UP aims to lead India's EV revolution by switching to 100% electric vehicles in govt departments

Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining popularity in India due to increasing concerns about air pollution and rising fuel costs.

The Indian government is promoting EV adoption through incentives and policies, leading to a growth in the EV market.

Uttar Pradesh (UP) is witnessing a surge in electric vehicle (EV) adoption due to the state government's policies promoting clean energy.

The EV market in UP is expected to grow rapidly, with increasing availability of charging infrastructure and incentives for EV buyers

Uttar Pradesh electric vehicles new program

The government of Uttar Pradesh, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is taking significant steps to promote the usage and sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in the state. They have set a goal to convert all government department vehicles into EVs gradually by 2030.

To achieve this target, it has been instructed that all government departments can buy EVs without a tender process, based on nomination. Additionally, the maximum purchase limit for EVs can be exceeded as needed.

The government has announced that if this objective is accomplished, Uttar Pradesh will become the first state in India to have a 100% EV fleet in all its government departments.The government released this information through an official statement.

The Uttar Pradesh government has taken significant measures to promote the use of electric vehicles (EVs) in the state by releasing the Uttar Pradesh Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy 2022 on October 14th.

One noteworthy aspect of this policy is the exemption from taxes and registration fees for three years on the purchase of EVs. This exemption extends to five years for EVs manufactured within the state.

The Chief Secretary, Durga Shankar Mishra, has issued an order directing all departments and their affiliated institutions to convert all vehicles into EVs by 2030, following the EV policy.

Additionally, it has been suggested that EVs should be procured without the need for tender through a nomination process, and the maximum purchase limit for official events should be increased.

A representative from the Uttar Pradesh Transport Department stated that government vehicles were previously obtained through tenders on the GeM portal, which does not include registered EV companies.

To address this, the policy now permits the purchase of EVs from government agencies such as Rajasthan Electronics Instrument Ltd. (REIL) and Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL), among others, through nomination without tender.

Meanwhile, given that electric vehicles are presently pricier than petrol and diesel vehicles, the government has raised the maximum limit for vehicle procurement expenditure. The Chief Secretary has also directed all departments to include EVs in the advance provided by the state government for vehicles assigned to government employees. The departments have been instructed to act on this within a specified time frame, as this measure has been introduced to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles.

It is worth mentioning that all state governments offer a down payment to their officers and employees to purchase motor vehicles, scooters, or bikes, which must be repaid within the allotted time.

This advance sum is defined separately for each type of vehicle, such as a car, scooter, or bike.

To promote the adoption of EVs in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi government has decided to provide up to a 100% waiver on road tax and registration fees for three years. The period of three years will be calculated from October 14th, 2022.

Furthermore, individuals who purchase electric vehicles made within Uttar Pradesh are eligible for a discount of up to five years.

The implementation of incentives, infrastructure growth, and the launch of novel electric vehicle models by the government is projected to fuel the sales of EVs in the country during the upcoming years of this decade. It is anticipated that two-wheelers and three-wheelers will have a major share in these sales.