Maharashtra among states with most comprehensive EV policies, finds report

Of the 36 states and Union Territories in India, 26 have released EV policies over the last 5 years, with 16 of them being released between 2020 and 2022

Maharashtra is among the top 5 states with most comprehensive policy designs, according to a study by 'Climate Trends', a research-based consulting and capacity building initiative that aims to bring greater focus on issues of environment, climate change and sustainable development.

Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab offer the widest range of parameters, between 13 to 15 of the 21 parameters, making them the most holistic policies.

The early success of e-mobility in India can largely be attributed to a supportive policy landscape at the national and state level. Of the 36 states and Union Territories in the country, 26 have released EV policies over the last 5 years, with 16 of them being released between 2020 and 2022.

Also Read | Eye on turning numero uno in EV sector, Tamil Nadu releases fresh policy

The study, ’Analysis Of State Electric Vehicle Policies And Their Impact’ has assessed the comprehensiveness of these state EV policies based on 21 parameters that cover targets and budget allocations, demand side and manufacturing incentives, and focus on fleet electrification, charging infrastructure mandates and job creation.

It shows that none of the states are on track to meet their targets of EV penetration, charging infrastructure or investments.

However, Maharashtra is also among the 9 states with the strongest demand side incentives, among the 7 states that have defined targets for fleet electrification, and among the 10 states that mandate creation of charging points in new constructions of residential complexes, offices, malls.

“Our study shows that few state policies have comprehensive designs which balance EV sales, manufacturing and overall ecosystem growth. There are gaps in implementation, leading to slower on-ground impact, which need to be addressed through better regulation, improved monitoring, mechanisms and capacity building of stakeholders across the policy value chain.” said Aarti Khosla, Director, Climate Trends.

Also Read | Retail sales of electric passenger vehicles declined 10.51% in January of 2023

“Our study aims to facilitate peer to peer learning among states, identify gaps in policy design and implementation, and provide recommendations to address these when the policies are revised,” said Archit Fursule, Research Associate, e-mobility, Climate Trends.

“Sub-national aspirations are key to achieving India’s decarbonization goals. Till now, about 25 states/UTs have notified their EV policies while another 4-5 policies are in the draft stage. Clearly, there is a strong appetite for change at the state level. The critical need now is effective design and implementation of these policies that take into account the specific and unique characteristics of each state. We also need replicable models that can be modified by states to suit their requirements and scale adoption,” added Pawan Mulukutla, Director, Integrated Transport, Electric Mobility and Hydrogen, WRI India.

Also Read | Hyderabad hosts first ever Formula E Championship race in India; crowds enthused

“State EV policies can play an important role in advancing the electric vehicle ecosystem in India, both in terms of accelerating deployment and attracting manufacturing investment. This has already been witnessed in a few states, such as Delhi and Maharashtra, following the launch of their supportive EV policies,” added Siddharth Goel, Senior Policy Advisor. International Institute for Sustainable Development.