HYDERABAD: State government employees will receive 10–20% discounts on electric vehicles (EVs) under a first-of-its-kind state-negotiated programme aimed at promoting eco-friendly transport.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Tuesday said the initiative could benefit over five lakh employees, with potential savings of up to Rs 4 lakh per family. He added that government employees would act as brand ambassadors for EV adoption.
The Transport department secured the discounts through negotiations with manufacturers, including Mahindra Electric, Ola Electric, Gravton Motors and Ather Energy. He clarified that the ‘up to 20%’ discount involves no direct subsidy, but is offered through bulk institutional deals. Talks are also underway with Tata Motors to widen options.
The minister said the EV policy aims to curb pollution and promote sustainable mobility. The state has already provided 100% exemption on road and registration taxes for EVs. Since the policy’s rollout, 1,15,551 EVs have been registered, with revenue concessions of about `925.94 crore. EV usage has risen from 0.60% to 1.50%.
He added that the chief minister has directed that government vehicle purchases should prioritise EVs, with plans to transition all government vehicles in the Core Urban Region Economy (CURE) to electric from June 2.