Making Electric Vehicles Work for More People: What BRICS+ Countries Are Doing Differently

Picture a city waking up. A delivery rider threads through traffic on a small electric scooter. A mother boards a bus that is quieter than the one she took last year. A student taps a phone to unlock a shared electric three wheeler for the final stretch home. None of these people are shopping for a sleek electric car. Yet they are part of the electric vehicle story that is reshaping daily life in many BRICS+ economies. That detail matters because the global EV debate often focuses on wealthy buyers and premium models. A different policy conversation is taking shape in countries where most trips happen on two wheels, three wheels, buses and shared services. At least seven of the 21 BRICS+ economies are now directing subsidies toward exactly these forms of electric transport, and the results offer lessons for anyone who wants cleaner air, lower costs and wider access.

The electric vehicle conversation is broader than cars

For years, the mental image of an electric vehicle has been a sedan in a driveway with a charging cable curling across the pavement. That image is powerful, but it is also narrow. In many BRICS+ cities, most residents do not own a car. They rely on a lively mix of buses, minibuses, shared taxis, auto rickshaws, motorcycles, bicycles and walking. A policy that only helps car buyers can therefore miss the majority of travelers. The smarter question is not how to sell more electric cars. It is how to electrify the vehicles and services that already carry teachers, nurses, traders, students and delivery workers every day. When subsidies follow those trips, the benefits spread far beyond a single household. Cleaner air reaches entire neighborhoods. Lower running costs reach families with tight budgets. Better buses reach people who have no other option.

Subsidies that follow the daily commute

The most interesting shift in several BRICS+ economies is the decision to target support at the vehicles people actually use. That means two wheelers and three wheelers, city buses, shuttle services and shared transport. These are not glamorous categories in the global EV press, but they are where the volume is. A single electric bus can replace a large amount of diesel fuel and carry hundreds of passengers a day. An electric three wheeler can move a market trader, a school child and a bundle of goods across a crowded neighborhood at a fraction of the fuel cost. An electric two wheeler can keep a courier earning while cutting tailpipe emissions on busy streets. Targeted subsidies recognize a simple truth. The transition will be judged not by the fastest car or the longest range, but by whether ordinary commuters can afford to join it.

Two and three wheelers as the people’s electric vehicle

In many cities, the two wheeler is the workhorse of the local economy. It carries meals, documents, spare parts and people. It is also more affordable than a car, easier to park and better suited to narrow streets. Electric versions can be cheaper to run, but the upfront price still blocks many riders. That is why subsidy programs that lower the purchase price, offer battery leasing or support swap stations can make a real difference. A rider who saves on fuel and maintenance can repay a loan faster and keep more of each day’s income. A small business can add another vehicle. A family can breathe cleaner air close to home. These are practical gains, not abstract climate promises. The story becomes even stronger when cities pair subsidies with safety training, clear charging rules and reliable service networks so that riders can trust the technology in daily use.

Buses and shared transport carry the load

Electric buses are expensive to buy, but they are powerful instruments for public good. They run long routes, stop often and carry many passengers, which means each dollar of support can deliver large fuel savings and emissions cuts. In several BRICS+ economies, cities and national agencies are using subsidies, low interest finance and fleet purchases to put more electric buses on the road. Shared transport adds another layer. Van services, minibuses and app based ride services can pool trips and reduce the number of empty seats moving through traffic. When these services go electric, the benefits multiply. Drivers spend less on fuel. Operators face lower maintenance bills. Passengers get quieter rides. Residents near busy corridors get cleaner air. The key is to design support around service quality as well as vehicle purchase, because a bus that is reliable, safe and frequent will attract riders long after the novelty of an electric motor has faded.

Charging where people already are

An electric vehicle is only as useful as the energy it can reach. In wealthy markets, the default answer is often a home charger. In many BRICS+ neighborhoods, that answer does not fit. Drivers may park on the street. Riders may live in shared buildings. Bus operators may run tight schedules from crowded depots. That is why the most effective programs think about charging as a public service, not a private luxury. They place charging points at bus depots, markets, transport terminals and curbside locations. They support battery swapping for two and three wheelers, where a rider can exchange a depleted pack for a fresh one in minutes. They work with utilities to manage demand and avoid straining the local grid. They use solar power and storage where the grid is weak. The goal is simple. A driver should not have to choose between a clean vehicle and a reliable day of work.

Finance, jobs and local industry

Subsidies can open the door, but finance must keep it open. Many low and middle income buyers cannot pay the full cost of an electric vehicle upfront, even when the total cost of ownership is lower over time. That gap creates space for battery leasing, pay as you go plans, rent to own models and credit products designed for small operators. Banks, cooperatives, fintech firms and development banks all have a role. So do local employers and fleet owners, who can use bulk purchase and stable contracts to reduce risk. There is also an industrial story here. Countries that support electric buses, two wheelers and three wheelers can build local assembly, battery services, repair skills and charging businesses. Those jobs matter. A transition that imports every vehicle and exports every job will struggle to win public trust. A transition that creates local value can become a source of pride and shared prosperity.

What still needs work

No transition is tidy. Several challenges remain. Upfront costs are still high for many families. Charging networks can be uneven between rich and poor neighborhoods. Battery quality and safety standards need steady enforcement. Repair shops need training and spare parts. Drivers need clear information about warranties, insurance and resale value. Public budgets are limited, so subsidies must be designed to reach the people who need them most and to phase out once markets can stand on their own. There is also a risk that support for electric vehicles simply shifts pollution from one place to another if electricity still comes from dirty sources. That is why transport policy must sit beside clean power policy. The strongest programs treat electric mobility as part of a wider plan for public health, road safety, energy security and fair access. They measure success not only in vehicle sales but in shorter waits, safer streets and healthier air.

A practical playbook for other cities

What can other countries learn from the BRICS+ approach? First, start with the vehicles that carry the most people. Second, put money where it lowers the real barrier for low and middle income users, whether that is the purchase price, the battery, the loan or the charging cost. Third, build charging and swapping where work happens, not only where wealth lives. Fourth, bring bus operators, riders, drivers and utilities into the design process early. Fifth, use public purchasing to create stable demand and local jobs. Sixth, track results with clear data and adjust quickly. Seventh, connect electric transport to broader goals such as cleaner air, lower fuel imports and better public services. These steps are not a single blueprint. They are a way of thinking. They ask policy makers to see electric mobility as a public service challenge, not just a consumer product story.

Conclusion: a transition that leaves no commuter behind

The electric vehicle future will not be built by premium cars alone. It will be built by the rider who saves on fuel, the bus passenger who gets a quieter commute, the driver who earns more because maintenance costs are lower and the family that lives near a street with cleaner air. BRICS+ countries are showing that subsidies can be designed around these everyday realities. The work is unfinished, and the challenges are real. Yet the direction is clear. When electric vehicles are connected to buses, two wheelers, three wheelers and shared transport, the transition stops being a niche lifestyle choice and becomes a practical route to better lives. That is the story worth telling, and it is the story more cities should be ready to write.