Delhi To Stop New Petrol Two-Wheeler Registrations From April 2028?
Planning to buy a petrol bike in Delhi? The clock may already be ticking!
Quick News Highlights:
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The earlier proposed policy could soon come into effect
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Electric two-wheelers will be provided with incentives to ease adoption
The Delhi government had earlier proposed to ban the registration of new petrol-powered two-wheelers from April 2028 under the upcoming Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2.0. The existing EV policy will expire on June 30, post which the new EV policy is expected to be implemented.
Industry Pushback Continues
There are several arguments against the ‘electric two-wheelers only’ notion. One primarily being that petrol-powered two-wheelers remain the most affordable mode of personal transport for many. Concerns have also been raised about India's dependence on imported battery cells and rare-earth materials used for making electric two-wheelers, along with the country's dependence on coal to generate electricity.
Industry body SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) has also reportedly warned that banning new petrol-powered two-wheelers could impact consumers' choices and market stability as well. They also claim the BS-6.2-compliant two-wheelers emit less polluting particles, and the ban on such could have a non-significant impact. They have requested the government to instead focus on older, polluting vehicles instead of a blanket ban on petrol-powered two-wheelers.
An EV-Only Future?
As per the draft policy, only electric two-wheelers will be eligible for fresh registrations in Delhi from April 1, 2028. Experts who back the move believe that such harsh mandates are necessary to accelerate EV adoption in the county.
Incentives For EV Buyers
To support the EV transition, the policy proposes incentives for electric two-wheelers priced up to Rs 2.25 lakh (ex-showroom). Buyers can receive benefits of up to Rs 30,000 in the first year, with incentives reducing in the following years.
It is claimed that two-wheelers account for nearly 67 percent of Delhi's vehicle population, making them a key focus area for reducing emissions. With the proposed policy, the government hopes that the combination of incentives along with regulations will significantly boost EV adoption in the capital state.