NEW HORIZONS

Breaking myths by way of a 1,200km road trip in an EV- to the world's largest solar park!

- ABHAY VERMA

I was at a friend’s place for dinner recently and expectedly, the conversation veered onto cars. In fact, several questions about the latest in automobiles came my way once the family learnt that I am a seasoned journalist. India’s readiness as a nation for electric cars, charging infrastructure and as an automobile market, India moving towards sustainable mobility was part of the discussions too. I was more than happy to break a few myths, especially when it came to the sustainability part and how Indian car manufacturers are today taking measures actively when it comes to saving the planet through various means including not just launching EVs but also cutting down on greenhouse emissions. Some of the family members weren't convinced though and one of my friend’s uncles even asked me if I would be brave enough’ to take an EV on a multi-day road trip. Having driven EVs extensively I affirmed, but the question fueled me to consider a road trip in an EV! An obvious choice was Rajasthan, a state known for its heritage, hospitality and highways, but I wanted to head to someplace meaningful and not just the touristy cities. d heard about a few places in Rajasthan known for harvesting clean energy, but turns out, the state is also home to the world’s largest solar power park! Bhadla is a nondescript village in Rajasthan, about 600km away from Delhi-NCR. But its arid geography has attracted a number of solar power companies who have set up farms’ to harvest the sun’s energy, one of the cleanest energy sources known to man. With an installed capacity of 2,245MW, Bhadla is home to the world’s largest solar power park. Given its importance on the global renewable energy map, it was the place I wanted to drive to in an EV!