The recent chaos in Mumbai when CNG supply was disrupted for two days served as a stark reminder of over-dependence on single fuels

As winter smog once again engulfs Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and almost every major Indian city, the familiar narrative has returned: electric vehicles (EVs) are being projected as the ultimate solution to India’s crippling air pollution crisis. But is the story really that simple? The numbers paint a grim picture. Delhi’s air has turned into what many now call a “gas chamber” year after year, and the haze is no longer confined to the national capital.

From Mumbai’s Gateway of India to Bengaluru’s tech corridors, urban India is choking. According to a senior official at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), vehicular emissions now contribute a staggering 52% to Delhi’s pollution load — up from 40% a few years ago and 50% last year. She warned that it is on a “clear increasing trend.” 

Another senior official of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), doubled down, arguing that on-road exposure to toxic fumes is even higher than ambient levels. He observed that what we breathe while stuck in traffic is far worse than the city average, citing real-world emission tests that showed vehicles in Delhi emitting pollutants way above laboratory limits.

One common point widely agreed was that zero-tailpipe-emission technology is essential, but sharp differences emerged on the pace, pathway and practicality of India’s EV transition. The ICCT official was unequivocal in saying that electrification is the only option. He opined that hybrids, especially the non-plug-in petrol hybrids we mostly have in India, are just slightly more efficient ICE vehicles. He pointed out that hybrids do not solve the air-quality crisis and gave the examples of global precedents — London mandating original equipment manufacturers to sell only EVs and Europe planning to phase out internal combustion engines by 2035 — and asked why India should cling to outdated technology when the world is moving to “computers from typewriters.

Another top official at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), echoed the urgency, calling for strict supply-side mandates in the most polluted cities. He expressed concern that we are in an air pollution emergency and that leaving things to business-as-usual won’t work, adding that even with India’s current coal-heavy grid, EVs already have 15-20% lower life-cycle carbon emissions than diesel or CNG vehicles — a gap that will widen as renewables grow.

An editor of an automobile magazine , reporting live from Mumbai’s smog-choked roads, brought the industry and consumer perspective. While agreeing that zero tailpipe emission is the end goal, he cautioned against unrealistic timelines. Current EV penetration remains a dismal 4-5%. He opined that the biggest hurdle is charging infrastructure, especially home charging, citing Tata Motors’ own data that 90% of its EV buyers have home charging — implying a huge section is staying away precisely because of this barrier.

He also made a strong pitch for strong hybrids (non-plug-in) as a vital bridge technology, especially in stop-go Indian traffic where they can operate in pure electric mode for significant distances. He expressed scepticism about plug-in hybrids, warning they would be misused in a country with inadequate public charging — a view he illustrated with his own experience of driving a BMW i8 without ever plugging it in.

It was unanimously agreed that an obsessive focus on private EVs is distorting priorities. It was also highlighted that several cities are aggressively adopting electric buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, but stressed that the real game-changer would be shifting commuters to high-quality public transport. “It’s not just about replacing every ICE vehicle with an EV; it’s about ensuring fewer vehicles overall,” said one environmentalist.

The ICCT official pointed out that Delhi needs nearly double its current bus fleet (from ~6,500 to 11-12,000) and all of them should be electric. He also flagged freight — three-wheelers, light commercial vehicles and trucks — as a massive but neglected pollution source. 

The recent chaos in Mumbai when CNG supply was disrupted for two days served as a stark reminder of over-dependence on single fuels. Experts stressed the need for walkable cities, cycle tracks, seamless last-mile connectivity and metro networks that people actually prefer over private cars. The consensus that emerged was quite normal: there is no single silver bullet. Electrifying transport at scale is non-negotiable, but it must be accompanied by aggressive public-transport expansion, scrapping of old polluting vehicles, charging infrastructure mandates (including the right to home charging), and behavioural shifts — all moving in lockstep. 

As Indian cities gasp for breath this winter, the big question remains unanswered: Can India execute this complex, multi-decade transition fast enough to give its citizens the clean air they desperately need, or will EVs remain more hope than impact for years to come? The clock is ticking.