00:00 The noise is exhausting.
00:04 More than 6 million motorbikes and cars push their way through Chennai every day.
00:10 Emission levels are sky high.
00:11 Things need to change, say climate activists.
00:17 Climate change means we have to shift from combustion engines to electric vehicles.
00:23 Climate leaders have promised to gradually reduce fossil fuels and to have a set target
00:30 like 2050 or 2070, by which time their countries will have made a complete switch to sustainable
00:37 energy sources.
00:39 A lot of money has been invested already and change is underway.
00:48 Young people in particular like Rakesh Jubashtin are already making the shift.
00:53 It makes sense economically too.
01:00 Vehicle emissions play a huge role in air pollution and climate change, which is why
01:04 the government is promoting electric vehicles.
01:06 I decided to buy an EV to save money and also so that I could do my bit and make a contribution
01:11 to society.
01:12 The switch to e-mobility is also an opportunity for the city's startups like Fulfilly.
01:22 These electric two-wheelers deliver goods from online retailers.
01:26 The company says it's a win-win situation.
01:35 The public will notice several benefits.
01:37 The low maintenance cost, avoiding rising fuel costs and less pollution.
01:43 People can save a lot of money by going electric.
01:46 For example, with an EV, you can travel up to 100 kilometers for just 15 rupees.
01:52 That's around 17 euro cents.
01:54 Whereas with a petrol run vehicle, you're looking at more than 100 rupees.
01:58 So 1 euro 12 cents for just 40 kilometers.
02:02 So people are keen to try out EVs.
02:06 So people are moving to EV.
02:09 Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka is known as India's Silicon Valley.
02:14 Despite its high tech reputation, it has the same levels of noise and air pollution as
02:18 an old industrial city.
02:21 One taxi company has recently converted its entire fleet to electric vehicles.
02:26 Drivers like Prasanna are very impressed.
02:30 Electric vehicles are easy to drive.
02:33 There are no gears or clutch, just a brake and an accelerator.
02:38 So they are much nicer to drive in traffic.
02:41 Vehicles with combustion engines make a lot of noise, whereas EVs are smooth.
02:47 Customers really like the feel of them.
02:50 We head to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.
02:54 Here, regional authorities have tried to get a handle on air pollution by toughening emissions
02:59 regulations.
03:01 Updating the diesel engines of their vehicles to fit the new norms would have been very
03:06 expensive for this rickshaw producer.
03:08 So instead, they built a brand new fleet run on electricity.
03:13 Like a policy decision, the government at that time, they took the initiative and supported
03:23 us for doing research and development in this EV.
03:29 And slowly, we transformed from this petrol-driven company to EV company with the support of
03:36 the government.
03:37 Kerala's government grants buyers a subsidy of up to Rs 30,000, around Rs 330 on e-vehicle
03:46 purchases, plus road tax exemption for five years.
03:50 But critics say the take-up is still far too low.
03:58 If we want to mitigate climate change, we have to stop using fossil fuels.
04:07 Scientists and researchers say we have just seven years to reduce emissions by 50%.
04:18 That's not a lot of time.
04:19 We have to double the rate we are currently moving at.
04:24 And that means we must change to EVs.
04:31 Charging infrastructure is still insufficient.
04:34 And of course, the electricity used to charge electric vehicles must come from renewables.
04:40 That's the only way they can be truly sustainable.
04:43 Nonetheless, these initiatives in southern India are making a small but important contribution
04:49 towards a cleaner future.
04:51 (air whooshing)
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