Having been trained in soldering, she had hoped to pursue a career in electrical work, but instead she spent her time hemming saris for her husband's tailor shop in Pune, India. However, two years ago, she was able to secure a job in the country's growing electric vehicle sector. Her ambition, previously hindered by motherhood and safety concerns, has now flourished as she works in a factory assembling circuits for EV speedometers. This job marks her first formal employment with a fixed wage. She is part of a small but increasing number of women making strides in India's electric vehicle industry, which is experiencing a surge in sales due to government policies aimed at reducing emissions. Despite challenges such as safety worries and a lack of charging stations, the demand for EVs is surpassing supply, leading to more opportunities for women in an industry traditionally dominated by men. She expressed her satisfaction at working fixed hours and achieving financial independence while assembling circuits at Kinetic Communications, a manufacturer of EV components. She informed the Thomson Reuters Foundation that her soldering skills are excellent and she may be promoted, which has always been her dream. The factory has a workforce that is predominantly women, which is uncommon in India where only 20% of women are part of the labor force. India has one of the lowest rates of female participation in the world, with only 47% of women employed or seeking work compared to 74% of men. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened India's gender gap, with nearly half of women losing their jobs in both formal and informal sectors during lockdowns and not returning to work by the end of 2020, according to research. In the last two years, there has been a significant increase in electric vehicle (EV) sales in India, leading to the emergence of more factories and opportunities for women in manufacturing, design, and leadership roles. Unlike traditional internal combustion engine vehicle manufacturing, which relies heavily on machinery, EV companies focus on electronics, assembly, software, and design - areas where women are more commonly skilled, according to industry analysts. Advocates for labor rights see women's potential in the EV industry as a chance to enhance their wages and standing in the workplace. Startups in the EV sector are introducing fresh ideas and creating opportunities for women, unlike older auto companies with predominantly male workforces. Companies like Ola Cabs and Piaggio have established all-women shop-floors in their Indian factories in the past year. Kinetic Green, Hero Electric, Ather Energy, and Esmito Solutions are among the leading EV companies planning to expand and focus on hiring more women. Women are leading companies like Kinetic Green, Mahindra Electric, and the federal power ministry's energy transition company. Women like Urdhwareshe, who was one of the few women in India's auto industry in the 1980s, believe that women have the right mindset to overcome challenges in a new business because they prioritize safety and value for money. However, there is still a lack of women in the industry, but those who are present are setting a positive example. Mahindra's e2oPlus, operated by Ola, is a prominent example of an electric vehicle in India. The photo shows a Mahindra e2oPlus electric vehicle operated by Ola at a charging station in Nagpur, India on Jan 24, 2018. Prabhjot Kaur, co-founder and CEO of Esmito, a startup that produces batteries and battery-swapping stations for electric vehicles, recalls facing biases in meetings where she was often the only woman. She would have to repeatedly explain her role, as others assumed she was a secretary before she took the lead in making presentations. Sulajja Firodia Motwani, founder and CEO of Kinetic Green, has experienced similar situations. After completing her university education and returning from the United States in the mid-1990s, she joined her family's auto business, where she was initially met with skepticism by the staff. Despite their doubts, she persisted and proved herself. Along with other women in the EV corporate world, she has faced challenges such as a lack of female facilities and not being taken seriously by colleagues. On a more positive note, many women leaders and workers shared that their parents, particularly their fathers, were supportive and encouraged them to pursue their ambitions. Raised in Rajpura, a small town in Punjab, Kaur credits her determination to her experience as the only girl in a karate class of 50 during her teenage years. Kaur initially did not want to go, but her father convinced her to. Despite feeling angry at first, she channeled that anger into becoming the best student. This experience also taught her not to fear her surroundings, including large groups of men. As a child, Motwani spent time in her grandfather's office drawing on the walls. Even after obtaining a degree from Carnegie Mellon University, she still had to prove herself in the industry. Motwani believes she has rightfully earned her place in the industry. Motwani expressed gratitude for the platform she had by stating, "I never took this platform for granted. I was back at work four days after my baby was born," while sitting in her office. In the beginning of her career, she traveled to 200 districts to familiarize herself with the firm's dealership