The government’s new electric vehicles (EV) proposal aims to promote the EV ecosystem in nine of the most polluted cities of India
The government is proposing to set up electric vehicles charging infrastructure mandatory in the residential, commercial buildings, parking areas bus terminals and service centres. The Town and Country Planning Organisation under the housing and urban affairs ministry drafted a new EV policy to promote EV adoption in India.
ET has reported that the government is considering amendments to Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation Guidelines, 2015 and Model Building By-Laws, 2016 to accommodate promotion of electric vehicles in infrastructure planning and power distribution services norms
New EV policy
The new EV proposal suggests that charging infrastructure facilities for all the electric vehicles should be made compulsory in residential complexes. Setting up of charging bays, on-spot metering and payment services in commercial and residential buildings are also included in the proposal. It aims to boost EV ecosystem in about nine of the most polluted cities of India and later plans to expand to other places.
EV adoption in India
The government has been promoting for a faster adoption of EVs in the country by subsidising the purchases and other additional benefits like exemption from road taxes. It plans to shift one-third of its vehicle base to the electric fleet by 2030. Sohinder Gill, director of corporate affairs, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles, said that people are accepting electric vehicles as an economic as well as a cleaner mode of transportation in comparison to the conventional vehicles.
However, on the contrary, lack of adequate finance mechanism, the price gap between an electric two-wheeler and petrol two-wheeler, awareness among citizens pose as some major challenges in the electric vehicles segment in India.
