Why You Can't Write Off Internal Combustion Engines Just Yet

Several reports and findings indicate that the global advent of electric motors will power vehicles in the future.

However, experts have reservations about how quickly the transition will happen and also believe that internal combustion engine (ICE) will continue to run a large percentage of vehicles in the coming years. With greenhouse gas emissions and constant pressure to improve air quality, would ICE still remain the power horse of our future transportation? With fuel-economy norms and standards getting stringent by the day, these engines may not be the same anymore.

EV AND ICE DEBATE

It is estimated that approximately two billion ICEs are in use around the world, not only to run cars but also trucks, trains, ships and more. Current debates are focussed on whether EVs will be able to outpace and prove more valuable than ICEs on every dimension of utility across all classes of vehicles.

The challenge before EVs is daunting. Fuelled by a century of robust R&D, ICEs are not only continually surpassing efficiency benchmarks, but also reducing harmful emissions. However, since fossil fuel is limited and contributes to emissions, there is a pressing need for identifying an alternate solution. Among all the options, electric is the most popular alternative in the market.

Electric vehicles are witnessing an upward trend in all major markets. In 2017, more than one million EVs were added globally. This growth is led by China, followed by Europe and the US. Even India is emerging as a major market, with its national e-mobility programme looking to electrify 30 % of its vehicles by 2030. However, the battery alone in an electric car can cost thousands of dollars and will continue to remain higher for some time.

CHALLENGE TO BUILD, STRENGTHEN AND SUSTAIN EV INFRASTRUCTURE