Vikram Kirloskar – Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motors:

The direction provided by the PMO India during his Independence Day speech is truly visionary as it provides a pathway of choosing a diverse energy mix that leverages our unique strengths and best exploits India’s potential.

This future energy direction will invariably influence and determine the appropriate mobility solutions and the mix of vehicle powertrain technologies needed for India.

To realize our goals of energy security & countering climate change, we must lay equal emphasis on enhancing energy efficiency as we do for fossil fuel substitution.

We need to also leverage all tech & broaden our horizons to take a more holistic & systems-based approach.

Every human life is precious & the auto industry should continue to collaborate strongly with the Govt’s efforts.

For overall road safety improvement, we must work on the 4 E’s – Engineering, Education, Enforcement, & Emergency Care.

To enable the auto industry to realize these national goals, it is necessary to have a consistent long-term policy roadmap, that is based on socially relevant objectives such as energy security, import reduction, job creation, carbon mitigation etc.

For a faster shift to sustainable mobility, policies must promote energy efficiency as the basis for determining product taxation as it is a logical, transparent, and scientific approach.

India must promote high-impact technologies of the future related to a hydrogen-based society, that can provide energy storage for Renewable Energy and help decarbonize heavy industries.

Pic Credit: SIAM India