India’s Leadership in Electric Mobility Showcased at COP29

X Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp

Through its ambitious policies to promote clean mobility solutions and commitment to inclusivity, India is carving a transformative pathway for the Global South

Taking into consideration the rising emissions and increase in catastrophic effects of climate change, India has been leapfrogging towards clean and sustainable mobility solutions by bringing in robust and enabling policies and incentives to handhold the industry and driving the adoption of electric vehicles. India’s sustainability journey was also highlighted at the recently concluded UN Climate Change summit (COP29) held in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku where nearly 200 countries negotiated hard to finally push rich nations to pledge USD 300 billion per year by 2035 to fight climate change.

India’s leadership in clean transportation and electric mobility, through ambitious public policies, private sector initiatives and innovations, and a commitment to inclusivity, came to the fore at COP29 where the country’s narrative of EV innovation, resilience, and collaboration in the fight against climate change through clean transportation solutions like EVs were showcased.

India is one the early movers in this category, realising that to take forward the objectives of the Paris agreement of holding the rise in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C and pursuing efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5 Degree Celsius, it is essential to decarbonise the transportation sector. Current estimates attribute 21% of global CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels to transportation globally.

During a session titled “India’s Electric Mobility Leadership: Spotlighting EV Transition Pathways for The Global South” on the Transport Day at COP29, senior delegates from India highlighted how policy enablers are being put in place in various EV segments to scale up adoption as well as case studies and innovative solutions adopted by India that are proving to be the global benchmark in transitioning to clean mobility solutions globally.

India’s Clean Mobility Journey: Stories From The States

Telangana: The state, that is already a hub for manufacturing electric buses and three-wheelers, has renewed its push to fast track this transition and has come out with its ambitious ‘Telangana Mobility Valley’ initiative that aims at laying stress on upscaling their skilling programs, fostering EV innovation and electrifying public transport and last-mile delivery sectors.

It recently announced a 100% exemption from road tax and registration fees for a wide range of EVs registered in the state. This exemption will be in effect until December 31, 2026. The move, many believe, is a crucial step towards reducing the state’s carbon footprint and boosting the adoption of eco-friendly transportation solutions.

“Telangana prides itself on being at the heart of the electric mobility journey in India with our policies and support mechanisms aimed at furthering accelerated EV transition in the state. “In the coming years, this renewed focus by the state government will be pivotal in Telangana meeting its net-zero and decarbonization targets, alongside ensuring a marked reduction in air pollution in our cities,” said Gopalakrishnan VC, Director of Automotive & EV, Industries & Commerce Department, Telangana, at the event organised by Sustainable Mobility Network, a coalition of over 40 Indian think tanks, including Climate Trends, committed to promoting climate-just, inclusive, and accessible mobility solutions across India.

Fig 1: Attendees at the session “India’s Electric Mobility Leadership: Spotlighting EV Transition Pathways for The Global South” at COP29 in Azerbaijan’s Baku

Karnataka: The state stands out as a leader not only in advancing a robust electric vehicle policy but also in prioritising a just labour transition alongside EV adoption. The state has already sold around 1,15,700 EVs so far in various segments and has been setting a benchmark for impactful and transformative change.

"Our unwavering commitment to electrification is matched only by our dedication to ensuring just and equitable labour transitions. By fostering a mobility ecosystem that not only accelerates decarbonization but also empowers the very individuals who drive our economy, Karnataka is setting a benchmark for impactful and transformative change. This dual-pronged approach defines the uniqueness and power of our EV journey,” said Dr. N.V. Prasad, Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, Transport Department, who was present at the event.

As the first Indian state to launch an EV policy in 2017, Karnataka has built one of the largest EV public bus fleets in the country and developed an extensive EV charging network. At the same time, it has been focussing on supporting gig workers through equitable policies, ensuring no one is left behind. “Karnataka stands at the forefront of India’s electric mobility revolution, championing a vision that is both sustainable and inclusive, " Prasad added.

Not only the central as well as the state governments, the private sector and big corporations too have played a critical role in shaping up the India story. Among the many, JSW, with its presence across the critical EV supply chain, has been playing a pivotal role in decarbonising the Indian automotive sector. In the course of the event at COP29, delegates also got a glimpse of how the conglomerate has played an important role in this transition by introducing innovative models like Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) which has helped drive adoption.

