EVs powered by coal are still much cleaner than petrol/diesel vehicles. Electric motors are more efficient than petrol/diesel engines. While talking about petrol/diesel pollution we only talk about tail pipe emissions, but ignore the process of oil digging, filtering, transporting etcā¦ which needs lot of energy and results in lot of pollution. We can clean the electricity generation (solar, wind and hyrdo power etcā¦) but no matter how much companies try, its difficult to clean petrol/diesel pollution. That is why VW, BMW, Mercedes, etcā¦ faced billions of fines cheating to meet emission norms.
Regarding electricity requirement for EVs (2 wheelers and Ather 450 as example):
Annual 2 wheeler sales are around ~22 million. Let us assume all these are EVs (Ather 450) in 2019. Ather mentions that with ECO mode on, it gets 75 KM range and 60 KM without ECO mode. Let us be pessimistic and take range of without ECO mode. It has 2.4 KWh battery means 2.4 units of electricity to fully charge the battery. So it goes 25 KMs per unit of electricity (60/2.4 = 25).
Let us assumer average driving distance of these 22 million 2-wheelers is 1,000 KMs per month or 12,000 KMs per year for each vehicle. So each 2-wheeler needs 12,000/25 = 480 KWh of electricity per year. For 22 million 2-wheelers, it is 10,560 GWh of electricity per year. All new cars will require about 7,000 GWh of electricity per year.
Indiaās annual solar output in FY18 is 25,871 GWh. It was 12,000 GWh in FY17. Similarly we are adding lot of new wind energy each year.
Bottom line:
Even if we move to EVs completely from 2019, we can easily meet the additional power requirement with just a portion of solar + wind capacity that we are adding each year. In future battery storage and offshore wind help clean our electricity even more.
Note: This calculation is done a few months back. Currently our solar capacity crossed 30 GW.
Karnataka has a very good percentage of renewables. This is the demand profile just two day back and you can see that at the peak, almost 45% of the load is supplied by solar and wind. I had been to a seminar recently when the speaker told that there were days when the wind + solar contribution has even touched 70%. Will definitely improve over time.
Yes. Karnataka is the top state in India in adding solar and wind energy, especially in the last 4-5 years. Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh are top 3 states in adding renewable (solar and wind) energy in the last 5 years. These states are even ahead of many European nations.
Also, most states stopped coal plants that were supposed to setup for increasing demand. All the extra demand and even existing demand is being met by solar and wind energy in many states now.
I was told by people at Ather Experience, that it would void warranty if we donāt subscribe to any of the plans.
Is this true?
I have not heard this until now. During one of the open forum, it was mentioned as Optional.
Not true at allā¦
Continuing the discussion from Ather One and Subscriptions:
Has any lease customer opted for Ather One subscription plan?
I also have the same question - I asked Ather Customer Service and they said they will check with Autovert and get back to me - which hasnāt happened. I am also interested and was also wondering if it was worth it.
From how long are you waiting to hear from them?
Iām on day 6 now; I followed up with Autovert and they say nobody from Ather team has even reached out to them so far about this topic!
it is bundled in with the amount you pay on monthly basis
also insurance
Around the same - called them last week, so I assume 6-7 days.
May I know your question?
Autovert (Lease company) just passes the subscription plan as it is from Ather. From second year onward, they give Ather Service plan.
@Abhishek Thatās right but when I had enquired earlier they had mentioned even lease customers can upgrade to Ather One by paying the difference amount of Ather Service and Ather One.
@FeelTheForce Ah I see.
Iām following up with both Ather and Autovert.
@rajeshkav Ather 45o taken on lease but I would like to upgrade it to Ather One subscription. Ather says thatās an option for sure but they are yet to communicate with Autovert about this and sort how a lease customer will pay for it.
Ajith,
Yes, you may upgrade from Ather Service to Ather One just by paying ādeltaā cost (guess it is Rs 2400/-) in Lease option too. Thatās what I heard lastā¦ I am not sure whether you spoke to right person, however you may confirm the same with Julie of Autovert. You may whatsspp Autovert at +91-76 76 21 76 77. - Rajesh
Hey Ajith
I have taken vehicle on lease down payment 75,000 and 2,517 monthly rental for 3 years. it includes everything insurance and Ather one subscription plan.
you just have to pay the monthly rental they take care of insurance and Ather one plan.
if you have any other information better to check with Autovert as told by @rajeshkav
Chetan Sir, We are pre-pre order interest group. Hence Ather had given us 3 years of Ather One plan which Autovert has just passed it on to us. However new comers who booked afterwards are not given the same. I do not know where @ajith falls intoā¦
ooh is it. Then my bad sorry for wrong information.
@ajith please get it clarified by Autovert.
Thank you Rajesh sir for clarification. 
Yes, I messaged Autovert on WhatsApp and they said they have not received any communication from Ather about upgrading to Ather One from Ather Service.
I heard from Ather they havenāt done this so far and hence they will need to put things in place so it is uniform for all lease customers. So I am guessing this will take 1-2 days for them to iron out things.
Ajith, thanks for the update and I appreciate your gesture in closing the loopā¦ I am sure Ather will consider this request. Ather subscriptions are part and parcel from vehicle and not part of lease company. I am sure they will consider. Once again, thanks for pushing this.