Lok Sabha Question No. 483 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-04
Subject: Battery Operated Vehicles
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Pushpendra Singh Chandel

## be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  promote  battery  operated vehicles in the country;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether battery operated vehicles are more expensive than conventional vehicles and there is a shortage of charging infrastructure for such vehicle in the country; and
- (d) if  so,  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  the  said vehicles  more  popular  by  reducing  their  cost  and  expanding  the charging infrastructure/network?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) and (b) Yes Sir, in order to bring in clean fuel vehicles the Ministry of Road  Transport  and  Highways  has  issued  following  regulation  and advisories as mentioned below:-

- (i) Retro-fitment of hybrid electric system or electric kit to vehicles.

(ii)Registration  mark  for  Battery  Operated  Vehicles  to  be  in  Yellow colour on Green background for the transport vehicles and for all other cases, in White colour on Green background.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 483 ANSWERED ON 04 TH  FEBRUARY, 2021

## BATTERY OPERATED VEHICLES

## 483.  SHRIMATI MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH: SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

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(iii)Specifications for the grant of licence to age group of 16-18 years to drive gearless E scooters/ Bikes upto 4.0 KW.

(iv)Exemption to the Battery Operated Transport Vehicles and Transport Vehicles running on Ethanol and Methanol fuels from the requirements of permit.

(v)Advisory to all States and Union Territories to promote use of electric vehicles.

(vi)Advisory  to  all  States  and  UTs  regarding  sale  and  registration  of Electric Vehicles without batteries.

2.                  Department  of  Heavy  Industry  formulated  a  scheme  namely Faster  Adoption  and  Manufacturing  of  (Hybrid  &)  Electric  Vehicles  in India  (FAME  India)  Scheme  in  March,  2015  to  promote  adoption  of electric/  hybrid  vehicles  (xEVs).  Phase-I  of  the  Scheme  was  extended upto 31st March 2019. At present, Department is administering Phase-II of FAME India Scheme for a period of 3 years w.e.f. 01st April, 2019 with a  total  budgetary  support  of  Rs.  10,000  crore.  This  phase  focuses  on supporting electrification of public & shared transportation and aims to support,  through  subsidies,  approx.  7000  e-Buses,  5  lakh  e-3  Wheeler, 55000 e-4 Wheeler Passenger Cars and 10 lakh e-2 Wheeler. In addition, creation of charging infrastructure is also supported to address anxiety among users of electric vehicles.
2. (c) and (d) The upfront cost of battery-operated vehicles is higher than the  conventional  vehicles.  However,  the  operational  cost  of  batteryoperated vehicles is lower than the conventional vehicles. Therefore, the overall life time cost of the battery-operated vehicles is lower than the conventional vehicles. Battery-operated vehicles are being supported by the way of demand incentives under FAME India Phase II to reduce the

cost difference between the battery-operated vehicles and the conventional vehicles.

2.               Ministry of Power has taken various initiatives to expand the charging infrastructure/ network which is as under:-
2. (i)  Ministry of Power has issued clarification on Charging Infrastructure for  Electric  Vehicles with reference to the provisions of the Electricity Act,  2003  clarifying  that  the  charging  of  batteries  of  electric  vehicles through  charging  stations  does  not  require  any  license  under  the provisions of Electricity Act, 2003.
3. (ii) Central Electricity Authority has issued amendments in the regulations regarding Technical Standards pertaining to Grid Connectivity and Safety of supply for Charging Stations.
4. (iii)  Guidelines  and  Standards  for  Charging  Infrastructure  for  Electric Vehicles  were  issued  on  14.12.2018  which  have  been  revised  on 01.10.2019.  An  amendment  has  been  issued  on  08.06.2020  regarding capping of Tariff for Supply of Electricity to PCS and Definitions of Public Charging Station, Battery Swapping Stations, Battery Charging Stations and Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment.
5. (iv) Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has been selected as the Central Nodal  Agency  (CNA)  under  the  provisions  of  Guidelines  issued  on 01.10.2019.

Additionally,  Department  of  Heavy  Industry's  'The  FAME-India  Scheme' envisages support for setting up adequate public charging infrastructure to  instill  confidence  among  EV  users,  through  active  participation  and involvement  of  various  stakeholders  including  Government  agencies, industries and public sector enterprises (PSUs).

3.               The Department of Heavy Industry had sanctioned about 520 Charging Stations/ Infrastructure for Rs. 43 Crore (approx.) under Phase-I of FAME-India Scheme. Department of Heavy Industry has also sanctioned 2,877 Electric Vehicles (EVs) Charging Stations amounting to Rs  500  Crore  (Approx.)  in  68  cities  across  25  States/UTs  under  FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles in India) scheme phase II. As per data available with Central Electricity  Authority,  a  total  of  935 Public Charging Stations have been installed by various entities across India.

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