On August 7, 2020, the Delhi EV Policy was unveiled, and the incentives helped down the initial cost of an EV by a significant amount. We now have sales data a year after the announcement to assess if the strategy has resulted in any change, and the results are quite positive.
Since the introduction of the EV Policy, the percentage of EVs in new car sales has increased from 1.2 percent between August 2019 and July 2020 to 3.3 percent between August 2020 and July 2021, according to data released by the Delhi government in August. According to the article, licences for three-wheelers would be issued solely to electric vehicles in the future, allowing for the arrival of around 4000 new electric three-wheelers on Delhi streets.
In addition, the Delhi administration is in negotiations with the federal government about loosening limitations on the number of e-buses that may be admitted under the FAME II programme. In the next five years, the state government plans to add up to 5,000 of these buses to the capital’s public transportation fleet.
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According to the data, about 1445 EVs were sold in January 2021, while CNG car sales were 2121 units for the same month. In February, the number of electric cars grew to 1599, while the number of CNG vehicles increased to 2648.
EV sales were higher in March, at 2914 units, while CNG vehicle sales were lower at 2201 units. Due to the second wave of the epidemic, sales decreased in April, with 1120 electric vehicles and 1551 CNG vehicles sold. However, sales fell in May, with only two electric vehicles and no CNG vehicles sold, before increasing when the markets opened up in June.
E-rickshaws and electric two-wheelers account for the majority of EV sales in Delhi, followed by three-wheelers. Meanwhile, the majority of CNG cars sold in the national capital are three-wheelers. However, the number of petrol-CNG-powered passenger cars sold in the city continues to rise.
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The Delhi EV Policy focuses on upgrading the charging infrastructure as well as bringing new e-vehicles to the road. The Delhi Transport Corporation and Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding for the installation of charging stations and battery swapping stations at bus depots and terminals.
