Delhi govt planning fest to promote sale, safe usage of EVs

The department has drafted the proposal for EV utsav and sent it to the transport minister Kailash Gahlot for final approval

The Delhi transport department is planning a series of electric vehicle (EV) festivals or EV utsav, to promote the sale and usage of EVs in the city, officials aware of the development said on Saturday, adding that initially three events have been planned for the year, which will happen after the proposal is approved.

Officials said that the utsav will initially be organised only for two-wheelers. (HT Photo)

Officials said that the series will bring all stakeholders together — including buyers, sellers, battery providers, and swapping agencies — for all segments of two, three, and four-wheelers. Last month, the Niti Aayog also released a list of 75 best practices in the social sector from across the country which included the Delhi EV policy.

“We have been taking several measures to increase the uptake of EVs in Delhi across all segments. This EV utsav is an effort to make the customers more comfortable with the EV ecosystem and bring all original equipment manufacturers (OEM) together on one platform,” said a senior transport department official, requesting anonymity.

The department has drafted the proposal for EV utsav and sent it to the transport minister Kailash Gahlot for final approval. Officials said that the utsav will initially be organised only for two-wheelers.

The event is expected to have multiple stalls where OEMs, battery producers, and swapping agencies, as well as distribution companies (discom), will be available on a single platform to discuss any queries or customers. Officials will also ask the OEMs to bring sample vehicles, while space will also be earmarked for test drives of these vehicles, they added.

“People often have doubts about the life of an EV, how it will be charged, whether it will be beneficial in the long run, and what the operational cost will be. The OEMs and discoms will be there to answer all these questions. Meanwhile, we are working on devising a strategy to publicise the event so that most people can attend it,” said another transport department official.

The EV Cell of the transport department has, in the last two months, also organised online training and consultation for dealers and OEMs to explain the process of providing subsidies to customers while purchasing EVs. Officials said that while the government is providing subsidies to all consumers to buy two and three-wheeler EVs, many are unable to avail it as the forms are incorrectly filled and need to be returned. Officials said that about 15-20% of the consumers are unable to receive the subsidy timely because the forms need to be returned to the dealers who take time to refill the details.

In May, about 14.5% of vehicles registered in Delhi were EVs, one of the highest ratios of EV sales in Delhi. Most of these were two-wheelers and e-rickshaws. According to the Delhi EV policy, the state will try to ensure that 25% of all vehicles sold in Delhi be EV by 2025.