Delhi to Mumbai e-Highway: How the face of Indian highways might change soon

[Skull and Bones]

E-Highway is not your usual express highway. Here, the E stands for ‘Electric’. The Indian govt has been increasingly showing interest in this new kind of mobility which can literally change how our highways look. Earlier this week, India’s Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari mentioned that the govt wants to build an e-Highway from Delhi to Mumbai, on a 1300 km road. Also Read - Tesla-rival Hyundai IONIQ 6 electric car unveiled: Check range, battery, features and more

At a function, Gadkari said, “Our planning is to make an electric highway from Delhi to Mumbai. Just like a trolleybus, you can run trolley trucks also.” While this may not be an official declaration, we can assume that the govt is serious about this project as the idea has been mentioned earlier as well. Also Read - Hyundai Motor to build its first South Korean EV factory

What is an e-Highway?​

There can be multiple versions of an e-Highway. However, one common thread will be electricity. E-highways will be able to provide high voltage to vehicles while they are on the move. This will enable electric or hybrid vehicles to move long distances without having to specifically stop for charging. Also Read - Govt panel to come up with battery certification, quality control norms to counter EV fires

Now, coming to various versions and the possible version that can be introduced in India.

1. This version of the e-Highway is already being tested in Germany. There will be a dedicated lane on the highway which will have, high-tension electric cables running through the length of the road. These cables will only cover a single lane. Compatible busses and trucks will be able to connect to these electric cables in order to derive power. There won’t be any need for tracks, which have been seen in the case of metro rail or trams.
2. This is one version that is being tested in the American market. In this version, there is no need for overhead cables. Instead, there will be charging coils under the specific e-Highway lane which will be able to charge the electric car, bus, or truck. This will enable a broader segment of vehicles to run on e-Highways and also provide highways free of cables.

Both these systems have their own pros and cons. However, they are still being tested in various parts of the world. In India, this idea is still in the ideation phase. However, with the Delhi-Mumbai expressway development happening in full swing, we can expect the govt to soon approve or reject the proposal for e-Highways.

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