Electric vehicles (EVs) do not produce pollution while running, but their overall environmental benefit depends on how clean the electricity used to charge them is, said Kamal Kishore Chatiwal, Managing Director of state-owned Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL), on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. He referred to studies by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) to explain this point.
Mr Chatiwal was speaking at the launch of a study titled “Comparative Assessment of Vehicular Fuels in India’s Green Energy Transition”. The study was prepared by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) along with IGL, Mahanagar Gas Ltd, GAIL Gas and other organisations.
He explained that while EVs help reduce emissions on roads, the electricity used to power them often comes from coal-based plants in India. If the power sector does not shift more towards renewable energy, the full environmental benefits of EVs may not be achieved. “Unless electricity generation becomes greener, the overall benefit of EVs will remain limited,” he said.
Mr Chatiwal also stressed the need for a balanced approach during India’s transition to clean energy. He said cleaner fuels like natural gas can play an important role alongside renewables and EVs in reducing pollution and emissions in the transport sector.