

2. EV Sales surge in Europe – Surpasses 1mn mark



  • Pandemic has brought in the environment focus, which benefited EV sales

  • In 2020, when the overall Car sales fell across the globe, Europe’s EV sales chart soared

  • 1mn+ EVs were sold from Jan to November 2020, across the 18 European countries, which is double the sales over the previous year

3. Quantumscape’s Solid-state battery tech holds promise 



  • Quantumscape has successfully tested early-stage solid-state battery sample cells in Germany, running at automotive rates of power—This is an Industry first.

  • Solid-state battery cell technology has the potential to revolutionize the future e-mobility space

  • Compared to Li-ion batteries, it has significantly higher energy density, enhanced safety, better fast charging capability, and – above all – takes up considerably less space.

4. Foxconn Enters EV business


  • Foxconn, the company that builds iPhones for Apple, has unveiled its own open-source EV platform, the first vehicle using it will be out in two years 

  • The hardware platform can be adjusted to comply with individual automaker’s needs and specs, and the software elements will be upgradable.

  • The company hopes to get its components or systems into 10 percent of electric vehicles—about three million EVs—on the market by 2027.

5. Tesla’s Market Cap touches £660bn



  • 2020, saw Tesla’s market cap reaching a staggering $660bn, the company which revolutionized the EV world is growing from strength to strength 

  • This meteoric rise has made Tesla, the most valuable Auto company in the world

  • Such a valuation reflects the confidence and hope investors have on Tesla Motors and Elon Musk 

  • On reaching this milestone, Elon musk revealed that in 2013 he approached Tim cook to sell Tesla to Apple, at 1/10th of its current valuation. 

INDIA


1. Delhi unveils ambitious EV policy


  • Delhi’s landmark EV policy featured in UN Dialogue on Zero emission

  • Under this policy, the government is offering an incentive of up to Rs 30,000 for electric two-wheelers, autos, e-rickshaws, and freight vehicles. 

  • The policy also includes an incentive of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for new cars & a scrappage scheme, first of its kind in the country

  • Arvind Kejriwal aims to grow the EV vehicle registrations in the city from the current 0.29% to 25% by 2024.

2. Ola to build world’s largest scooter Mfg unit


  • India’s Ride-hailing leader, Ola is investing Rs 2,400 crore in Tamil Nadu to set up its first electric scooter manufacturing facility. This shows Ola’s commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat.

  • The factory, once completed, will create nearly 10,000 jobs and will be the world's largest scooter manufacturing facility with an annual capacity of 2 million units 

  • It will not only cater to customers in India but also around the world including Europe, Asia, Latin America and others

3. Pure EV joins CSIR to develop Battery Tech for India



  • IIT-incubated startup Pure EV collaborates with CSIR – Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) to indigenize Lithium-Ion battery technology

  • The MoU includes joint research on the production of battery packs & validation of LIB cells

  • Currently, India imports most of its Lithium cells from China, to address this market monopoly, CSIR has launched this project with an aim to produce LIBs on a 100 MW scale.

4. Tata Nexon EV tops the electric car sales chart


  • India’s most preferred electric car, Tata Nexon EV, surpassed the 2200 sales milestone in less than 10 months since launch (as of November 2020)

  • This indicates strong demand for EVs in the personal car segment. 

  • With its compelling value-proposition & attractive range, Nexon EV has emerged as the best-selling electric car in India. 

  • Tata Motors is the leader in the Electric car segment in India with a 74% market share.

5. Electric scooters which grabbed headlines


  • Bajaj Chetak's electric launch marks Bajaj’s re-entry into scooters. With 95km range, 60kmph top speed & Rs. 1 lakh stating price it’s a great package for city commuters

  • Ather 450X, futuristic design coupled with top-spec build and performance ensures that it is one of the most sought-after made-in-India electric scooters

  • TVS IQube, the most practical electric scooter promises a top speed of 78 kmph and a range of 75 km. Though late to the party, TVS struck the right chord with IQube

  • Ampere Magnus Pro, a product of Greaves cotton comes with a 100 km range, 55kmph top speed at an attractive price point of Rs. 74,000


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Team "EV Quotient"

(EV Quotient is a platform to discuss and learn about electric vehicles. It’s an initiative by a team of experienced Automotive professionals with Global Exposure)



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