NEW DELHI (AP) — In an affluent area of Delhi, electric vehicle charging stations near popular shopping areas were crowded with drivers powering up scooters, trucks and cars.
More charging facilities are desperately needed as India’s capital embarks on an ambitious plan to phase out petrol cars in one of the world’s most polluted cities, EV drivers say.
“Charging facilities are still not up to par,” said Shyam Singh, a marketing executive who owns a two-wheeled electric scooter, adding that it is difficult for long-distance drivers to switch to EVs because current batteries do not have enough range.
Delhi takes bold approach to mainstream EVs
A person changes the battery of an electric scooter at an electric vehicle battery swapping station on Monday, July 13, 2026 in New Delhi, India. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
A person changes the battery of an electric scooter at an electric vehicle battery swapping station on Monday, July 13, 2026 in New Delhi, India. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
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On July 1, the city of Delhi adopted a new policy that aims to ensure that the majority of newly registered vehicles are electric vehicles by 2027. Although existing gasoline-powered cars will not be banned, their number is expected to decline in the coming years.
Energy experts say the plan is one of the country’s most ambitious electric vehicle policies and an important step towards improving the city’s air quality and reducing pollution.
The policy offers EV buyers subsidies, exemptions from registration fees and some road taxes, incentives to scrap petrol cars, and also proposes plans to expand charging infrastructure. Two-wheelers and three-wheelers, which account for nearly 70% of the city’s vehicles, are also targeted. Starting in 2027, newly registered three-wheelers and light trucks will be electric, and the following year they will become two-wheelers.
Currently, only about 5% of the 8.7 million vehicles registered in Delhi are electric. However, the number of EV registrations is increasing, exceeding 100,000 in the past year, most of which are two-wheelers and three-wheelers. Registrations of new gasoline cars and heavy trucks will be allowed for the time being.
An electric car drives on a road in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
An electric car drives on a road in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
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The scheme is expected to cost local governments 150 billion rupees ($1.5 billion) and will provide cash grants of up to 50,000 rupees ($522) to residents who buy EVs and up to 100,000 rupees ($1,044) to residents who scrap old gasoline cars.
“Delhi’s EV policy is one of the most ambitious I’ve seen in India,” said Jaydeep Saraswat, who leads the clean power and electric mobility initiative at Vasudha Foundation. He added that the deadline sends a signal to automakers and consumers that change is “inevitable.”
While states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu are offering incentives, tax breaks and money to install charging stations for electric car owners and manufacturers, Delhi is the first state to phase out petrol cars.
Using electricity can reduce pollution
An electric bus drives through dense traffic alongside other vehicles and scooters on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in New Delhi, India. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
An electric bus drives through dense traffic alongside other vehicles and scooters on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in New Delhi, India. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
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Severe air pollution in Delhi frequently forces school closures, construction bans, and emergency public health measures, especially during the winter months. Around a quarter of the air pollution in the National Capital Region around Delhi is caused by cars, and almost half of the vehicular pollution in the city comes from two-wheelers and three-wheelers.
Ruchita Shah, an energy analyst at global energy think tank Ember, said the city has long been a pioneer in clean energy, including an early transition to compressed natural gas vehicles to reduce pollution. He said the share of electric vehicles in new car sales in Delhi in FY2026 will be around 12.7 per cent as against 8.3 per cent nationally.
He said the most promising feature of the new policy was that it would link subsidies to strict deadlines under which some internal combustion engine cars could no longer be registered.
Sunil Dahiya, founder of environmental research group EnviroCatalyst, said cleaner vehicles could significantly reduce public exposure to roadside emissions. Still, he cautioned that it will take time for the benefits to be fully realized, as existing petrol, diesel and CNG cars will continue to be on the road for years to come.
Charging infrastructure will be a key hurdle
A person charges an electric scooter at a roadside charging station on Monday, July 13, 2026 in New Delhi, India. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
A person charges an electric scooter at a roadside charging station on Monday, July 13, 2026 in New Delhi, India. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
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Some owners of gasoline-powered two-wheelers say now is not the right time to go electric.
Siddhant Jha, a 22-year-old software engineer from north Delhi, is concerned about the longer lifespan of EVs compared to traditional two-wheelers and the risk of damage to the vehicle’s electrical components from annual road flooding.
“I would like to wait a few years until a better model comes out. By then, it will make more sense to spend 150,000 rupees ($1,566)[on an EV].”
Jha is also concerned about the ease of charging EVs.
Energy analyst Shah said the success of the policy would depend on Delhi building enough charging infrastructure and sourcing more electricity from renewable sources rather than fossil fuel plants. Currently, most vehicle charging occurs at night when solar power is not available, forcing them to rely on thermal power plants to meet demand.
Environmentalist Dahiya said Delhi needs to upgrade its power grid, especially the fast chargers needed for buses, goods vehicles and passenger cars, to meet the surge in demand and avoid grid failures.
A two-wheeler overtakes an electric car parked along a street in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
A two-wheeler overtakes an electric car parked along a street in New Delhi, India, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
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Dahiya recommended installing batteries at charging stations and adopting time-of-day pricing to encourage charging when renewable electricity is more abundant.
Basda Foundation’s Saraswat said Delhi’s next challenge will be to coordinate with surrounding states to decarbonize the power grid and electrify public transport.
“As a resident of Delhi, I am sure everyone is very excited about this policy. We will see a winter without smog and pollution.”
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Arasu reported from Bengaluru, India. You can follow me with X. @sibi123. please contact him (email protected).
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