Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal urges faster adoption of EVs with Switch Delhi campaign

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged off the government’s campaign to aggressively drive adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the national capital, yesterday. Christened the ‘Switch Delhi’ campaign, the initiative focuses on spreading awareness about the benefits of EVs, particularly zero tail-pipe emissions, as well as encouraging citizens to increasingly opt for eco-friendly vehicles by availing the government’s incentives under the Delhi EV Policy, which was introduced in August 2020.

• Delhi CM says there are nearly 6,000 new EVs on Delhi’s roads thanks to EV policy
• Delhi government to buy EVs only
• EV policy includes waiver on road tax, benefits up to Rs 1.5 lakh on four-wheelers and more

According to Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi EV Policy, which sets an ambitious target of achieving one-fourth of all new vehicle sales or 5,00,000 EVs in the State by 2024, is receiving global acclaim for being one of the best EV policies in the world. The CM said the city has seen close to 6,000 new EVs being added on its roads since the announcement of the policy last year.

Now, the chief minister has appealed to citizens to be a part of the Switch Delhi campaign and take a pledge to buy an EV as their next set of wheels.

“I appeal to all RWAs and market associations to spread awareness about this campaign and I also appeal to all delivery fleets as well as big corporates to switch their entire fleets electric. I urge these big companies, malls, commercial shopping complexes, and cinema halls to install; charging points in their parking lots,” the CM said in a video address.

“I also appeal to all last-mile delivery fleets as well as big corporates to switch their fleets to EVs and to these companies, malls, commercial shopping complexes, and cinema halls to install charging points in their parking lots,” he added. 

Government to buy only EVs

The Delhi chief minister also said that the Delhi government is also going to play its part in this initiative and has decided to only procure electric vehicles in the government fleet over the next six months. “We would completely switch to EVs,” Kejriwal confirmed.

Kejriwal also said that preparations to install 100 charging stations across Delhi have begun and the government has started rolling out tenders.

“We have to take this policy at a larger level and have to make it a public initiative by understanding our responsibility towards reducing our individual carbon footprint. I also urge the youth to buy only electric as their first vehicle purchase in life,” Kejriwal said in his message.

Incentives on 150 EV models

The Delhi EV Policy, which accords benefits of up to Rs 1,50,000, alongside the waiver on road tax and registration fee on new EVs being registered in the State, is designed to accelerate the national capital’s EV momentum and cut down on vehicular pollution. Delhi, as is well known, is one of India's most polluted cities.

As per the government, the subsidy is applicable on a total of 150 EV models available in the market, across the two-wheeler, three-wheeler and four-wheeler segments.

During the rollout of the policy in August last year, the CM had said: “EVs are very expensive today and are out of reach of the common man. Therefore, to ensure that majority of people are able to buy them, we are announcing various incentives.”

The segment-wise incentives under the Delhi EV Policy are:
- Electric two-wheelers: Up to Rs 30,000 incentive from the State government
- Electric passenger vehicles: Up to Rs 150,000
- Auto-rickshaws – up to Rs 30,000
- E-rickshaws – Up to Rs 30,000
- E-goods carriers – Up to Rs 30,000

We have to turn our EV adoption movement into a mass movement, a 'Jan Andolan', to create a collective conscience to decrease pollution by purchasing EVs: Hon'ble CM Shri @ArvindKejriwal pic.twitter.com/AUpMx4dmFQ

— CMO Delhi (@CMODelhi) February 4, 2021

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