First 42,000 Electric Vehicles buyers in Chandigarh to ride high on incentive

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, May 15

To promote zero-emission mobility, the UT Administration will provide incentive in the range of Rs 3,000 to Rs 2 lakh to the first 42,000 buyers of electric vehicles (EVs) of all categories, including e-bicycles and four-wheelers.

Petrol pumps to set up charging stations

The draft policy has proposed that EV charging infrastructure will be mandatory for all petrol pumps (both private and government) operational in Chandigarh in six months from the issuance of the final EV policy. If space is not available with the petrol pump, the owner will make necessary arrangements for installing charging stations in some nearby parking area belonging to the UT.

Fixed battery capacity

The incentive will be given at the rate of Rs 5,000/kWh capacity of the fixed battery for all categories of electric vehicles except e-bicycles and e-four-wheelers (commercial) as proposed in the Draft EV Policy notified recently.

However, the incentive will be given at the rate of Rs 5,000/kWh capacity of the fixed battery for all categories of electric vehicles except e-bicycles and e-four-wheelers (commercial) as proposed in the Draft EV Policy notified recently to invite, if any, suggestions or comments for inclusion or omission in the policy.

However, the incentive for e-bicycle would be given at the rate of 25 per cent of the cost of the cycle up to the maximum of Rs 3,000 and for commercial e-four-wheeler, it would at the rate of Rs 10,000/kWh capacity of the fixed battery.

On passing of the benefit, an official said they were finalising the policy and the incentive was likely to be passed directly to the dealer to avoid paper work at the buyer’s end. However, separate guidelines would be incorporated in the policy on availing of the incentive.

Facing several challenges, including high upfront purchase cost in comparison to internal combustion engine vehicles, the UT Administration will provide incentives to encourage adoption of all categories of electric vehicles, including e-bicycles, e-two-wheelers, e-carts, e-autos, e-goods carrier (L5N and N1) and e-four-wheelers (personal and commercial).

The policy proposes the maximum incentive of Rs 3,000 to be given to the first 25,000 bicycles purchased during the policy period. Similarly, the maximum incentive of Rs 30,000 will be given to the first 10,000 electric two-wheelers, Rs 30,000 to the first 1,000 e-carts and e-autos each, Rs 50,000 to the first 1,000 goods carriers L5N, Rs 80,000 to the first 1,000 goods carrier N1, up to Rs 1.5 lakh to the first 2,000 four-wheelers (personal) and up to Rs 2 lakh to the first 1,000 four-wheelers (commercial).

Besides, the policy also has a provision for early bird incentive, which would be the maximum of Rs 2,000 for e-bicycle and up to Rs 50,000 for all categories of vehicles. The early bird scheme will be applicable to vehicles registered within the first year of the policy period.

All incentives will be over and above the FAME-II policy incentives of the Central Government and will be applicable only to electric vehicles to be purchased and registered in Chandigarh.

The road tax and registration fees will be waived for all eligible vehicles registered during the policy period. The policy will be valid for a period of five years from the date of notification with a detailed review to be undertaken annually or as required.

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