With an aim to make Gujarat an electric vehicle hub, the state government on Tuesday announced Gujarat Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 to witness two lakh electric vehicles (EVs) in the state during the next four years.
Declared by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the state government, under the policy, has pegged INR 870 crore for the period of four years which will be utilised to expand the charging network across the state, provide incentives for three-wheelers, two-wheelers and passenger vehicles.
The policy also enables approval for establishing charging stations on petrol pumps and upcoming housing and commercial infrastructures.
It also stated that EVs registered at Gujarat RTO will be exempted from the registration fee within four years.
At present, around 278 charging stations are available in the state for the charging of EVs. It will add 250 new charging stations, the state information department said.
In terms of the subsidy, the state government has proposed INR 20,000 for two-wheelers, INR 50,000 for three-wheelers and up to INR 1,50,000 for 4-wheelers, which will be directly credited to bank accounts through DBT.
Gujarat government also claims that it will double the amount of subsidy than any other state for EVs on per kilowatt basis.
Apart from this, the policy aims to encourage young startups and investors in the field of electric mobility.
Sohinder Gill, DG, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), said the policy certainly has the potential to make Gujarat an EV hub and would mobilise a rapid adoption of EVs in the state. It also gives thrust on the charging infrastructure that would address the issue of range anxiety, especially amongst the people who want to buy an electric four-wheeler.
Gujarat is the fifth state which has announced a strong EV policy after Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
On the new EV policy announced by the Government of Gujarat, Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric Mobility said, The outlay of Rs 870 crore over the next four years will help EVs flourish in the state of Gujarat. The policy outlines clear adoption strategies, especially in the last mile mobility segment. The fiscal benefits being offered by the government will directly benefit the end customer while the non-fiscal benefits will help develop the overall EV ecosystem in the State.
Similarly, Shailesh Chandra, President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said, Gujarat EV policy clearly signals a strong resolve of the government towards cleaner environment and a sustainable future for the country. Also, the support extended towards charging infrastructure will accelerate the ecosystem development and bring a greater comfort for EV buyers.