Maharashtra joins global EV100 initiative

The state government on Friday announced that it has entered into a partnership with the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative, a consortium of 110 companies globally that have pledged to become completely reliant on electric vehicles for operational needs by the year 2030

The state government on Friday announced that it has entered into a partnership with the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative, a consortium of 110 companies globally that have pledged to become completely reliant on electric vehicles for operational needs by the year 2030.

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There are presently 11 companies headquartered in India, from the state-owned State Bank of India (SBI) to leading companies in the field of e-commerce, food delivery, infrastructure and information technology among others.

“The partnership between Maharashtra and Climate Group will catalyse the EV ecosystem in the state through targeted interventions with businesses in support of the new EV Policy announced in July 2021,” said a press note issued Friday by the Climate Group (a non-profit organization that works with businesses and government globally to address climate change).

Atul Mudaliar, head of business action (India) at the Climate Group, confirmed that though the agreement between the state government and CG had been signed some weeks ago, the announcement was pushed forward in anticipation of bringing Maharashtra-headquartered companies under the ambit of the EV100 -- which is essentially a non-binding pledge that companies make toward using only electric vehicles for business-related operations.

“So far it has been challenging to engage with companies and get them to take the pledge, but that’s something that we are now actively working on. The EV100 initiative is not legally binding, and the state does not provide any financial support to companies. However, by coming on board as an official partner, Maharashtra hopes to inspire business leaders to take the step towards cleaner mobility. In the run-up to COP26, the Climate Group will essentially be acting as the non-state arm of Maharashtra’s EV Policy 2021 and interacting with businesses,” said Mudaliar.

The partnership, guided by the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Maharashtra, comes in the backdrop of Maharashtra’s new EV Policy 2021 that aims to have 10% battery-operated electric vehicles in new registrations by 2025. The new policy is armed with economic incentives, complementing those under FAME 2, to enhance EV purchases for personal and commercial use. The state has additionally set targets for electrifying government vehicles and 15% of Maharashtra’s state-run road transport corporation’s existing bus fleet. The policy also exempts road tax and registration fees for all-new EVs.

Commenting on the matter, Aaditya Thackeray, the state environment minister, said: “With our revised EV Policy, we want to engage early on with the most important stakeholder – businesses. The EV100 partnership aims to build a robust demand for EVs... and support the faster uptake of the policy... We want to take the lead in driving corporate EV demand.”

Maharashtra’s EV policy also aims to achieve 25% electrification of last-mile delivery vehicles by 2025. E-commerce companies, delivery and logistics players and mobility aggregators will submit EV transition plans to the state’s transport department in six months from the day of notification of the policy.

“We have a very strong policy structure. What we need is functional expertise, which is what the EV100 group offers. Under the EV Policy 2021, there are huge monetary incentives at hand for, say, a last-mile delivery company that switches from using two-wheelers with internal combustion engines to electric two-wheelers. The Climate Group will help us to stimulate the required demand,” said Saurab Punamiya, secretary, policy and research, office of the state environment minister.