Delhi Government Extends Electric Vehicle Policy Till 31st March 2024

After the policy's expiration on December 31, senior transport department officials have revealed that the Delhi government has decided to extend its Electric Vehicles (EV) policy for an additional three months to promote sustainable mobility. If the cabinet gives its permission, the extension will remain in effect until the end of March 2024. With this, policymakers are actively interacting with stakeholders as the EV landscape continues to change and address important issues in an effort to include insightful input into the next regulatory framework. While the capital city awaits the implementation of the comprehensive Delhi EV policy 2.0, which is anticipated to influence the direction of sustainable mobility in the future, the extension offers some relief to new EV owners.

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Delhi EV Policy: Key Details

Officials stated in a related update that the Delhi government is almost done with Delhi EV policy 2.0, a new EV policy. The policy's effective date hasn't been decided yet, though. Kailash Gahlot, Transport Minister, remarked, "We will ask the Cabinet to extend the existing EV policy for the next three months. I have asked the transport department to place a file before the Cabinet seeking the policy's extension."

The Delhi government implemented the first EV policy in an attempt to lower vehicle emissions and address excessive pollution levels. The program incentivises the building of charging stations, offers discounts to purchasers, and exempts them from road tax and registration payments. By the year 2025, the government wants to see 25 per cent of all newly registered vehicles in Delhi go electric.

The EV policy, which first lapsed on August 8, 2023, has experienced multiple renewals as a result of delays in completing a revised policy. Transportation officials pointed to difficulties resulting from the discontinuation of services offered by fellows, consultants, and advisors whose contributions were crucial in formulating several transportation regulations, including the upcoming EV 2.0.

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Two-wheelers are eligible for a subsidy of Rs 5,000 per kWh of battery capacity under the current policy (maximum Rs 30,000). Meanwhile, three-wheelers are eligible for a subsidy of Rs 30,000 per vehicle, independent of the overall cost and battery capacity. The four-wheeler incentive, which was initially offered for the first 1,000 EVs registered under the program, is no longer available. A maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh in subsidies for four-wheelers was given, with a reward of Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity.

According to officials, the government has made great strides toward creating the new EV policy, known as Delhi EV policy 2.0. The policy's implementation date is still unknown, despite being almost finalised. The input gathered for the updated policy through stakeholder discussions has been crucial, with a focus on improving intensification, providing parking incentives for potential electric vehicle purchasers, and simplifying financing choices with interest rate refunds.