StartupTalky

Tag: EV Adoption

  • Delhi Govt Extends EV Policy Till March 2026 to Boost Green Mobility

    Since the new policy’s draft would be subject to public input, which is anticipated to take time, the Delhi government has reportedly prolonged the present electric vehicle regulation until March 31, 2026, or until a revised version is announced.

    According to a PTI report, the decision was made 22 July  at a cabinet meeting at the Delhi secretariat, which was chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Prior to implementing the revised policy, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh emphasised the necessity of “broader dialogue.”

    Why the Policy Extension Was Needed?

     According to Sing, the extension will allow the transport department to perform thorough talks with all parties involved, including the general public, business executives, academics, environmental organisations, and both public and private institutions.

    He added that the main topics of these talks will include improving EV charging infrastructure, evaluating current subsidies and incentives, putting in place reliable systems for disposing of batteries and e-waste, and precisely defining the responsibilities of the public and private sectors in Delhi’s developing EV ecosystem.

    What the New EV Policy Aims to Address?

    By setting up battery collection facilities and a network of charging and swappable battery stations, the new strategy also seeks to develop an all-encompassing ecosystem for electric vehicles. Three months were added to the policy’s deadline in April, which was originally set to expire on January 1, 2025.

    Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the environment minister for Delhi, stated in April that 20,000 new jobs are anticipated to be created by the second phase of the city’s EV policy. These positions are expected to cover a range of responsibilities within the EV ecosystem, from supervising battery recycling procedures to maintaining charging stations.

    Sirsa’s remarks are in line with the Delhi government’s overarching objectives to encourage EV use and lessen traffic pollution in the city.

    Key Incentives Under the EV Policy

    A possible ban on new petrol car registrations in the city is anticipated by the new Delhi EV policy, which is now pending Centre approval. Its main goal is to switch to all electric mobility by banning fossil fuel vehicles. Additionally, it requires public transportation fleets to be electrified and suggests installing 13,200 public charging stations.

    The capital also intends to provide a purchase subsidy of up to INR 30,000 for EV two-wheeler purchases under this program. The Delhi government implemented the current EV policy in August 2020 in an effort to curb the city’s escalating air pollution and promote EV usage.

    By 2024, the plan aimed to have one EV for every four cars sold in Delhi. According to Vahan data, 1.75 lakh EVs of all vehicle kinds were registered in June, an increase of more than 20% year over year.

  • Zomato Rolls Out EV Rental Fleet in Delhi to Power Green Deliveries

    For its delivery partners in Delhi-NCR, Zomato is testing a fleet of electric vehicle (EV) bikes for rent. The foodtech giant is renting out two-wheeler EVs to its delivery partners as part of the green initiative.

    The business stated in a statement that, depending on partner uptake, it will extend the programme to other regions of India. Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Eternal’s chief sustainability officer, told the media that meeting the needs of food delivery requires an ecosystem in which all delivery partners have easy access to electric bikes.

    Zomato is making sure delivery partners can prosper and help create a greener future by introducing these specially made, effective electric bikes for hire.

    The business stated that the purpose of the June 5 pilot programme is to assist delivery partners in realising the advantages of employing electric vehicles (EVs) for deliveries as opposed to bikes with internal combustion engines (ICEs).

    Zomato Aiming to Secure 100% EV Based Food Delivery Status

    According to the corporation, the project aligns with its overarching objective of enabling food deliveries that are entirely powered by electric vehicles by 2030.

    Zomato stated that it had more than 37,000 active EV-based meal delivery partners as of March 2025. This is consistent with similar announcements made a few weeks ago by its competitor Swiggy.

     The firm, run by Sriharsha Majety, also declared at the time that it will electrify its entire fleet by 2030. Additionally, it recently joined forces with SUN Mobility to electrify more than 15,000 e-bikes.

    Affordability, convenient app-based access, high vehicle uptime because of fast battery changes, and safety features like ergonomic seats and puncture-resistant tyres are the primary drivers propelling the adoption of EVs among gig workers.

