With reference to "The game changer" (April 11), we should reserve our applause till at least the world can see a semblance of assembly line production and actual field trials of all-electric cars. I am only advocating caution and a reflection on the ground realities in commercialising a new, highly technical product. The world has seen many sensational announcements.
Let's wish Elon Musk luck. Even if the Indian government exempts the Tesla car from import duty, the price tag of $35,000 is not going to set the market on fire. We do have a lot of rich and well-meaning people to pay that price, but they constitute perhaps less than five per cent of the car ownership in India.
The editorial raised a very pertinent point by referring to the need for setting up a network of "charge stations", considering that we are still struggling to have an adequate number of CNG filling stations. Another far more important issue is that of carbon footprint.
Until we are on way to achieving ambitious targets for installation of renewable energy generation capacity (100 gigawatts solar and 60 gigawatts wind), our dream of "a 100 per cent electric vehicle nation by 2030" may be a bit premature. However, the possibility of Tesla setting up a battery "Gigafactory" in India is very exciting and it could help us immensely in achieving our renewable energy targets.
Krishan Kalra, Gurgaon
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