Punekars preferring e-vehicles over fuel & CNG

In choosing e-vehicles over their fuel & CNG counterparts, Punekars are not only moving with the times but are also influenced by the fact that environmentally-friendly vehicles are being rewarded by the central government

PUNE: With the Navratri festival well underway, there is a heavy rush to buy new vehicles with a majority of Punekars favouring electric vehicles (e-vehicles) over petrol, diesel and CNG versions. As of Friday, around 59,000 e-vehicles have been registered at the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) with the number of electric two-wheelers the highest followed by electric four-wheelers.

Two-wheelers are the top preference followed by four-wheelers, buses and rickshaws. (RAHUL RAUT. HT PHOTO)

In choosing e-vehicles over their fuel & CNG counterparts, Punekars are not only moving with the times but are also influenced by the fact that environmentally-friendly vehicles are being rewarded by the central government. As such, Punekars are now focusing on purchasing e-vehicles including bikes, mopeds and even luxury cars over CNG and fuel vehicles.

As per the information shared by the Pune RTO, Punekars have purchased electric vehicles including two-wheelers, four-wheelers, buses and rickshaws on a large scale. Two-wheelers are the top preference followed by four-wheelers, buses and rickshaws. However, electric trucks have not yet been registered at the Pune RTO.

“There is a growing trend of purchasing e-vehicles among Punekars. It has been reported in the RTO that the number of two-wheelers is the highest,” said Sanjeev Bhor, Pune regional transport officer. Even at private e-vehicle dealers, the number of bookings for e-vehicles has been increasing during the festive season. “Since the last couple of months, we have booked and sold out over 1,000 electric bikes to be delivered during the Dassera and Diwali festivals. People choose to purchase electric bikes over fuel bikes now,” said Pawan Dahinje, manager at one of the e-vehicle showrooms in Pune.

Number of electric vehicles registered till date at the Pune RTO

Two-wheelers: 52,455 (non-transport)

Four-wheelers: 4,169 (non-transport)

Buses: 592 (transport)

e-rickshaws: 75 (passenger - transport)

e-rickshaws: 422 (cart goods transport)

Goods’ cars: 59

Motor cab taxis: 644

Tricycles: 571 (goods)

Tricycles: 50 (transport)

Non-transport total: 56,628

Transport total: 2,413

Total: 59,037 e-vehicles