It is worth a mention here that JSW is venturing into electric vehicle manufacturing, covering both passenger and commercial segments. “As part of our commitment to sustainable mobility, JSW has pledged to electrify its fleet operations by 2040, giving us 15 years to achieve this transition. This commitment is built on two key pillars - demand and supply. We have created in-house demand by setting a target to transition all fleet operations across our businesses to electric vehicles (EVs) within the stipulated timeframe. This decision aligns with our larger sustainability goals and allows us to lead by example,” said Swaroop Banerjee, Vice President, JSW Group.

The event also helped showcase how India’s innovative solutions are setting benchmarks globally. Highlighting this, Aslihan Tumer, Global Coordinator of the Clean Mobility Collective (CMC) pointed out that policies like Delhi’s Fleet Aggregator Policy, which mandates a 2030 transition deadline for delivery fleets are inspiring global action.

How Has The Indian Government Helped Scale Up EV Adoption So far

FAME Scheme: The Government of India launched the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme in 2015 to boost the uptake of electric and hybrid vehicles. The first phase (with a budget of Rs 895 crore) operated from 2015 to 2019, while the second phase (with a budget of Rs 11,500 crore) was from 2019 to March, 2024. The Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS) with a budgetary allocation of Rs 500 crore was thereafter introduced by the government.
PLI Schemes: The Ministry of Heavy Industries under the Government of India has two PLI schemes that incentivise the production of EVs - PLI for Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC) and PLI for Automobiles and Auto Components (AAC). These schemes provide subsidies to EV, advanced EV battery and EV component manufacturers, based on their production capacities.
Focus on Zero Emission Trucking: India has already announced a unique High Level Ambition Group (HLAG) that will work with the government towards framing a comprehensive policy towards zero freight emission in the country. Prominent OEMs have also come together under the Zero Emission Vehicles Emerging Markets Initiative (ZEV-EMI) and the government's E- FAST (Electric Freight Accelerator for Sustainable Transport) programme to advance the electrification of trucks in India.
PM E-DRIVE: PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) aims to introduce targeted approaches to facilitate this transition. With an outlay of Rs 10,900 crore for two years, the scheme not only aims to streamline the buying process of EVs for the consumers, but also paves way for integrating electric vehicles in the health sector by deploying e-ambulances.

Sr. No	Vehicle segment	Incentive available	Number of vehicles to be incentivised	Maximum incentive per vehicle
1	e-2W (L1 & L2)	INR 5000/kwh	1,00,000	10,000
2	e-3W autos (L5M)	INR 5000/kwh	15,000	30,000
3	e-3W goods carrier (L5N)	INR 5000/kwh	10,000	30,000
4	e-4W cars (M1)	INR 5000/kwh	10,000	1,50,000
5	e-4W goods carrier (N1)	INR 5000/kwh	10,000	1,00,000
6	e-buses* (SRTu)	10% vehicle cos (ex factory)	1000	20,00,000

Road Tax / Vehicle Registration Fees	Manufactured within the State	Manufactured outside the State
Exemption on Road Tax	100% exemption for first 10,000 buyers 75% exemption for 10,001-15000 buyers 25 % exemption after 15000 buyers upto policy period	25% upto policy period
Exemption from Vehicle Registration Fees	100% exemption for first 10,000 buyers 75% exemption for 10,001-15000 buyers 25 % exemption after 15000 buyers upto policy period	25% upto policy period

S No	Type of PCS/SPCS	Incentive amount	Maximum Incentive available per PCS/SPCS	Max number of PCS/SPCS to be incentivised
1	Slow	60% of the cost	INR 10,000	15,000
2	Moderate/Fast	50% of the cost	INR 5,00,000	500
3	Solar Based fast#	70% of the cost	INR 7,00,000	500

Type of Unit	Max Limit	Max Admissible Subsidy
Micro	30% of FCI	Rs 2 Cr
Small		Rs 7 Cr
Medium		Rs 15 Cr
Non MSME		Rs 30 Cr

