BENGALURU: Karnataka is seeing a steady rise in the number of electric vehicles’ (EV) registration. From 2020-21 to 2023-2024, the registration of electric vehicles witnessed a whopping 1,275% growth.
According to transport officials, Karnataka ranks third in the country in the number of electric vehicles. Uttar Pradesh tops the list, followed by Maharashtra in the second position.
From 1,922 e-vehicles in 2017-18, the number increased to 1,59,428 in 2023-2024 (till March 25). The vehicles include two-wheelers, three-wheelers and cars. In all, there are 3.4 lakh e-vehicles in the state with 2.98 lakh two-wheelers, 23,516 four-wheelers and 18,246 three-wheelers.
“When e-vehicles were introduced, there were not many takers. People were not sure of the performance of e-vehicles and were also worried about charging stations. In 2017-18, there were only 1,922 e-vehicles. Of them, 97 were two-wheelers, 1,589 three-wheelers and 236 four-wheelers.
However, with the setting up of charging stations in towns and cities and many e-vehicle players in the market, the number of such vehicles increased in the state,” Gnanendra Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Transport, said.
The other reasons for the jump in the number of e-vehicles are the Karnataka government is providing tax exemption to such vehicles (except the ones that cost more than Rs 25 lakh) and the environmental concern among the people.
Among the electric vehicles registered in 2023-2024, two-wheelers top the list with 1,40,327, followed by 13,667 cars and 5,434 three-wheelers.