Delhi begins rollout of EV Policy, committees to be formed

Delhi launches its EV Policy 2026, forming committees to oversee incentives and infrastructure, promoting electric vehicles with subsidies and streamlined processes.

A day after notifying the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2026, the Delhi government has begun work on its implementation roadmap, with officials set to constitute an apex committee headed by the transport minister and a model approval committee that will determine which electric vehicle models qualify for incentives under the policy.

Officials said the apex committee is likely to be constituted within a day and could hold its first meeting on Thursday to finalise operational guidelines. (HT Archive)

Officials said the apex committee is likely to be constituted within a day and could hold its first meeting on Thursday to finalise operational guidelines. A separate model approval committee, under the transport department, will also be notified to empanel eligible EV models before buyers can claim subsidies through a dedicated online portal.

Delhi currently has more than 300 registered electric vehicle models across different categories.

The policy, which came into effect on July 1 and will remain in force until March 31, 2030, introduces purchase incentives for electric two-wheelers, e-autos and electric goods carriers, while exempting eligible electric cars from road tax and registration fees. Incentives will be transferred directly to beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer (DBT) after applications are verified on the transport department’s portal.

Buyers will have to apply within 30 days of receiving the vehicle registration certificate, and the subsidy will be released within 60 days, according to the policy. Vehicles availing purchase incentives cannot be transferred outside Delhi for three years.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta had said while announcing the policy that it addresses shortcomings of the previous EV policy and lays down a roadmap for clean mobility until 2030.

“From charging infrastructure to battery management, the new EV Policy has a much stronger institutional framework than the previous policy. With the committees and the portal ready, all aspects of the policy will be implemented in the next couple of days and people can start availing the benefits,” transport minister Pankaj Singh said.

To strengthen charging infrastructure, the government has designated Delhi Transco Limited (DTL) as the nodal agency for planning, coordinating and implementing public EV charging and battery-swapping facilities across the capital. The agency will aggregate demand, identify suitable sites, assess electricity load requirements and prepare phased deployment plans. The policy also mandates the creation of a dedicated digital platform for site onboarding, approvals, monitoring and reporting, while introducing a single-window clearance mechanism for charging station developers.

Resident welfare associations, group housing societies and private entities have been encouraged to facilitate community charging infrastructure within residential premises. Discoms have also been asked to examine the deployment of energy storage systems at electric bus depots for load management and explore time-of-day electricity tariffs through the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to lower charging costs.

Every original equipment manufacturer operating in Delhi will also have to establish at least one public charging station at each dealership, with a minimum of three charging points for two- and three-wheelers and two charging points for four-wheelers.

The policy also provides flexibility for the induction of hydrogen-powered vehicles during its tenure. “If cleaner fuel vehicles are introduced during the period of this policy, such as hydrogen fuel, the same may be inducted, allowed to be registered, as per the decision of the Delhi government,” the notification states.