Sr No	Vehicle Segment	Incentives
1	Assured Buyback,	6% of total vehicle cost capped at INR 10,000/-
2	Battery warranty of at least 5 years	4% of total vehicle cost capped at INR 6,000/-

India’s Leadership in Electric Mobility Showcased at COP29

Editorial Team

About the Author

Editorial Team

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

5 kWh

Vehicle Category	Incentive	Maximum Incentive	Number of Electric Vehicles to be incentivized
e-Bicycle	Upfront: 25% of Cost of Bicycle	Rs. 3,000	First 25,000 Bicycle purchased during the policy period
e-2W	Upfront : Fixed Battery: Rs. 5,000/kWh Swappable Battery: Rs. 3000/kWh Scrapping : Rs 5,000	Rs. 30,000 Rs. 15,000 Rs. 5,000	First 10,000 vehicles registered during the policy period
e-Cart	Upfront : Fixed Battery: Rs. 5000/kWh Swappable Battery: Rs. 3000/kWh Retrofit Kit: 15% of cost	Rs. 30,000 Rs. 10,000 Rs.10,000	First 1000 e-Carts registered during the policy period
e-Autos	Upfront : Fixed Battery: Rs. 5000/kWh Swappable Battery: Rs. 3000/kWh Retrofit Kit: 15% of cost Scrapping : Rs 7,500	Rs. 30,000 Rs. 15,000 Rs. 15,000 Rs. 7,500	First 1000 e-Autos registered during the policy period
e-Goods Carrier L5N	Upfront : Fixed Battery: Rs. 5000/kWh Retrofit Kit: 15% of cost Scrapping: 15,000	Rs. 50,000 Rs. 15,000 Rs. 15,000	First 1000 Goods Carrier L5N registered during the policy period
e-Goods Carrier N1	Upfront: Fixed Battery: Rs. 5000/kWh Retrofit Kit: 15% of cost Scrapping: 15,000	Rs. 80,000 Rs. 25,000 Rs. 15,000	First 1000 Goods Carrier N1 registered during the policy period
4 W- e-Cars (Personal)	Upfront: Fixed Battery: Rs. 5,000/kWh Scrapping: 7000	Rs. 1,50,000 Rs. 7,000	First 2000, 4 W- e-Cars (Personal) (including Hybrids as defined in FAME II) registered during the policy period. Applicable only for vehicles with ex showroom price below INR 20 lakhs
4 W- e-Cars (Commercial)	Upfront: Fixed Battery: Rs. 10,000/kWh Scrapping: 7000	Rs. 2,00,000 Rs. 7,000	First 1000, 4 W- e-Cars (Commercial) (including Hybrids as defined in FAME II) registered during the policy period

Vehicle Category	Early Bird Incentive	Maximum Early Bird Incentive
e-Bicycle	Rs. 2000	Rs. 2,000
e-2W, e-Cart, e-Autos, e Goods Carrier (L5N and N1), e-4W (personal & commercial)	Rs 3,500/kWh	Rs. 50,000

Category	Incentive	Maximum Incentive
Private Charging	Infrastructure Incentive: Grant on purchase and installation of charging equipment	Rs. 6,000	Only for the first 30,000 private chargers installed during the policy period.
Public Charging	Reimbursement of GST paid 100% reimbursement of GST paid on the Fast Charging/Swapping Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) procured by private enterprises/individual	Rs. 50,000	Only for the first 50 fast charging /Swapping EVSE installed during the policy period. (Will not be applicable on Chargers under Central Subsidy)
	Upfront electricity infrastructure: Upfront cost on infrastructure for bringing power supply to Electric Vehicle Charging Station	Rs. 5,00,000	Only for the first 50 Public fast Charging/Swapping Stations installed in the state during the policy period. (Will not be applicable on Chargers under Central Subsidy)
	Electricity Duty Exemption: 100% Electricity duty exemption for Public Charging and Swapping stations	For policy period	For policy period

Sr. No	Classification of EV	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25	2025-26	2026-27	Total
1	2W	2,000	8000	20,000	54,000	85,000	1,69,000
2	3W	200	800	2000	4,000	10,000	17,000
3	4W(Non Commercial)	100	400	1400	3,000	7,000	12,000
4	4W(Commercial)	10	40	100	300	650	1,100
5	Buses	10	25	65	200	600	900
	Total						2,00,000

