Seeking to reduce dependency on fossil fuel and protect the environment, the government is formulating a fresh policy for promotion of electric vehicles.
Apart from protecting the environment, the government also wants to ensure maximum utilization of power against the backdrop that only 12,000 megawatt (MW) of the country’s present 18,000MW grid electricity generation capacity can be utilized at different consumers end.
Meanwhile, the US government has already introduced the electric vehicles in order to reduce pressure on fuel. Besides, European and other developed countries are also planning to introduce the electric vehicles as these are cost effective. Over the last year, electric vehicles have made significant progress.
The Power Division has already started working on using electricity to power the vehicles and a feasibility study is going on this. The Division can supply 4,000 MW for the vehicles.
The government is conducting a feasibility study on developing clean and efficient vehicles polices for Bangladesh in consonance with UN Environment and Clean Air Asia. It would be implemented under the project titled ‘ The Clean and Efficiency Vehicle’ taken up by the Roads Transport and Bridge ministry, a senior official of Power Division told Bangladesh Post.
The ministry has moved to prepare the policies aimed at encouraging electric vehicles in the country. According to a comparison based on studies by the Department of Energy, USA, and the Idaho National Lab, USA, per kilometre fuel cost by gasoline/petrol-fired car is Tk 8.00 as against Tk 6.00 of a diesel-driven car.
On the other hand, the fuel cost of CNG- and electric-run cars was Tk 3.30 and Tk 1.5 per kilometre respectively. “As per the government plans, we are prepared to provide electricity for powering vehicles. Now, we have sufficient electricity. Electricity generation has been increasing about 10-12 per cent every year in the country,” the official also said.
Besides, 400-500MW electricity has been used in easy bike vehicles across the country now. Sources said if vehicles like car run using electricity, the cost would be reduced. 50 per cent cost would be reduced by using electricity than using CNG-run vehicles. Besides, the cost would also be reduced compared to diesel, octane and petrol-run vehicles."If we use electricity in all vehicles, half of the cost would be reduced," officials said.
The Power Division recently assigned the Road Transport and Highway Superintendent Engineer Nur-e-Alam for preparing a working paper, officials said. The feasibility study will help the country introduce reduction of energy in transport sector and find a way to reduce environment pollution as well. Different countries have introduced green transport services. So, it will require a policy to introduce it in Bangladesh, sources said.
Indian government has already allowed production, marketing and registration of electric vehicles on their roads. India also plans to introduce 25-30 percent electric cars by 2030. The reservoir of natural gas is coming down sharply. He proposed withdrawing CNG supply from personal cars and diverting it to mass transport.
As per the policy of importing car, duties on 1000cc-1600cc cars are the same in Bangladesh whereas India and Sri Lanka have separate import duties. For this reason, consumers of cars in India and Sir Lanka have been discouraged from purchasing gasoline-run cars. According to the Road Transport and Highway Division, a total of 37, 13,889 motor vehicles have so far been registered in the country.
