‘Electric two-wheelers only from April 2028’: Delhi’s draft electric vehicle policy drawn up, suggestions sought

If you ride a two-wheeler in Delhi and plan to buy a new one after April 1, 2028, it may have to be electric if this policy applies. This is the key provision in the draft Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2026-30, released by the BJP government on Saturday.

The policy, which is open for public comment over the next 30 days, lays out a phased roadmap for removing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles from roadways across personal, commercial and government use. It is backed by a range of purchase incentives, bonus cancellations and tax credits.

For most Delhiites, the most immediate benefit is that any electric car costs $1,000 $30 lakh (ex-showroom) will not attract any road tax or registration fees till March 31, 2030. The savings can continue between $1.5 lakh and $2.5 thousand depending on the car

‘Hard hybrid’ cars in the same price bracket get a 50% exemption from road tax and registration fees.

Electric vehicles above $30 lakh are not getting such benefit, as the Rekha Gupta government is keeping subsidies away from buyers of luxury goods.

If you want to get rid of an old BS-IV or low emission car to buy a new electric car, there is an additional incentive of $1 thousand, provided that the new purchase is completed within six months from the date of obtaining the scrapping certificate, and does not exceed the price of the car $30 lakh. Eliminating the incentive for electric two-wheelers is $10,000; For three-wheeled electric vehicles, it is $25000.

The policy proposes purchase incentives for two-wheelers based on battery size. It will be from $10,000 per kWh of battery capacity in the first year after notification, max $30,000. This comes down to it $6,600 per kWh (max $20,000) in the second year, and $3300 per kWh (max $10,000) in the third year. Only two-wheelers are less expensive $2.25 lakh factory delivery eligible. These stages appear to be intended to ensure that people adopt change quickly as motivation declines over time.

From January 1, 2027, only new registrations of electric three-wheelers and auto-rickshaws will be allowed in the city.

From April 1, 2028, the same rule will apply to all two-wheelers.

For auto rickshaw drivers, there is a fixed purchase incentive of $50,000 in the first year; $40,000 per second; and $30,000 in the third year of the policy. This will be applicable to both those who are replacing old CNG cars and those who are using it for the first time.

All new government vehicle purchases will be electric. The draft says 30% of school buses must be electric by 2030, and all new government buses must be electric from now on.

A single-window clearance system is proposed to speed up approvals for new charging infrastructure.

On battery disposal, the Delhi Pollution Control Commission will set up collection centers across the city through public-private partnerships, while the environment department will track and measure actual emission reductions from electric vehicle registrations using a transparent methodology, the draft says.

Delhi’s previous electric vehicle policy, launched in 2020, was largely incentive-driven. The new draft goes further by setting non-negotiable registration deadlines, targeting sectors that contribute significantly to daily vehicle emissions.