EVs Not the Sole Answer to Emission Reduction: TVS Motor's Venu Srinivasan

Electric vehicles should not be viewed as the single solution for reducing automotive emissions, and the industry must adopt a technology-agnostic strategy that protects consumer choice, TVS Motor Chairman Emeritus Venu Srinivasan said on Monday, according to a report by PTI.

Speaking on the sidelines of the IFQM Symposium 2026, Srinivasan urged policymakers and manufacturers to focus on overall environmental impact rather than committing exclusively to one powertrain technology.

"I always believe we have to be agnostic [in technology] and look at the net effect on the country in terms of pollution, quality and environment. So, EV is not the only solution," Srinivasan said.

He also noted that EV adoption should grow organically through consumer demand, pointing to initial market gains across two-wheeler and three-wheeler segments in India.

Regarding alternative fuels, Srinivasan backed the government's ethanol-blending policy to reduce national crude oil import reliance, saying that performance trade-offs have been minimal.

"The degradation in performance is very marginal. I think that should not deter us. After all, the whole of Brazil runs on ethanol. There might be a mild fuel drop, but I think that is being played up too much. The country should look at the imports. And it is ecologically more friendly...I always believe that their choice should be there."

Srinivasan suggested maintaining fuel choices for consumers at higher ethanol blending ratios due to material compatibility considerations in older engine architectures. Beyond powertrain strategies, he urged Indian manufacturers to elevate quality and productivity metrics to international standards to expand the country's share in global export markets, adding that Indian manufacturing must become synonymous with global quality benchmarks.