Delhi government accelerates EV charging infrastructure plans

Simran Rastogi Published: October 27, 2020, 12:18 PM IST

As part of the Delhi EV Policy, targeting an ambitious electrification of 25 per cent of all new vehicles registrations by 2024, the Delhi government has taken the next few crucial steps towards beefing up the capital's EV charging infrastructure. Delhi Transport Minister, Kailash Gahlot, convened a meeting recently to discuss potential charging locations on land sites owned by the government and its agencies, as part of the Working Group on Accelerated Rollout of Charging Infrastructure in Delhi. A final list of charging locations is expected in a few weeks, post which the tender process will begin.

In September, Delhi Transco Limited was appointed as the state nodal agency for EVs, which will pool government land parcels and float a state-wide tender for the installation of public charging stations. DTL and Delhi distribution companies will further conduct a joint survey of these sites towards the tendering process. A centralised tendering system will be adopted to hire an energy operator to run and maintain charging stations across the state.

Under the FAME II scheme, there's already incentives for buyers of EVs. A purchase incentive of Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity is currently provided per electric vehicle up to Rs 15 lakh (capped at Rs 1.5 lakh per vehicle) to the registered owner of the first 1,000 electric cars to be registered in Delhi since the issuance of the policy. For EVs over Rs 15 lakh, road tax and registration fee exemptions serve as incentive. Incentives for electric two-wheeler buyers is as per battery capacity, wherein a purchase incentive of Rs 5,000 per kWh is offered, up to a maximum of Rs 30,000 per vehicle. The registered owner of an electric two-wheeler will also be eligible for a scrapping incentive for scrapping and de-registering old combustion-powered two-wheelers registered in Delhi.