The 16th EVEXPO 2022, India’s largest environmentally friendly electric vehicle technology expo, will open on December 9 in Hall A of the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan in Kolkata as part of the West Bengal government’s initiative to hasten the acceptance and use of electric mobility in the State. The three-day exhibition will include the newest and most cutting-edge 2, 3, and 4-wheeled electric vehicles, components and accessories, charging solutions, and technology from about 100 exhibitors. The Government of West Bengal’s E-mobility Week, which runs from December 7–11, 2022, will feature these events as its main draws.

A press conference was organized to announce the various initiative and activities in Kolkata and was addressed by Mr. S Suresh Kumar, Addl. Chief Secy; Mr. Somnath Dey, Spl. commissioner, KMC, Mr. Prosenjit Hans, Sr. Spl. Secy, Transport Department, Mr. Anuj Sharma, President, Electric vehicle Federation, and Founder EV EXPO & Mr. Rajiv Arora, Organiser EV Expo.

The Govt. of West Bengal, in association with the EV Expo, will also be organizing World’s First EV Rally on 10th December 2022. The EV Rally shall begin at 7:00 am from Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan and after traveling through Park Street, Queens Road, and Princep Ghat shall end at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan itself. The aim of the EV Rally is to promote awareness about electric vehicles, clear doubt’s in people’s minds about their range, and encourage citizens to adopt and use electric vehicles in the State. This EV Rally also aims to create two Limca Books of records in the category of EVs which are-

• Maximum Number of Electrical Vehicles running together in India.
• Maximum Number of People traveling together by Electric Vehicle in India.

The EV Rally shall witness the participation of 720 EV Drivers and 3300+ EV Passengers with around-

• 20 electric Buses with 800 passengers.
• 300E-Rickshaw with around 2000 passengers.
• Around 100 electric Cars with 400 passengers.
• Around 100 electric Two-wheelers with 100 pillion riders.

Mr. S Suresh Kumar, Addl. Chief Secy, Power & NRES, said “Because of their high price and lack of infrastructure for charging, many are unable to purchase EVs. We have teamed up with a private agency to bring the EV Expo to Kolkata in an effort to alter people’s perceptions about EVs and clear up any confusion they may have about them. On the four-lane highways, we will install 849 EV charging stations, one station every 25 kilometers, and one station inside a 3 sq km area. This will eliminate worries and skepticism about EVs. Within the next two years, we intend to install 1000 charging stations.”

West Bengal has the second largest population of E vehicles after Uttar Pradesh. With a population of 10 crores, the EV industry shall become a major employment provider in the state.

As part of the three-day conference at the EV Expo, a number of talks and panel discussions will also be organized in collaboration with several West Bengal government ministries. The broad subjects would include potential and difficulties for the State’s EV business, as well as many facets of the EV ecosystem.

At the 16th EV-EXPO 2022, more than 100 Indian and foreign exhibitors, including Hyundai, Tata Motors, Exide Industries, and others, will display their cutting-edge, pollution-free 2, 3, and 4-wheeled e-vehicles, such as e-rickshaws, e-carts, e-bikes, e-scooters, e-bicycles, and e-loaders, as well as 4 wheeled vehicles The Expo will also feature the most recent Lithium-ion batteries, charging systems, automobile parts, and accessories.

Priyanka Dutta