    The drive for EVs coincides with the Indian government’s ambitious goal of 30% EV adoption by 2030, which is anticipated to be mostly driven by consumers moving to electric alternatives and online aggregators switching to EVs.

    More Cost-Effective Than Conventional Delivery System

    In addition to their environmental benefits, electric vehicles are a smart investment for Zomato and Swiggy since they lower delivery costs per km and improve last-mile efficiency.

    The Centre has also been providing incentives and subsidies to promote the nation’s EV adoption. Additionally, the push for EVs coincides with a slowdown in the larger food delivery market.

    In Q4 FY25, adjusted revenue from Eternal’s primary food delivery business increased just 17.5% year over year to INR 2,409 Cr. In Q4 FY25, Eternal’s consolidated net profit decreased by 77.8% to INR 39 Cr from INR 175 Cr in the same quarter last year.

  • Evera Cabs Powers Up with 1000 BluSmart EVs in Expansion Drive

    Evera Cabs, an app-based electric taxi service provider, announced on 5 May that it has begun the process of reclaiming 500 electric taxis that were formerly run by the troubled BluSmart.

    According to a statement from Evera Cabs, 220 cars have already been purchased, and the remaining 280 will be reclaimed in the days ahead. With a particular emphasis on airport mobility, the company hopes to strengthen its position as a top provider of electric taxi services, it noted.

    According to Evera, “a big chunk of BluSmart drivers” are lining up to join the fleet integration, with 10% of them being women. In order to guarantee service readiness as the fleet grows, about 150 drivers have begun making trips, and recruitment efforts are still underway.

    Nimish Trivedi, co-founder and CEO of Evera, stated that the company’s operations are a realignment of the electric mobility narrative in India rather than merely a scale-up. Evera is moving forward with a defined goal as major players reassess, acquiring dependable drivers and tested EV assets to guarantee continuous service on important routes.

    Move Aimed at Strengthening Evera’s Presence in NCR

    As part of a multi-phase strategic plan to strengthen its position in the highly competitive airport taxi industry in the National Capital Region, Evera announced it had repossessed BluSmart’s taxis through its lenders.

    The company announced that it will expand its airport network in the subsequent phase by providing services at all terminals of Delhi’s airport. It previously operated exclusively from Terminal 3, but the integration of new vehicles has enabled full-terminal coverage.

    The capital market regulator Sebi banned Gensol Engineering and its promoters, Anmol Singh Jaggi and Puneet Singh Jaggi, who are also co-founders of BluSmart, from the securities markets in a case involving fund diversion and governance lapses. As a result, BluSmart, an electric cab-hailing platform, suspended operations in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai last month.

    BluSmart Drivers Hit the Brakes Over Unpaid Dues

    Weeks after the EV ride-hailing company abruptly suspended operations, hundreds of BluSmart driver partners have started protesting throughout Delhi-NCR, calling for compensation and alternative employment.

    The drivers, many of whom call BluSmart the best platform they’ve ever used, claimed they were left in the dark about unpaid invoices and received no official word from the company. It is predicted that more than 10,000 drivers in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR will be impacted.

    The protests follow the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi) decision to bar Jaggi brothers  from holding board positions and accessing the securities markets due to accusations of document forgery and fund syphoning in their solar EPC company, Gensol Engineering, which is closely associated with BluSmart.

  • Electric Vehicle Incentives and Subsidies: A Global Comparison

    This article has been contributed by Rohit Vadera, CEO, PURE EV.

    Global electric vehicle (EV) markets today differ widely, shaped by different levels of policy support, corporate activity, consumer preference and awareness, driving patterns, and cultural specificities. The success of EVs is being driven by multiple factors. Sustained policy support is the main pillar. Public spending on subsidies and incentives for EVs nearly doubled in 2021 to nearly USD 30 billion.

