India’s first green number plate electric car: PM Modi promises stable EV policy
Sharing the vision for electric mobility, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that government will come out with a stable policy for electric vehicles. Government has also abolished permits for EVs and CNG vehicles.
Giving electric vehicles its own identity, Government of India had announced the introduction of green coloured number plates for electric vehicles and MahindraElectric is the first company to get these new green number plates on its Mahindra eVerito electric car.
Bengaluru based start-up Lithium Urban Technology is the first to get green coloured number plate under government’s new plan that aims to boost the electric vehicles. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways believes that these government approved distinctive green registration plates for EVs will encourage people to use EVs. He further also abolished all required permits for all vehicles running on alternative source of fuel including electric cars.
A day before PM Modi shared his EV vision for India, Government decided to abolish all permits for electric vehicles and vehicles running on CNG, methanol and biofuel. All vehicles including auto rickshaws, cabs and buses will now run across India permit-free. The various States have agreed to abide by this decision taken by the central government confirmed Nitin Gadkari.
While PM Modi led government is bullish on electric vehicles, it is still silent on FAME II scheme and is not keen on giving out incentives to consumers, manufacturers or component suppliers. Electric vehicles are charged 12% GST which is not likely to go down confirmed the Indian government. The government is also silent of specific EV Policy for India.
Talking at the MOVE Global Mobility Summit, Prime Minister of India, Nitin Gadkari said that India plans to draw 175 GigaWatts of energy from renewable sources by 2022. India’s big push on renewable energy will ensure benefits to electric mobility said Modi.
“We are already the fifth largest producer of solar energy in the world and sixth largest producer of renewable energy. We have also championed the cause of solar energy globally through the International Solar Alliance.”
Along with EVs, the government also is pushing the used of CNG, Ethanol and methanol-powered vehicles. The Green License plate on EVs gets numbers in white fonts for private cars and yellow font for cabs and commercial vehicle segment.
Automakers also demanded a single long-term stable policy for easy and smooth implementation of future technology. Frequent changes in tax structure, emission norms have seen the Indian auto-industry not growing to its full potential. The absence of EV Policy is another big missing piece and is a must if India needs to attain 15% EV goal in next 5 years. PM Modi confirmed that
“We will soon put in place a stable policy-regime around electric and other alternative fuel vehicles. Policies will be designed as a win-win for all, and enable huge opportunities in the automotive sector.”
However, the government continues to remain silent on this EV Policy and implementation of FAME II scheme which would see the government investing Rs 5500 crore towards EVs and charging infrastructure.
Source: financialexpress
