State invites investors to boost infra to step up production of e-vehicles

KOLKATA: State Transport minister Firhad Hakim on Wednesday invited investors to come forward to make proper infrastructure so that lithium could be produced to speed up the process of manufacturing of electric buses.

"Future of transport is EV (Electric Vehicle). Our government believes in an environment friendly transport system. The way the Central government is increasing the fuel price we have to find out an alternative. And the alternative is CNG and Electric Vehicle," said Hakim, on the sidelines of the Conference on Urbanization and Environment Care organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce at a city hotel on Wednesday.

He reiterated that TATA company has order of manufacturing 30,000 EVs. It is are able to manufacture only 1200 EVS due to shortage of Lithium batteries.

He reiterated that non availability of lithium is acting as a deterrent to the battery manufacturing companies. The supply of lithium is controlled by China with the mines under their control. Exide has entered into an understanding with China for procuring lithium so that they can manufacture batteries at their unit.