NEW DELHI: Though Delhi and the National Capital Region states have drafted policies on electric vehicles replacing diesel ones, these policies vary in scope and approach, says the Commission for Air Quality Management.
The e-vehicles policy of Delhi, notified in 2020, targets a 25% electrification of all new vehicle registrations by 2024. “This policy also aims to register a minimum of 50% of all new stage carriage buses as e-buses, including both city fleet and fleet for last mile connectivity. All delivery service providers shall convert 50% of their fleet operating in Delhi to electric by 2023 and 100% by 2025,” said the CAQM report published on Wednesday.
The policy in Uttar Pradesh, notified in 2019, wants “nearly 10 lakh EVs, combined across all segments of vehicles” by 2024. “There is no vehicle segment-wise target for the state to support this roll-out,” notes CAQM.
In contrast to Delhi and UP, Haryana’s draft policy does not have an overall electrification target but only aims to convert 100% of the buses owned by the state transport undertakings to e-buses (battery e-vehicles or fuel cell e-vehicles) by 2029, with the first phase of 100% conversion of bus fleet in Gurgaon and Faridabad by 2024.
The policy in Rajasthan, notified last year, also doesn’t have targets, neither for the overall fleet nor for vehicle segments. The policy recommends only a lump sum as incentive for EV buyers, the amount depending on the battery capacity of the vehicle.
CAQM’s report said vehicle electrification targets for NCR in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP need to be set in terms of percentage of the new vehicle sales to be achieved by the end of the plan period while targeting total e-vehicles in particular categories.
Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment, and a member of the expert group involved in preparing the new Delhi policy said, “The EV policies of the NCR state governments may vary, but have several common elements. It is necessary that all states set timebound fleet electrification targets and adopt a more harmonised and robust approach towards incentive structures and charging infrastructure with a committed funding strategy to build scale quickly.”
CAQM’s policy document said the new generation transformation awaiting the motor vehicles sector was large-scale electrification to achieve zero tailpipe emissions with battery-operated vehicles. “On the basis of lifecycle emissions, it is estimated that tailpipe emissions account for as much as 65-80% of automobile emissions. According to an estimate of NITI Aayog, despite India’s current energy mix, lifetime emissions from electric vehicles today are 19-34% lower than internal combustion engines,” said the report.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
