Delhi Govt releases draft Electric Vehicle Policy 2018, seeks public comments

New Delhi (Urban Transport News): To reduce air pollution in Delhi, the Delhi Government has issued a draft Electric Vehicle Policy 2018 on Tuesday proposing to make 25 percent of all vehicles to be electric by 2023. The Government seeks public comments and feedback on the newly drafted policy. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said that the electric vehicles are an important and alternate solution of diesel and petrol vehicles due zero-emission quality. The Delhi government has planned to create a significant corpus of funds to incentivise every vehicle segment. In the draft report, it has been said that all incentives are in addition to the incentive offered by the Central Government as part of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric (FAME) Vehicles scheme in India. The draft policy also explains various subsidies that will be offered by the Delhi government on the use of electric vehicles. "The Delhi government will offer a subsidy up to Rs 22,000 on the purchase of e-two wheelers to ensure their cost is less than or equal to petrol two-wheelers. Government Electric two-wheeler taxis will be allowed to provide last mile connectivity and Scrapping Incentive of up to Rs 15,000 on old BS II and BS III two-wheelers. This policy will allow open permit system for e-autos in Delhi while Individual e-auto owners will get down payment subsidy up to Rs 12,500 and 5 percent interest subvention and similarly the cashback for passengers using e-autos up to Rs 10 per trip will be offered through this policy," stated in the report. "Government plans to promote more e-rickshaws for the last mile connectivity offering individual e-rickshaw owners. They will get payment subsidy up to Rs 20,000 and 5 percent interest subvention. To reduce carbon emission govt offers a full waiver on registration fees, road tax and MCD one-time parking fee for electric cabs and cashback for passengers using e-cabs up to Rs 10 per trip," said in the report. "Under this policy, fully electric buses will be at least 50 percent of all new buses procured for the city fleet starting with the induction of 1,000 electric buses in 2019. The government will offer substantial incentives to private stage-carriage vehicles of all sizes to ensure that electric vehicles make up at least 50 percent of the entire public transport system in Delhi by 2023" said in the report. In addition to the public transport, the Delhi government will offer subsidy up to Rs 20,000 for the first 5,000 e-Carriers with advanced, swappable batteries for electric goods carriage. The Government is offering exemption from the prohibition on plying and idle parking of lights goods vehicles during specified timings. According to the new draft policy, the Delhi government will set up the huge cable of charging stations like of petrol pumps. "Battery charging and swapping stations to be set up across Delhi with private sector participation at existing public parking zones, bus depots, and terminals, metro stations etc. Energy Operators identified for operating charging stations based on competitive bidding with Up to 100 percent capital subsidy. Government to also provide special electricity tariff for the operation of battery charging and swapping stations. This policy will provide private charging stations across the capital. 100 percent subsidy on installation of charging point up to Rs 30,000 per charging point for the first 10,000 points at residential or non-residential buildings", stated in the report. The transport minister further said that the Delhi government would "amend building bye-laws to ensure both home and workplace parking becomes EV ready through a mandatory installation of charging conduits." The Delhi government recently started the trial run of two electric buses, out of which one ion route number 522 and another one on Teevra Mudrika Sewa (TMS) route. Click here to download Draft Delhi Govt. Electric Vehicle Policy 2018 In case of facing difficulty in downloading the above draft policy, please write an e-mail to editor@urbantransportnews.com with the subject "Re: draft Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2018".

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