In India only electric rickshaws

The requirement kicks in in 2027, and the goal is to have 30 percent of all-electric vehicles in circulation by 2030. Road transport is one of the main causes of air pollution in India.

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electric rickshaws

India is pushing hard to shift the mobility paradigm, moving toward sustainability. And to address the smog emergency, starting in 2027, all new rickshaws in New Delhi will have to be electric, not gasoline-powered. This is because traditional rickshaws travel short, repetitive routes; they have very low operating costs when electric, but contribute significantly to urban pollution when running on gasoline, diesel, or gas. Road transport in India, and particularly in the capital New Delhi, is responsible for approximately 23 percent of air pollution, and smog, in turn, causes thousands of premature deaths each year.

The goal is to transform one of the world's most congested and polluted cities into a more electric, integrated, and public transportation-oriented system. By 2030, over 30 percent of tuk-tuks in circulation will be electric, and the e-rickshaw will become a sort of widespread "urban shuttle": silent, economical, and suited to narrow streets and densely populated neighborhoods.

To achieve concrete results in this direction, generous incentives have been put on the table:
  • Direct contribution to the purchase: for the electric auto-rickshaws (category L5M) Delhi's policy provides an incentive of up to 50.000 rupees (around 540 euros) in the first year of application; the amount drops in subsequent years to 40.000 and 30.000 rupees.
  • Scrappage bonus: those who replace an old CNG rickshaw can receive an additional incentive linked to the demolition of the previous vehicle.
  • Reduction of initial costs This is also thanks to India's national incentives for electric three-wheelers, which reduce the purchase price through subsidies awarded to manufacturers and passed on to buyers.
As for charging points, the plan includes:
  • Medium-term objective: Delhi aims at around 5.000 public EV charging stations by 2030Each station should have an average of 4-5 charging points.
  • Overall network expansion: the new policy aims to drastically increase public charging and battery swapping points; some estimates of the EV plan speak of growth of approximately 9.000 total points/connections currently at approximately 36.000 including charging and battery replacement infrastructure.

After rickshaws, Delhi's electric transition will also involve mopeds (scooters and motorcycles) and cars , but at a different pace and in a different way than tuk-tuks. In the case of mopeds, the transition could be rapid because India already has a strong electric two-wheeler industry, with manufacturers like Ola Electric and Ather Energy targeting this market.

Delhi is currently one of the most polluted cities in the world, and between the months of October and January it becomes famous for its “pall”:
  • the AQI, the air quality index, can exceed 300–400 (levels corresponding to “very unhealthy” or “severe” atmospheric conditions);
  • in exceptional episodes it can exceed 450–500, levels classified as “dangerous”;
  • visibility can be drastically reduced;
  • many schools and outdoor activities are limited.

Cover photo from the website https://insideevs.it

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