network. It is not only female CEOs contributing to India's EV surge, but also numerous women factory workers. Nasreen Banu, aged 25, became the first woman in her family to pursue higher education and secure employment. She works as a production supervisor on Ather's battery assembly line for scooters and is determined to challenge stereotypes about what girls are capable of. Despite the belief that girls cannot lift a 25 kg battery, she confidently does so and enjoys her job, knowing how everything operates in the factory. In New Delhi, Mahua Acharya leads Convergence Energy Services Limited, the energy transition company under the federal power ministry, with a focus on promoting e-mobility for all. With a degree in environmental management from Yale and experience in green finance, renewable energy, and carbon markets, Acharya sees leading CESL as a chance to increase the deployment of electric vehicles on Indian roads. She focuses on developing business models and innovative strategies to increase the number of EVs on the road. Government incentives and tax benefits have contributed to the growth of EV production and sales in India, with around a million EVs currently accounting for nearly 2% of all vehicles. CESL aims to boost these numbers by expanding charging stations, offering easy loans to buyers, and placing bulk orders for public transport vehicles in cities. However, Acharya's goal of scaling up faces challenges such as vehicle shortages, limited battery and semiconductor supplies, safety concerns, and a lack of charging stations powered by renewable energy sources. She, as a woman leading the government's efforts in e-mobility, has not personally encountered bias, even though she is often the only woman in meetings with 15 men. She believes that women bring attention to issues that men may overlook, such as the importance of locating EV charging stations in safe areas rather than solely based on electricity and land availability. Some in the industry appreciate the perspective and nuances that women bring, making discussions more flexible compared to the cut-throat nature of male-dominated conversations. At a meeting eight years ago with male representatives from major auto brands discussing the future of EVs in India, she recalls questioning why they were only focusing on cars and Tesla. She spoke up amidst the noise to highlight the fact that in India, 90% of people use two- and three-wheeled vehicles or buses, while only 10% drive cars. Her persistence led to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers creating a focus group on two and three-wheelers, which she was asked to lead. This opportunity has allowed her to have a positive impact on India's new electric vehicle policy, which focuses on environmentally friendly transportation for the masses. Despite safety concerns as demand for electric vehicles surpasses supply in India, there is a sense of excitement in the industry. CEOs of EV companies are optimistic, predicting that the "sunrise industry" will make up 30% of all vehicle sales before India's target year of 2030. People working in policy are talking about an unprecedented response from Indian states to promote the switch to electric vehicles, which is expected to reduce crude-oil import costs and help India reach its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2070, as declared at the COP26 summit in Glasgow last November. However, despite the enthusiastic new EV users sharing their experiences on social media, the industry is facing significant challenges such as e-scooters catching fire and a shortage of charging points, which is undermining consumer confidence. Dolly Maurya, a 26-year-old resident of Delhi, bought an electric rickshaw in April with the help of a state subsidy, but she is concerned about the limited number of charging stations in the city. She wonders what she will do if the battery runs out while she is out and how she will get the rickshaw home. Maurya asked about using the vehicle for part-time work transporting passengers in the capital while preparing for a government job entrance test. Other concerns are rising among electric vehicle users as sales increase. Kaur from Esmito is troubled by recent cases of e-scooters catching fire and believes it is sending the wrong message as the industry grows. She plans to expand her manufacturing, currently located in the basement car park of the IIT research park in Chennai. Kaur, who also founded the Centre for Battery Engineering and Electric Vehicles, which partners with auto companies to develop batteries as an alternative to fossil fuel engines, emphasized the need for more research and development to ensure battery safety. "She mentioned that most companies, more than 400 in total, import parts and then put them together. We have to adjust everything to suit our environment and our specific needs," Kinetic Green's Motwani explained. In order to establish a customer base from scratch five years ago, she collaborated with non-profit organizations and governments to subsidize electric three-wheeler rickshaws. This initiative provided a new source of income for women in conflict-affected Dantewada and bicycle rickshaw pullers in Uttar Pradesh. Motwani highlighted that they promoted electric vehicles as a way to earn money with minimal operating costs. She stated that individuals could operate e-rickshaws and earn 1,000 rupees ($13) per day, while the company handled servicing. Sitting beside a collection of numerous business leadership awards, Motwani shared her belief in the Hindi proverb: "jo dikhta hai woh bikta hai (what you see, sells)". Acharya, a member of the federal government, is advocating for state agencies that run public buses to hire more female drivers. She believes that driving a bus is a good job with good pay and set hours, providing women with the certainty of when they can return home. The Delhi government has recently eliminated height requirements for bus drivers and waived the heavy vehicle driving license fee of 15,000 rupees for women. Additionally, the city has introduced e-rickshaws, setting aside a third of the subsidized vehicles for women like Maurya. Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot stated that the initiative is focused on providing women with employment opportunities and promoting the use of electric vehicles to enhance safety for public transport users. The increasing sales of EVs in India are attributed to factors such as awareness about climate change, high fuel prices, and challenges in mobility due to the pandemic. A Mumbai resident, Rajni Arun Kumar, switched to using an orange e-scooter for her daily commute and taking her children to their activities, as she was concerned about crowded spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she is currently hoping to have a charging point nearby because the closest one is 3 km (1.86 miles) away and difficult to reach due to traffic. She stressed the importance of people taking action to help protect the environment. Companies are aware that women like Kumar play a significant role in household purchases. According to Hero Electric's Gill, e-scooters are preferred by women over traditional scooters because they eliminate the need to visit fuel stations and are easier to handle. In addition to being price-conscious, Indian women consider practical features when making purchases, as stated by Prerana Chaturvedi, co-founder and CEO of Evolet India, an EV startup located near Delhi in Gurgaon. Chaturvedi, a former military aviator in the Indian Air Force, stated that the scooter of Ather has a lower seat height and clean edges to prevent scarves and saris from getting tangled. He believes that electric vehicles should be as easy to operate as cell phones. Ather's factory is located off the highway between Chennai and Bengaluru, passing through the industrial town of Hosur. The road to the factory winds through rose plantations, offering a stark contrast to Banu's village in Bhatkal, a coastal town in southern Karnataka. Banu appreciates the independence her job at Ather has provided her, even though she initially aspired to work in a bank or an air-conditioned office. Her late father encouraged her to join the auto industry, telling her she could do what boys could do. She spoke with tears in her eyes about her "hero" as she worked on batteries, the essential component of an electric scooter. Banu, who holds a diploma in electrical engineering and electronics, is just one of many who have completed courses at industrial training institutes across the country before entering the workforce to enhance their skills through hands-on experience. TeamLease Digital, a recruitment agency for EV firms, reported a 30% increase in hiring of both men and women over the past two years, with a projected 40% growth by the end of 2022. The government anticipates that the EV sector will generate 750,000 new jobs in the next five years. Munira Loliwala, business head at TeamLease Digital, estimated that over 200,000 job opportunities have arisen in the last six months alone, with a particular demand for women in the industry. "It's similar to the beginning of mobile phone manufacturing in India, where women were essential for handling small components delicately due to their slender and agile fingers," she explained. The production of chips for electric vehicles also requires precision in soldering, welding, and assembly, leading to a higher demand for women in both the shop-floor and design and production roles. Loliwala mentioned that women leaders are serving as a source of inspiration for many individuals to enter this field. While the increase in job opportunities for women is welcomed, labor and gender advocates emphasized the importance of EV companies implementing strong measures to protect labor rights and ensure equal pay. In industries like clothing, which predominantly employ women, female workers are often preferred due to the perception that they are easier and more cost-effective to hire. Preeti Oza, coordinator of the non-profit Centre for Labour Research and Action, explained that women are often paid less than men for the same job, which helps keep production costs low and causes fewer problems for bosses. She also noted that women typically rush home after work, are hesitant to demand better working conditions, and are less likely to unionize, making them preferred employees. However, Banu, who plans to continue working even after getting married, considers the compact Ather factory her home. She fondly remembers the day she impressed her father by confidently stating she could dismantle and reassemble a scooter parked near the bus station. She mentioned that he laughed loudly and expressed concern that the owner might be offended. She also noted that he was very proud of her.