Maharashtra sets ambitions EV goals

The Maharashtra Government has chalked out ambitious plans on the electric mobility front with the launch of its EV policy. The state aims to become the country’s leading producer of battery-powered electric vehicles by the year 2025. Towards that end, it has offered multiple incentives and set timelines for the conversion of vehicles to electric. The state’s power distribution company is also working towards setting up EV charging stations.

To encourage the sale of EVs, the Maharashtra Government has offered purchase incentives of Rs 5,000 per/kWh of battery capacity with a limit of Rs 10,000 for the first one lakh two-wheeler EVs

The state aims for a 10 per cent share of EVs in total new vehicle registrations, 10 pc EVs in two-wheelers, 20 pc EVs in three-wheelers, and 5 pc in four-wheelers by 2025

The Maharashtra Government revised and relaunched its EV policy last year, which aimed at the state becoming the country’s leading producer of battery-powered electric vehicles by the year 2025. The goal is for the EVs to account for 10 per cent of all vehicles sold in Maharashtra, which would equate to around three lakh EV sales per year. To achieve this goal, the Government has implemented a policy worth Rs 930 crore that will be in effect until March 31, 2025.

To encourage the sale of EVs, the Maharashtra Government has offered purchase incentives of Rs 5,000 per/kWh of battery capacity with a limit of Rs 10,000 for the first one lakh two-wheeler EVs. For the four-wheelers too, the incentive is at Rs 5,000 per/kWh, with a maximum capacity of 30 kWh, bringing the total incentive to Rs 1.5 lakh per EV.

In addition, the Government intends to install 2,500 charging stations in seven pre-determined cities over the next four years. While 1,500 of these EV chargers will be installed in Greater Mumbai, 500 will be in Pune, 150 each in Nagpur and Nashik, 75 in Aurangabad, 30 in Amravati, and 20 in Solapur. Four major highways – Mumbai-Pune, Mumbai-Nashik, Mumbai-Nagpur, and Pune-Nashik – will be served by these stations. 

The Maharashtra Government has also resolved to delay the implementation of its new electric vehicle (EV) policy for a year. According to the policy, beginning in April 2022, all new Government vehicles, whether owned or leased, operating in major cities must be electric vehicles.

The move comes after strong criticism from various Government departments, which pointed out the lack of adequate charging points for these vehicles across the state and also questioned how the EVs would fare in remote areas where road networks are inadequate.

According to the policy, the state aims for a 10 per cent share of EVs in total new vehicle registrations, 10 pc EVs in two-wheelers, 20 pc EVs in three-wheelers, and 5 pc in four-wheelers by 2025. At least 25 per cent of the urban fleet operated by fleet aggregators or operators in the state will be converted to EVs by 2025. It also proposed that by the same year, 15 percent of the state-owned road transport corporation’s bus fleet will be converted to electric. 

The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has announced plans to build 2,375 electric vehicle charging stations across the state by 2025. The Government at the Centre also needs to step in and assist in the development of cutting-edge EV charging infrastructure through public-private partnerships throughout the country.

Source: EVCD