Piyush Chakraborty, Officiating Head, ESSCI
In the modern era, Mobility has become a critical economic factor both directly and as a means of providing the goods and services necessary for the foundation of economic life. It is central to leading a comfortable life in the cities and being part of urban life. Mobility is used for every aspect of life from earning the daily bread to helping become a part of the social circle. To curb the pollution level, the Government of India is making efforts towards promoting Electric Vehicles (EVs). In view of the growth in demand for Electric Vehicles, automobile manufacturers are also taking rapid steps in the direction of manufacturing e-cars and e-bikes.As the Indian EV industry is growing substantially, new career opportunities are coming for the youth in this field. Looking at the future energy and technology, the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI), formed under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), has started preparing the courses related to E-Vehicles. Let’s know in detail.
What is E-Vehicle?
E-Vehicles mean Electric Vehicles (EVs) which have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. The vehicles use lithium-ion batteries that are excellent at retaining energy and have greater longevity. E-vehicles are environmentally friendly as they use little or no petrol or diesel. In the initial phase, the vehicles could cover only 10 to 20 kilometers, but now research in this area is going on continuously and now the capacity has to cover around 250 to 300 kilometers has been developed in these vehicles.
Career Growth Driver
1. To develop India as a global manufacturing center and an R&D hub. Under NATRiP, plans are afoot to set up R&D centers.
2. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has shortlisted 11 cities in the country for the introduction of EVs in their public transport systems under the FAME [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and EVs in India] scheme.
3. GOI will also set up incubation centers for startups working in EV space.
4. The National Mission for Electric Mobility has launched the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) – 2020 with an aim to invest INR 140 bn in the next 8 years for the development of electric infrastructure.
5. The Electric Vehicle Policy 2019 offers to waive off – road taxes and registration charges till 2024 and provides hefty subsidies on charging equipment.
6. To bolster the charging infrastructure, there is a de-licensed activity to set up a charging station and the electricity received from any company would be free of cost.
7. Private charging stations are permitted at residential places, and any charging station can get electric power from any company through open access protocols.
Career Options
Due to the rapidly evolving policies in favor of E-Vehicles in the country, new career options are open for youth. The Electric Vehicle Industry is the multi-disciplinaryfield that requires expertswho have extensive knowledge of electronics, electrical, mechanical engineer and embedded software. In this field, mostly youth are preferred from electronics or electrical engineering. In view of the career opportunities in this field, various universities including IITs, NITs have included courses in B.TechEngineering especially related to E-Vehicles. Looking at the future prospects, the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India has also started working on it. In future, skilled youth will be prepared in the country with the help of private institutions.
Educational Qualification Required to Enter EV Industry –
Under the electronics and communication engineering of the electrical vehicle industry, there is a need to develop firmware for battery management system, infotainment system, manufacturing and installing sensors in the vehicle, power electronics whereas under electrical engineering, there is a need to work on motors, quality control, testing of battery packs and develop wiring harness for numerous functions in the EV charging solutions. Under Research and Development, there is a focus on enhancing the design, application and increasing the storing capacity of the E-Vehicles. There are various career options available for youth in this field, from junior engineer to expert. Apart from doing Diploma and B.Tech, youth can also opt for 1 year specialization course in this field. It is compulsory for the students to pass 10th for Diploma and 12th for B.Tech to make career in this field. The ElectronicsSector Skills Council of India is in the process to start a certificate course in the future. At the same time, along with the university, a framework has been chalked out to make the youth skilled at the degree level.
How can you enter EV Industry?
There are three ways to step in the EV Industry. Firstly, you can enter directly as an R&D engineer by developing a project for electric vehicles. Doing different projects work brings golden career opportunities for youth. Secondly, as an internship, you can work on live projects of a company and learn by doing practical there. Lastly, students can also get an opportunity to work on new projects through research projects and teaching fellowships.
Reason of Huge Career Opportunities in EV Industry
Emphasis is being laid upon developing infrastructure across the country for Electric Vehicles. Preparations are being made to bring trucks along with cars and bikes. For this, special green energy corridor is going to be constructed by the Government of India. This will increase the demand for E-Vehicles in the country at a rapid pace. With increasing demand for E-Vehicles, the focus will be on its manufacturing and production within the country. Currently, there are 48 automobile companies, 12 motorcycle companies and 747 auto components manufacturers. There will be a need of thousands of skilled people in this industry when these companies will manufacture electric vehicles in the country.
Future of Electric Vehicles
The Government of India has decided to procure 30 percent electric vehicles by the year 2030. The electric vehicle market is growing at a rate of about 34.5 percent. According to the private sector report, by the year 2025, there will be a market of $ 707.4 billion. People are increasingly attracted by government policies and concessions for purchasing Electric Vehicles. Due to the technological advancements, EV prices are gradually decreasing and its quality is also improving. This will lead to growth in EV production as well as good career opportunities for youth in this industry.
