At the turn of the millennium when a little-known Stanford graduate decided to make India?s first electric car, many thought the decision was miscalculated and audacious. This impression only gained strength over time, as Chetan Maini?s Reva could sell only 3,000 units (with most of them being shipped abroad) in the last nine years. However, the sudden and unexpected takeover of the company by the country?s largest utility player Mahindra & Mahindra has triggered a debate that shows no signs of abating. Speculations are still rife about what prompted Anand Mahindra to buy Reva.

With the black gold getting dearer by the day, we need to explore alternatives. But whether electric cars are a solution to this problem is still unclear. Carmakers, analysts and common folk are all divided on this issue. Infrastructure constraints and lack of government support are some of the most common reasons leading carmakers cite for not entering the electric space just yet.

An analyst told me recently that though a handful of carmakers are surreptitiously developing electric prototypes, none are willing to invest heavily in the project just yet?they are waiting to see a sizeable market. Honda Siel?s decision to launch a hybrid version of its Civic has met with a lukewarm response. And GM?s promised launch of e-Spark has been delayed after the company snapped all ties with Reva. But electric two-wheelers could be perfectly placed to bridge the gap between a vision and its succesful execution. Consider that 14 million electric two-wheelers are sold in China every year. While India?s total two-wheeler market is 80% of China?s, we sell only a little over a lakh electric two-wheelers. The serious mismatch here is hard to miss.

An electric car is not only pricey by normal standards but also requires ample space for charging, but an electric two-wheeler scores on both these fronts. Plus, with pressure mounting on India to cut carbon emissions, we could be only days away from a concerted effort by the government to promote green vehicles. Electric cars may still be a far fetched dream, but an electric two-wheeler could prove to be the game changer.

ronojoy.banerjee@expressindia.com