Will the demand for electric vehicles grow in India in the coming years?

In the wake of electric vehicles (EV) emerging as a sustainable alternative, Amey Avanish, an engineer and alumnus of Apeejay Kharghar, aims to establish his professional credibility in the field soon. Currently, the 24-year-old works as an assistant manager at Adani Total Gas Limited, Ahmedabad. In a brief chat, he tells us about his role as a team leader, findings and predictions surrounding EV, and more. Read on:

Can you tell us about your work at Adani Total Gas Limited?

I got placed at Adani Total Gas Limited from college in 2020. It is a city gas distribution company that provides CNG and PNG in Ahmedabad and 49 other geographical assets. Currently, I am working as an assistant manager in Ahmedabad. My daily work entails monitoring gas loss by checking all vaults and compressors in order to optimise the losses.

You have just started your professional journey. What are your goals?

My current short-term plan is to do more in the field of electric vehicles (EV). At Adani, we are working on providing public charging stations in Ahmedabad and some other cities. I am happy to be involved in an initiative to make India a prominent industry for EV. At present, we are conducting market research. We also have other plans in the pipeline.

What are your findings from your research in terms of people’s interest in EV?

The demand for EV is growing in India. New technologies are coming up to cater to the market. Now, we have swappable batteries, which have proved to be a success in other parts of the world like the Scandinavian countries. Currently, the charging time for a high-potential electric vehicle is nearly about 45 minutes which is where this technology becomes helpful. But certain factors can pose hindrances like the temperatures in India. Companies, however, are working to overcome the challenges.

But EV is expensive. With the majority of the Indian population falling in the middle-income group, does EV seem like a feasible idea?

It is true that EV is expensive. But with rapid technological innovations, it is likely to become more affordable in the next five years. At the same time, the government is also providing subsidies to promote EV. Besides, we have a lot of electricity in the country which can be effectively leveraged to promote EV in comparison to importing gas and petroleum from other countries.

At 24, when you have to manage a team and address their issues, how difficult is it?

I am managing a team of five in the company, who especially look after the optimisation of gas loss and monetising the profits. As a manager, the job can get a bit difficult at times if people do not take you seriously. But in today’s day and age, people value your merits and welcome a fresh perspective that the younger generation brings with them. While managing a team, the most important thing to remember is that you have to listen to everybody and value their opinion rather than putting forward your stand before everyone else, especially when your team members have been in the industry for a much longer period. Ignoring or not acknowledging someone in your team is a big no-no.

You pursued BTech in Petroleum Engineering. What got you interested?

After class 12, I went to University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun to pursue my graduation in Applied Petroleum Engineering. I was interested in engineering from the very beginning. Initially, I found an interest in aeronautical engineering. However, in my 11^th and 12^th standard, I began enjoying Organic Chemistry, so I was inclined toward doing Chemical Engineering. Simultaneously, I went through the curriculum of Petroleum Engineering and found the two streams to be very similar except that the latter was more focused on hydrocarbons. I realised there was a lot of potential in this field because of our dependence on petroleum. All the byproducts that we use are crude oil derivatives.

Take us through your journey at Apeejay Kharghar.

I joined Apeejay School, Kharghar, in the seventh standard in 2011. I was there till class 12. My journey at Apeejay Kharghar was amazing—it was a wholesome experience where I got to identify my talents and skills which I was unaware of earlier. The school provided us exposure to diverse fields. The teachers focused not just on our academics but on our overall development. I am still in touch with them and seek their advice from time to time.