Focus on Net Environmental Impact Over Exclusive Powertrains, Urges TVS Motor Chairman

Electric vehicles should not be viewed as the sole solution for reducing automotive emissions, and the industry must adopt a technology-agnostic strategy that protects consumer choice, according to TVS Motor Chairman Emeritus Venu Srinivasan. Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the IFQM Symposium 2026, Srinivasan urged policymakers and manufacturers to evaluate the overall net environmental effect in terms of pollution, quality, and ecological impact rather than committing exclusively to a single powertrain technology.

Highlighting initial market gains across India's two-wheeler and three-wheeler segments, Srinivasan noted that electric vehicle adoption should grow organically through genuine consumer demand. On alternative fuels, he backed the government's ethanol-blending policy as an effective strategy to reduce national reliance on crude oil imports. He dismissed concerns over ethanol performance tradeoffs as marginal and overplayed, emphasising that Brazil operates on ethanol and pointing out that the fuel is ecologically friendly.

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However, Srinivasan suggested maintaining fuel choices for consumers when introducing higher ethanol blend ratios due to material compatibility considerations in older engine architectures. He maintained that preserving buyer preference is vital alongside national economic and environmental goals.

Beyond powertrain and fuel strategies, Srinivasan urged Indian manufacturers to elevate quality and productivity metrics to international standards. To expand the country's share in global export markets, he stressed that Indian manufacturing must become synonymous with top-tier global quality benchmarks.