Delhi Government Calls For A Stakeholder Meet To Discuss Next Phase Of EV Policy

The Delhi government had released the first phase of the EV policy back in August 2020, and it offered an incentive for the first 1,000 electric car registrations

It was back in August 2020 that the Delhi government had introduced an EV-specific policy for new buyers to incentivise and speed-up EV adoption in the capital. That policy is set to expire soon (August 2023), and the Delhi government has started drafting the second phase of the policy, for which the Delhi EV Cell of the Transport Department has called a stakeholder meeting on May 24.

Details Of Delhi Govt’s Policy

To promote increased adoption of EVs in Delhi, the government’s subsidy scheme packed an incentive of Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity with a limit of up to Rs 1.5 lakh (for the first 1,000 cars to be registered in Delhi since the policy was issued in August 2020). 

Later on, the policy also included additional incentives in the form of exemption on road tax and registration fee. The Delhi government had revealed that it wants 25 percent of all new vehicle registrations to be for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2024.

Also Read: Tesla Officials Reportedly Visiting India To Reconsider Market

Its Effect

Soon after the policy was made effective, electric vehicle sales started rising in the national capital. In fact, towards the end of 2021, multiple reports suggested that monthly registration of electric vehicles had surpassed that of CNG cars in Delhi, comprising 7 percent of total vehicular sales from July to September 2021.

Recent Spurt In Electric Cars

In recent years, a number of carmakers have introduced electric vehicles in the Indian market, at both the entry level and the top-end of luxury. This includes the MG Comet EV, Citroen eC3 and Tata Tiago EV, all of which sit at the affordable side of the spectrum, while Mercedes-Benz is locally assembling its flagship electric sedan, the EQS 580.

These launches are just the tip of the iceberg as many carmakers including Maruti, Kia and Mahindra have already detailed their EV car plans up to 2030.