Vehicle manufacturers has widely welcomed the Electric Vehicle Policy passed recently by the Delhi government with an aim to curb severe air pollution in the national capital region by fastening the adaptation of electric vehicles. The industry has termed the policy “comprehensive” and said it would help Delhi to lead in revolutionising green mobility.“With the introduction of this policy, we are certain that Delhi will lead by example. I am hopeful that more states will emulate such measures to give a boost to the industry and help the country achieve its ambitious goals of getting India electrified,” said Sohinder Gill, CEO of Hero Electric and director general of the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles.
Gill added that the Arvind Kejriwal government has considered most of their recommendations, including the conversion of commercial ICE vehicles into electric, e-bike taxis and other similar alternatives as those are the key drivers in taking the e-mobility momentum forward.
On Monday, the Delhi Cabinet passed an Electric Vehicle Policy, under which the local government will provide a subsidy of Rs 5,000 per kWh of battery capacity on purchase of electric two-wheelers. There will be a scrapping incentive of up to Rs 5,000, subject to evidence of matching contribution from the manufacturer or dealer.
There are also incentives for electric three-wheelers and four-wheelers, and setting up of charging infrastructure, as the government aims to induct at least 35,000 electric vehicles, 1,000 EVs for last-mile deliveries and 250 public charging or swapping stations in the national capital within a year. The government aims to register at least 5 lakh electric vehicles by 2024.The industry feels that the incentives enlisted in the policy make the target of 5 lakh EVs in five years “very achievable”.
“We appreciate the purchase incentives provided by the government along with subsidised interest rates and open permit systems for three-wheelers,” Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric, said.Rajesh Menon, director general, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, said purchase incentives, interest subvention, scrappage incentive, waiver on road tax, waiver on registration and parking fees and measures to push charging infrastructure would make “electric vehicles affordable and acceptable”.
On the pollution front, the government estimates that this “EV policy will avoid approximately Rs 6,000 crore in oil and liquid natural gas imports and 4.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.”“This will help in faster adoption of e-mobility and also in curbing pollution levels, which we have seen has crossed 400 AQI according to Central Pollution Control Board,” said Ayush Lohia, CEO, Lohia Auto Industries.He added that the new policy will allow ride-hailing service providers to operate electric two-wheeler taxis in Delhi, which is a big step-up for last-mile connectivity and job creation.
Government subsidy
Delhi Cabinet passed an Electric Vehicle Policy, under which the government will provide a subsidy of Rs 5,000 per kWh of battery capacity on purchase of electric two-wheelers. There will also be a scrapping incentive of up to Rs 5,000, subject to evidence of matching contribution from the manufacturer or dealer.