Global warming is a major challenge all over the world today. If the world fails to act fast on it, the earth will be in serious trouble over the next twenty to twenty-five years. The global warming is largely due high use of fossil-based energy in the world. India ranks 142nd in the world in terms of per-capita electricity consumption. One may feel that with such low per-capita consumption, the onus on reversing global warming does not lie with us and should be taken up by those who consume over ten times or more energy as compared to India’s.

At the time of independence, India had practically no modern technical base and it needed rapid development and new technologies. Five IITs were created as “cornerstones in building the industrial, scientific and technological edifice of the nation” in 1950’s. They were entirely autonomous institutions, supported by some of the best international universities and fully funded by Government of India at a level much higher than other institutions. The Quality was supposed to be the hallmark.

India needs Electric Vehicles (EVs) more than most other countries. We have fourteen of the twenty most polluted cities in the world. Our oil import bill severely impacts our economy. Electric Vehicles, with four-times higher energy efficiency as compared to the petrol vehicles, would be the obvious way to go.

The Hub will collaborate with financial sector institutions, technology industry and academic institutions and coordinate efforts for exchange of ideas and development of prototypes