Sr No	Vehicle segment	Ceiling for Early Bird	2023 – 2027
1	2W	35	172
2	3W(E-Rickshaw/ E-Cart)	10	40
3	3W	10	40
4	Car(Including Taxis)	40	167
5	Bus	11	49
6	E-4w ([CV, Stage Carriage/Maxi Cabs)	10	41
Total	–	116	509

Sr No	Vehicle Segment	Subsidy (Whichever Is Lower)	Maximum ExShowroom Price to Avail (INR)
1	Two-Wheeler	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 15,000	1,50,000
2	Three-Wheeler – e Rickshaw / e-cart	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 30,000	3,00,000
3	Three-Wheeler	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 50,000	5,00,000
4	Car	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 2,50,000	25,00,000
5	Bus	25% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 50,00,000	2,00,00,000
6	E-4w ([CV, Stage Carriage/Maxi Cabs)	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 3,00,000	30,00,000

Sr No	Vehicle Segment	Subsidy (Whichever Is Lower)	Maximum ExShowroom Price to Avail (INR)	No of EVs to be subsdised
1	Two-Wheeler	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 60,000	1,50,000	28
2	Three-Wheeler – e Rickshaw / e-cart	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 60,000	3,00,000	10
3	Three-Wheeler	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 1,00,000	5,00,000	10
4	Car	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 5,00,000	25,00,000	33
5	Bus	50% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 1,00,00,000	2,00,00,000	11
6	E-4w ([CV, Stage Carriage/Maxi Cabs)	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 6,00,000	30,00,000	9
Total				101

Sr No	Vehicle segment	Number of EVs	State subsidy
1	2W	100	Rs.10,000/- per Kwh of battery capacity subject to a maximum of Rs.30,000/- per vehicle.
2	3W	50	Rs.10,000/- per Kwh of battery capacity subject to a maximum of Rs.50,000/- per vehicle.
3	4W	50	Rs.10,000/- per Kwh of battery capacity subject to a maximum of Rs.2,00,000/- per vehicle

Sr. No	Owner of PCS	Subsidy
1	Retail Outlet of Oil Marketing Companies	15% of the cost of putting up Public Charging Infrastructures and Stations will be reimbursed by the State Govt. in the form of subsidy/ incentive.
2	Local Entrepreneurs	25% of the cost of putting up Public Charging Infrastructures and Stations will be reimbursed by the State Govt. in the form of subsidy/ incentive

Category of vehicle	% Of subsidy	The maximum amount of subsidy
Electric Two-wheelers	15%	Rs. 5000/-
Electric Three-wheelers	15%	Rs.12,000/-
Electric Four Wheelers	15%	Rs. 1,00,000/-

Criteria	Threshold Value
Min. top speed	40km/hour
Min. acceleration	0.65m/s2
Max. electric energy consumption	Not exceeding 7kWh/ 100km
Warranty	At least 3 years comprehensive warranty including that of battery from the manufacturer

Criteria	Threshold value
Min. top speed	40 km/hr
Min. acceleration	0.65 m/s2
Max. electric energy consumption Not exceeding	7 kWh/100km
Warranty	At least 3 years comprehensive warranty including that of battery from the manufacturer

