Delhi has unveiled an ambitious electric vehicle (EV) policy aimed at drastically reducing air pollution by promoting the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. The new regulations, effective from July 1, set a target for the majority of newly registered vehicles in India’s capital to be electric by 2027. While existing gasoline-powered vehicles will not be immediately banned, their presence on the roads is expected to decline significantly as the city pushes for cleaner transportation.

The policy offers various incentives to encourage EV adoption, including subsidies of up to $522 for EV buyers and up to $1,044 for those who scrap older gasoline vehicles. Additional benefits include waivers on registration fees and some road taxes. The plan also commits to expanding the city's EV charging infrastructure, a critical need acknowledged by current EV users who say facilities remain insufficient, especially for long-distance travel.

Delhi’s approach notably prioritizes two- and three-wheeled vehicles, which constitute nearly 70% of all registered vehicles in the city and contribute heavily to local pollution levels. Starting in 2027, all newly registered three-wheelers and small trucks must be electric, followed by two-wheelers in 2028. Presently, electric vehicles account for roughly 5% of the city’s 8.7 million registered vehicles, but the number of EV registrations is growing rapidly, with more than 100,000 added over the past year.

Experts describe Delhi’s policy as one of the most progressive in India. Jaideep Saraswat of the Vasudha Foundation emphasized that the strict deadlines send a clear message to manufacturers and consumers that the transition away from combustion engines is inevitable. Delhi’s strategy contrasts with other states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, which have primarily implemented incentives and infrastructure investments but stopped short of setting phase-out timelines for gasoline vehicles.

The move comes as Delhi grapples with severe air pollution that frequently prompts school closures, construction halts, and emergency public health warnings, particularly during the winter months. Vehicles contribute an estimated quarter of the pollution in the National Capital Region, with two- and three-wheelers responsible for nearly half of vehicular emissions in the city.

Ruchita Shah from the global energy think tank Ember noted that Delhi has historically been a leader in clean energy efforts, including a previous shift towards compressed natural gas vehicles. She highlighted that electric vehicles represented 12.7% of new vehicle sales in Delhi during the 2026 financial year, well above the national average of 8.3%. Shah views the deadlines embedded in the policy as especially significant, as they directly restrict the future registration of some internal combustion engine vehicles.

However, some residents remain cautious about the transition. Siddhant Jha, a software engineer in northern Delhi, expressed concerns over the durability of EVs compared to traditional two-wheelers, particularly given the city’s annual flooding, which can damage electrical systems. “I’d like to wait for a few years for better models,” he said, reflecting a hesitation among some consumers to adopt current EV technology.

Environmental advocates like Sunil Dahiya of Envirocatalyst acknowledge that while switching to cleaner vehicles is an important step, the benefits will take time to materialize fully as older gasoline, diesel, and compressed natural gas vehicles remain in use for years to come. Nevertheless, the policy is widely seen as a pivotal move toward reducing Delhi’s enduring pollution crisis.