Delhi has become one of the Indian vehicle markets with the highest density of electric vehicles. The state government has stated that the national capital recorded a record sales rate of electric vehicles in December. Approximately one-fifth of the total vehicles sold in the city last month were electric. According to the state government, this is the highest sales figure of electric vehicles reported in any state so far, claiming Delhi to be the EV capital of the country.
Delhi's Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot announced this significant achievement on social media. On Tuesday, on Social Media X (formerly known as Twitter), he said, "In total, by 2023, 6,57,312 vehicles were registered in Delhi, out of which 73,610 were electric." He also mentioned that March of the previous year was the second-best month for EV sales, contributing approximately 14.7 percent to the total sales. May was the third-best month when EVs contributed a 14.4 percent share to overall sales.
The Delhi government has recently extended its EV policy for an additional three months, which was originally set to expire on December 31st of the previous year. The existing policy will remain in effect until the end of the current fiscal year. The state government has already proposed a new and more comprehensive electric vehicle policy, referred to as Delhi EV Policy 2.0, which is expected to bring changes to the existing policy.
Delhi initiated its electric vehicle policy in 2020. The new policy, known as Delhi EV Policy 2.0, aims to be a more extensive version of the current policy, with the goal of encouraging more people towards electric mobility. Transport Minister Gahlot mentioned, "All incentives, including subsidies, will continue under the existing policy. Delhi EV Policy 2.0 is in its final stages and will be notified soon after the necessary approvals."
In addition to other incentives, the new EV policy also intends to reward consumers when they decide to switch their old vehicles to electric ones. However, this process is costly, and governmental incentives will make it more accessible for interested vehicle owners looking to transition from fossil fuel vehicles to EVs. The policy's target is to convert 25 percent of new vehicle registrations into EVs by the end of this year.
Delhi often grapples with high levels of pollution. Last year, within just two months, a ban was imposed twice on BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicles. The increasing share of electric vehicles in the city's transportation sector could help reduce the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the future. The state already has a significant presence of electric buses and commercial vehicles contributing to zero-emission public transportation.
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By Kuldeep
