India’s first-ever electric car cross-country journey flagged-off at 2nd E-Mobility India Forum

e-Mobility

In a bid to raise awareness about clean mobility, Sushil Reddy, IIT Bombay Alumnus and Guinness World Record holder for “longest journey on an electric bicycle” is spearheading a 6000-kilometre journey along the Golden Quadrilateral route of India in 70 days on an electric car – the MG ZS EV. Supported by Messe Frankfurt India, the journey commenced today after the flag-off during E-Mobility India Forum 2022 in New Delhi.

As a part of the “zero tailpipe emission mobility” outreach and awareness campaign, Sushil Reddy, IIT Bombay Alumnus, Guinness World Record holder and Founder of The SunPedal Ride, is carrying out a 6,000-kilometre journey on an MG ZS EV along the Golden Quadrilateral route of India. As India’s first-ever cross-country journey on an electric car, the initiative aims to make Indian citizens aware of the benefits of clean mobility.

The journey was flagged off during the second annual E-Mobility India Forum after a short address underlining the campaign’s objective by Sushil and witnessed by chief industry leaders from Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU), Jio BP, Tata Power, Hero Electric, BMW India, Ashok Leyland, ZF India, Bosch Ltd, Switch Mobility and several other dignitaries who are part of the conference.

In the course of the journey, Sushil will circuit major cities including Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and finish off in Delhi on 10th December 2022. Along with Messe Frankfurt India, the campaign is being supported by MG Motor, Fortum Charge and Drive India.

Kicking off the cross-country journey, Sushil Reddy commented: “To accelerate EV transition in India, it is pivotal to make masses aware of benefits and capabilities of e-mobility. I hope that this journey encourages people across the country to embrace EVs and strive towards a sustainable and pollution-free India.” 

Supporting the initiative, Mr Raj Manek, Executive Director and Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd, organiser of E-Mobility India Forum, stated: “Reducing India’s dependence on fossil fuels will not only help in alleviating air pollution and combating climate change but also save the Indian economy billions in oil imports*. Green vehicles are the future of automotive transportation. Messe Frankfurt India promotes and supports clean fuel initiatives through forums such as E-Mobility India Forum and NGV India Summit. We wish Sushil all the very best and stand alongside him in his journey to raise awareness about e-mobility in India.”

The second annual E-Mobility India Forum which was inaugurated today at Le Meridien, New Delhi has converged brand leaders, government officials and subject experts to address challenges faced by the EV industry in India and discuss key industry topics, such as: Understanding consumer attitudes and perceptions towards EV adoption, localisation, developing charging infrastructure, new business models powered by the EV ecosystem and discussion on safety concerns, standardisation and regulatory needs of the EV industry, as well as a detailed market overview and trend forecast.