Delhi govt extends its EV policy for another three months

The Delhi government has opted to prolong its Electric Vehicle (EV) policy, originally scheduled to conclude on Sunday, by an additional three months, as confirmed by officials. 

Initially introduced in August 2020, the policy set forth an ambitious target of elevating the proportion of electric vehicles within Delhi to 25 per cent by the year 2024. The extension of the policy is slated to be ratified by the cabinet and will remain in force until March 31, 2024.

Although the Delhi Electric Vehicles Policy of 2020 lapsed on August 8 of the current year, it has been subject to recurrent extensions since its expiration. Officials have indicated that efforts are underway to formulate an updated Electric Vehicle Policy; however, the specific commencement date for its implementation remains undetermined.

Earlier insights from Delhi's Transport Minister, Kailash Gahlot, conveyed to PTI, highlighted that the forthcoming iteration of the Electric Vehicles Policy aims to incentivise vehicle retrofitting, given the substantial costs involved. Gahlot underscored that the conversion of a standard Gypsy to an electric variant incurs expenses ranging between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 6 lakh, indicating the need for fiscal incentives to encourage adoption.

(With PTI inputs)