Lok Sabha Question No. 3044 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-04
Subject: Battery Powered Vehicles
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Vishnu Dayal Ram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3044

ANSWERED ON 4 TH  AUGUST, 2022

## BATTERY POWERED VEHICLES

## 3044.  SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

## be pleased to state:

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

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a) In order to promote manufacturing and usage of electric and battery eco-friendly vehicles in the country, the Government launched the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India)  Scheme  in  2015  on  PAN  India  basis  with  an  aim  to  reduce dependency on fossil fuel and to address issues of vehicular emissions. At present, Phase-II of FAME India Scheme is being implemented for a period of five years w.e.f. 01st April, 2019 with a total budgetary support of Rs. 10,000 crores. This phase focusses on supporting electrification of public & shared transportation.
2. Further, the steps taken by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways to adopt electric mobility in the country are as under:-
- (i) For promotion of electric vehicles, Government has notified GSR 167(E) dated 1st March  2019  for conversion through retro-fitment to pure electric  and hybrid electric vehicles and their compliance  shall be as per
- AIS 123. (ii) Further, the Government, vide S.O. 5333(E) dated 18th  October, 2018, has also granted exemption to the Battery Operated Transport Vehicles and Transport Vehicles running on Ethanol and Methanol fuels from the requirements of permit. (iii) Government vide G.S.R 749(E) dated 7th August, 2018, has notified  the registration mark for Battery Operated Transport Vehicles to be in Yellow colour on Green background and for all other cases, in White colour on Green background. (iv) The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways,  vide GSR 525(E) dated 2nd  August,  2021  has  exempted  Battery  Operated  Vehicles  from  the payment  of  fees  for  the  purpose  of   issue  or  renewal  of  registration certificate and assignment of new registration mark. (v) Ministry has issued an advisory dated 17th July, 2019 to all States and Union Territories regarding incentivisation of electric vehicles and induction  of  electric  vehicles  in  shared  mobility  and  public  transport operations. (vi) The Government has issued an advisory dated 12th August, 2020 to all States and UTs regarding sale and registration of Electric Vehicles without batteries. (vii) The Government has issued an advisory dated 16th June, 2021 to all States and UTs regarding promotion of battery operated vehicles. (b) The  upfront  cost  of  battery-operated  vehicles  is  higher  than  the conventional vehicles. However, the operational cost of battery-operated 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 way of demand incentives  under  FAME  India  Phase  II  to  reduce  the  cost  difference between the battery-operated vehicles and the conventional vehicles. (c) Under the Scheme for Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India Phase-II (FAME India Phase II) of the Ministry of Heavy Industries, 2877 public EV charging stations have been sanctioned in 68 cities  and  1576  EV  charging  stations  have  been  sanctioned  across  9
- Expressways and 16 Highways.

(d)      Under the FAME-India Scheme, incentives are provided to buyers of electric vehicles in the form of an upfront reduction in the purchase price of electric vehicles. The incentive is linked to battery capacity. 2.  To  facilitate  the  establishment  of  Charging  Infrastructure  for  Electric Vehicles following actions have been taken by the Government of India:i.  FAME-India  Scheme:  Ministry  of  Heavy  Industries  (MHI)  has  launched Phase-II  of  FAME  India  Scheme  which  provides  for  INR  1000  Crores  for installation of Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles. ii. Guidelines and Standards: Revised consolidated Guidelines and Standards for Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles were issued by Ministry of Power.

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