Electrification not silver bullet for achieving carbon neutrality: OICA

Technology neutrality and multiple approaches are necessary for the auto industry to achieve carbon neutrality, said the Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA).

“Electrification is the future of transportation and key to achieving carbon neutrality, but it is not a silver bullet for all nations. OICA represents auto production nations in all corners of the world and recognizes the importance of a technology neutral, multi-pronged policy approach to make progress on transportation decarbonisation is required,” said OICA President John Bozzella.

OICA is an international trade association which comprises 39 national automotive industry trade associations. India’s auto industry lobby group SIAM is a member.

The association in its new plan of decarbonising road transport has proposed shifts in power generation, investments in new charging or refuelling infrastructure, and the evolution of the existing supply base for the purpose.

In India, the government has heavily stressed on electrification as part of its clean energy transition. Leading automakers like Honda, Toyota and market leader Maruti Suzuki have been pushing for hybrids.

For instance, Honda last June announced plans to invest $40 billion to develop electric vehicles (EVs) over the next decade and launch 30 EVs by 2030. Takuya Tsumura, president and CEO at Honda India said that the first phase of the clean mobility journey for Honda in India will be through Hybrid. “We need to observe the reaction from the market and competitors and plan the future,” he said, adding that the fuel efficiency for the hybrid variant is better by 40-45 percent.

Maruti Suzuki's MD & CEO Hisahi Takeuchi said that India also needs to explore other technologies to make the environment better in the Indian market

“India is one of the largest agricultural countries. So the fuel that originates from agricultural fuel like ethanol has a big opportunity in India to make environmentally friendly cars,” Takeuchi said.