The market for electric vehicles in India is currently in its early stages. In such a scenario, governments are required to motivate people and companies through attractive policies to adopt EVs faster. Taking another step in this trend, the Delhi government has decided to exempt battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from road tax in the union territory. This policy has come into force from 10th October 2020.
In August 2020, Arvind Kejriwal, the CM of Delhi, had declared the Delhi EV Policy 2020, intending to raise the number of electric vehicles in UT to 25% of all vehicles by 2024. Now, this road tax waving step comes as a delightful move as it will bring down the on-road price and make the EVs more affordable.
Commenting on the move, Kailash Gahlot, the transport minister of Delhi, tweeted:-
"Congrats Delhi! As promised by CM Arvind Kejriwal when announcing the landmark EV Policy, the Delhi government has exempted road tax on battery-operated vehicles. With the right incentives and supporting infra, we are determined to ensure Delhi leads the country in rapid transition to electric vehicles."
Currently, in India, there are four long-range electric cars available: Tata Nexon EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, MG ZS EV, and Mercedes Benz EQC. The Tata Nexon EV is the most affordable BEV here, priced from Rs 13.99 to 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom). It offers a claimed drive range of 312km on a single charge.
On the other hand, the pricing of MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona Electric starts from Rs 20.88 lakh and Rs 23.75 lakh respectively. The Mercedes-Benz EQC is the latest entry into the electric segment, priced at Rs 99.3 lakh (introductory ex-showroom price). Their claimed ranges are as follows:-
| Models | Claimed Range |
| Tata Nexon EV | 312km |
| MG ZS EV | 340km |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 400km |
| Mercedes-Benz EQC | 450km |
Also Read: MG ZS EV Is Now Available In Ten New Cities
Talking about electric two-wheelers, currently, more than 100 electric bikes and scooters are available for sale in the country. The most popular offerings under this section are Hero Electric Optima LA, Bajaj Chetak, Revolt RV400, Ather 450X, etc.
By next year, several other companies will also launch their long-range electric products in India.