    A growing number of countries have pledged to phase out internal combustion engines or have significant vehicle electrification targets for the coming decades. The role of policy has been particularly significant in steering corporate strategy towards electrification and enabling consumer uptake.

    Global Expansion of Incentives and Subsidies
    EV Adaptation and Supply Chains
    Incensing Demand for Light-Duty Vehicles
    Purchase Incentives
    Charging Infrastructure Incentives
    Economically Effective Strategies/Subsidies for Consumers

    Global Expansion of Incentives and Subsidies

    In today’s major EV markets, including China, Europe, and the United States, early adoption was jump-started in many cases by policies to spur demand, such as vehicle purchase incentives. Direct incentives for carmakers were also used in China. Many of these countries and regions are now seeing EV markets maturing, for which sales shares are increasing rapidly. More developed markets, such as China and several European countries, are now progressively decreasing or phasing out incentive schemes for electric cars and shifting focus towards other segments, such as heavy transport and charging.

    EV Adaptation and Supply Chains

    Some global leaders in major markets have further increased their targets for EV adoption and are working to address other parts of EV supply chains, such as through policy support for vehicle and battery manufacturing and critical mineral supply chains. Many other countries outside the major markets have also started introducing policies to support EV adoption in recent years, for the first time in some cases.

    Policies are also shifting towards electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), or charging, and currently, almost 80% of global EV sales (LDV and HDV) are covered by EVSE-related policy. Countries are increasingly dedicating funds to EVSE deployment, acknowledging that a lack of charging infrastructure can be a critical barrier to EV adoption.

    Incensing Demand for Light-Duty Vehicles

    As in recent years, most policies supporting EVs target the electric light-duty vehicle (LDV) segment, for which market maturity is most advanced and vehicle availability is greatest. In 2022, more than 90% of global sales of LDVs were covered by the policy that encourages EV uptake. Typical policies include fuel economy and pollutant standards; zero-emission vehicle mandates; economic and budgetary regulation for fuels and vehicles, such as through fiscal regimes and taxation; purchase incentives and subsidies; and bans on internal combustion engine (ICE)-only vehicles.

    Purchase Incentives

    Many countries offer direct financial incentives to reduce the upfront cost of purchasing an electric vehicle. These incentives may include tax credits, rebates, grants, or discounts on the purchase price. The amount varies widely and may be influenced by factors such as the EV’s battery size, range, or purchase price.

    Charging Infrastructure Incentives

    Many countries invest in building a robust EV charging infrastructure by offering subsidies or grants to businesses and local governments that install charging stations. This helps alleviate “range anxiety” for potential EV buyers. Examples include, in Norway, the funding of EV charging points every 50km on the major roads. In Germany, some banks offer EV incentives of 10–30% for the installation of wall box chargers.

    Economically Effective Strategies/Subsidies for Consumers

    Understanding the diverse ways in which households consume energy is another key step in designing effective subsidy policies for a sustainable commute.

    The findings could be helpful for implementing energy efficiency subsidy programs that target low-income households. For instance, they might be used to identify appliances low-income households are more likely to purchase as their economic situations improve. Policymakers can then develop subsidies to boost access to more energy-efficient options. Such policies would help these households sustain their economic gains while also supporting energy efficiency goals and cheaper commuting options.

    Lucrative incentives and supportive policies are bolstering the growth of EV adoption worldwide. India recently launched FAME II to catapult EV adoption in India. Similarly, Europe and other developed countries have rolled out incentives and subsidies for EV purchases, manufacturing, and charging infrastructure. Subsidies on road tax and loans to purchase an EV are attracting consumers to adopt EVs. Government support through favorable policies supporting EVs has increased demand for EVs.

    Future of Electric Two-Wheeler Industry in India – Will It Sustain?
    The electric two-wheeler industry has gained massive demand in India but what’s the future of this industry will it sustain let’s find out.
    Mansi MaheshwariStartupTalky