Delhi EV Policy 2026 Announced: What’s In It For Cars?
Delhi wants to move directly to EVs, and strong-hybrids do not get a push in this policy
For years, Delhi NCR has been facing severe air pollution issues, while older cars remain strictly regulated with lifespans capped at 10 years (for Diesel vehicles) and 15 years (for Petrol vehicles), efforts are being made to tighten the norms.
As part of this push, the Government of NCT of Delhi has now announced its Delhi EV Policy 2026 that outlines several incentives, benefits and subsidies to encourage adoption of EVs But how does it affect car owners? Let’s find out:
Road Tax Exemption
Perhaps the largest and most beneficial incentive in this policy is the exemption of road tax and registration fees for all EVs with an ex-showroom price of Rs 30 lakh or below until 31st March 2030. This factor alone could lead to instant upfront savings amounting to lakhs of rupees for buyers and go a long way in making EVs achieve price parity with their ICE-powered counterparts.
However, do note that strong-hybrids and plug-in hybrid cars are not covered under this exemption, and they will continue to face the standard rate of road tax as applicable, alongside the 15-year age limit (which EVs remain exempt from).
Scrapping Incentive
Furthermore, the state government has announced scrapping incentives, where buyers who scrap their old Delhi-registered BS4 or earlier cars will receive a benefit of Rs 1 lakh if they opt to buy a new EV costing less than Rs 30 lakh ex-showroom.
To avail this opportunity, the buyer will have to scrap their older vehicle at a government-authorised scrapping agency, which will issue a Certificate of Deposit (CoD). After this, the buyer can purchase a new EV within six months of the issuing date and cash out the incentive, which will have to be claimed separately from the Transport Department of the Government of NCT of Delhi.
That said, this scheme will be applicable only for the first 1 lakh applicants.
Encouraging Public EV Charging Networks
Furthermore, the policy also outlines the need to expand the number of public EV chargers and issues directives to various authorities to encourage the same. It directs carmakers to set up at least one charging station per dealership, with a minimum of two charging points each.
Moreover, RWAs (Residential Welfare Associations), residential communities and large private entities are encouraged to install EV chargers in residential premises and private spaces, to support convenient and accessible public charging.
Do you think these incentives are enough to make buyers switch to EVs? Comment down below!