Delhi drafts aggressive EV policy
Delhi’s draft EV policy proposes a 100% road‑tax waiver for electric cars under Rs 30 lakh and a rule that only electric three‑wheelers can be newly registered from January 1, 2027, with public comment open until May 10. The measures combine large tax incentives with a segment-specific registration mandate aimed at driving urban electrification quickly. (team-bhp.com) (livemint.com)
Delhi has proposed one of India’s toughest electric-vehicle timelines yet, pairing tax breaks for buyers with a 2027 cutoff for new non-electric three-wheelers. (livemint.com) Under the draft policy, electric cars priced at ₹30 lakh or less would get a 100% exemption from road tax and registration fees until March 31, 2030. Cars above that price would get no such waiver. (thehindu.com) The draft says only electric three-wheelers can be newly registered in Delhi from January 1, 2027, and only electric two-wheelers from April 1, 2028. The Delhi Transport Department put the draft online on April 11 and invited public comments until May 10. (livemint.com) (indianexpress.com) Delhi is targeting the vehicle segments that dominate its streets. Two-wheelers make up about 67% of the city’s vehicle stock, and officials told The Indian Express that vehicular emissions account for about 23% of winter air pollution. (indianexpress.com) The policy also shifts Delhi toward a “scrappage first” model, tying some of the biggest benefits to retiring older vehicles. Buyers who scrap a Delhi-registered Bharat Stage IV or older vehicle could get up to ₹1 lakh toward a new electric car bought within six months of the scrappage certificate. (livemint.com) (hindustantimes.com) For smaller vehicles, the draft lays out time-limited subsidies. Electric auto-rickshaws would start with a ₹50,000 incentive in the first year, while electric two-wheelers could get up to ₹30,000 in year one, with lower caps in years two and three. (livemint.com) (indianexpress.com) The draft also proposes a 50% exemption on road tax and registration fees for strong hybrid vehicles, a softer treatment than for full battery-electric models. That hybrid provision comes as some Indian states have moved in the opposite direction and withheld incentives for hybrids. (thehindu.com) (livemint.com) Delhi has been building toward this reset for months. The March 24 Delhi Budget set aside ₹200 crore for the new electric-vehicle framework and said the city plans to add 6,130 electric buses in 2026-27, aiming for a 12,000-bus electric fleet by 2029. (hindustantimes.com) What happens next is procedural but important: the draft is still open for feedback, and officials told The Indian Express the final version would go to the Cabinet before formal notification. For now, Delhi has put a specific date on how fast it wants its vehicle market to change. (indianexpress.com 1) (indianexpress.com 2)
