Fourteen of BRICS+’s 21 economies, representing 84% of its combined population import more oil than they produce. 

Updated on: Sep 12, 2026, 06:17:38 IST

Prefer HTon Google

Share via
Copy link

For millions of people across BRICS+ countries, the electric vehicle (EV) transition will not begin with a car from a showroom. It will begin on a bus route, a shared commute, or a ride on an e-scooter or e-rickshaw — and public policy can make electrification faster and fairer.

Governments often measure EV progress by a single metric: EV sales. That matters, but in countries where people rely on buses, scooters, motorcycles, and auto-rickshaws, another question is equally important: Who benefits from public support for electric mobility?

This question is timely as leaders gather in Delhi for the 18th BRICS summit, where energy security sits alongside resilience, innovation, and sustainability on India’s agenda. For emerging economies, energy security is not abstract: It is felt in commuting costs, household budgets, and municipal finances.

Transport is central to this picture. Fourteen of BRICS+’s 21 economies, representing 84% of its combined population import more oil than they produce. Since road transport drives roughly 45% of global oil demand, e-mobility offers a clear lever to reduce exposure. But the benefits depend heavily on how government support is designed.

Early EV policies often favoured private passenger cars, benefiting wealthier households. Now, at least seven BRICS+ economies are broadening their focus towards transport modes used far more by lower- and middle-income households. Their experiences offer three lessons.

First, design support around the vehicles most people actually use. India’s electric two-wheelers (E2W) journey from the early FAME scheme to the present PM E-DRIVE shows what sustained, evolving support can achieve. E2W penetration rose from 0.4% of two-wheeler sales in early 2021 to 11.2% by July 2026, with around 2.37 million E2Ws registered under PM E-DRIVE by early August. In a country where two-wheelers vastly outnumber cars, this illustrates the value of policy aligned with people’s travel patterns.

Second, support must be predictable even as it adapts. Indonesia’s e-motorcycle subsidy pushed sales from about 11,500 in 2023 to 60,000 in 2024 but sales dropped once the incentive lapsed. Indonesia has since restored support, now linked to locally manufactured e-motorcycles, underscoring how continuity sustains momentum.

Third, electrifying public transport multiplies benefits. In China, roughly 544,000 e-buses made up over 80% of its urban bus fleet by the end of 2024 and a study found that 79% of bus passengers belonged to low- or lower-middle-income groups. India’s PM-eBus Sewa is following suit, supporting nearly 10,000 e-buses across 115 cities.

These examples are not blueprints for direct replication; BRICS+ countries differ widely in income, urban form, and manufacturing capacity. But the underlying principle holds: Reducing oil dependence does not require focusing only on private cars. Electrifying existing transport can help a delivery worker go electric, cut a driver’s fuel costs, or improve city bus services — while reducing dependence on oil.

As Delhi hosts the summit, BRICS + has a chance to put this approach firmly on the energy-security agenda. EV sales will remain important, but leaders should also ask if public support is reaching the transport modes people rely on most.

Sunil Mani is policy advisor at the International Institute for Sustainable Development. The views expressed are personal

Get Current Updates on India News, Elections 2024, Lok sabha election 2024 voting live , Karnataka election 2024 live in Bengaluru , Election 2024 Date along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.

See Less