EV Segment	Demand Incentives
Electric 2-wheeler	Purchase incentive of Rs. 5,000/- per kWh of battery capacity; Maximum incentive of Rs. 30,000/- per vehicle Incentive for scrapping and de-registering old ICE two wheelers registered in Delhi: Up to Rs. 5,000/- of the incentive shall be reimbursed by the GNCTD All delivery service providers shall be expected to convert 50% of their fleet operating in Delhi to electric by 3V March, 2023 and 100% by 31st March, 2025.
E-Autos	Open permit system shall be applicable & be given on first-come-first-serve basis; no cap on permits issued to e-autos in Delhi Purchase Incentive of Rs. 30,000/- per vehicle shall be provided by GNCTD Interest subvention of 5% on loans and/or hire purchase scheme for the purchase of an e-auto Incentive for scrapping and de-registering old ICE auto rickshaws registered in Delhi: Up to Rs. 7,500/- of the incentive shall be reimbursed by the GNCTD The auto-rickshaw permits linked to the de-registered ICE vehicle can be surrendered and exchanged for an e-auto permit at no additional cost.
E-rickshaws & E-carts	Purchase Incentive of Rs. 30,000/- per vehicle shall be provided by GNCTD Interest subvention of 5% on loans and/or hire purchase schemes Buses
E-buses	Pure electric buses shall constitute at least 50% of all new stage-carriage buses (i.e., for all public transport vehicles with 15 seats or more) procured for the city fleet including for last-mile connectivity Induction of 1000 pure electric buses by 2020
Goods Carriers	A Purchase Incentive of Rs. 30,000/- to the first 10,000 e-Carriers to be registered in Delhi after the issuance of this policy. Interest subvention of 5% on loans and/or hire purchase schemes. Incentive for scrapping and de-registering old ICE goods carriers registered in Delhi: Up to Rs. 7,500/- of the Incentive shall be reimbursed by the GNCTD Goods carriers (i.e., L5N and N1 type)
Four wheeler	Purchase Incentive of Rs. 10,000/- per kWh of battery capacity Maximum incentive of Rs. 1,50,000/- per vehicle to the registered owners of the first 1000 e-cars to be registered in Delhi after the issuance of this policy

Vehicle Segment	Max vehicle to be supported	Approx. battery size	Approx incentive @10,000 per kWh
Electric 2 wheeler	24,000	2 kWh	20,000/-
Electric 3 wheeler	70,000	5 kWh	50,000/-
Electric 4 wheeler	4000	15 kWh	150,000/-
4 wheeler (SHEV)	1000	1.3 kwh	13,000/-
Electric bus	1000	250 kwh	25,00,000/-

Vehicle Segment	Incentive Available ( INR)	No. of Vehicles to be Incentivized	Maximum Incentive per Vehicle (INR)
Electric Two Wheeler (L1 & L2)	5000/kwh	1,00,000	10,000
Electric 3 Wheeler autos (L5M)	5000/kwh	15,000	30,000
Electric 3 Wheeler goods carrier (L5N)	5000/kwh	10,000	30,000
Electric 4 Wheeler cars (M1)	5000/kwh	10,000	1,50,000
Electric 4 Wheeler goods carrier (N1)	5000/kwh	10,000	1,00,000
Electric buses	10% of vehicle Cost	1,000	20,00,000

Vehicle Segment	Scrappage Incentive
Electric Two-Wheeler	INR 7,000
Electric Three-Wheeler	INR 15,000
Electric Four Wheeler	INR 25,000

Incentives Description	Incentives
Assured Buyback	6% of total vehicle cost capped at INR 10,000/-
Battery warranty of at least 5 years	4% of total vehicle cost capped at INR 6,000/-

CHARGING STATION	Incentive
Small Charging Stations	Capital Subsidy of 25% of the value of the charging equipment/machinery for first 300 charging stations up to a Maximum subsidy of INR 1,50,000
Medium Charging Stations	Capital Subsidy of 25% of the value of the charging equipment/machinery for the first 100 stations up to a Maximum subsidy of INR 2,00,000.
Large Charging Stations	Capital Subsidy of 25% of the value of the charging equipment/machinery for the first 100 stations up to a Maximum subsidy of INR 10,00,000.

Vehicle Segment	State Subsidy Amount (in Rs.)	Max ex-factory price to avail incentive (in Rs.)
2 wheeler	Rs. 10,000/- per kWh	1,.50,000
3 wheeler	Rs. 10,000/- per kWh	5,00,000
4-Wheeler	Rs. 10,000/- per kWh	15,00,000

Vehicle Segment	Battery Size in KWH (approx.)	State Subsidy Amount(Rs.)	Total State Subsidy (Rs.)	Maximum ex-factory price to avail incentive (Rs.)
Electric Two wheeler	2 KWH	10000/- per kWh	20000/-	1,50,000
Electric Three wheeler	5 KWH	10000/- per kWh	50000/-	5,00,000
Electric Four wheeler	15 KWH	10000/- per kWh	150000/-	15,00,000