The Delhi government has officially approved the Delhi EV Policy 2026, introducing one of India's most ambitious plans to accelerate electric mobility. Effective from July 1, 2026, the policy will remain in force until March 31, 2030, and lays down a phased roadmap to reduce the use of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the national capital.
One of the biggest announcements under the new policy is that only electric two-wheelers will be eligible for registration in Delhi from April 1, 2028. Petrol and CNG-powered motorcycles and scooters will no longer be registered after this date, although existing vehicles will continue to remain legal to use.
Electric-only deadlines for different vehicle segments
The government has introduced separate timelines for different vehicle categories as part of its electrification plan.
Starting January 1, 2027, only electric L5 auto-rickshaws and N1 commercial goods carriers will be allowed to receive new registrations in Delhi. Around 15 months later, on April 1, 2028, the same rule will come into effect for all new two-wheelers.
Purchase Incentives For EV Buyers
To encourage EV adoption, the policy continues to offer financial incentives across multiple vehicle categories. Buyers of electric two-wheelers can receive incentives of up to Rs 30,000, while electric three-wheelers are eligible for benefits of up to Rs 50,000. Buyers of N1 electric goods carriers can claim incentives of up to Rs 1 lakh.
All incentives will be transferred directly to beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
Road Tax Exemption For Electric Vehicles
The Delhi government will continue offering 100 % exemption on road tax and registration charges for eligible electric vehicles.
For passenger cars, however, the exemption is available only for electric vehicles priced up to Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom). EVs priced above this threshold will not qualify for the tax waiver.
Scrappage Incentives For Replacing Old ICE Vehicles
The policy also aims to retire older, more polluting vehicles by providing additional incentives for scrapping them and purchasing an EV.
The announced scrappage benefits include:
- Four-wheelers: Rs 1 lakh
- Two-wheelers: Rs 10,000
- Three-wheelers: Rs 25,000
- N1 commercial goods vehicles: Rs 50,000
The government has earmarked more than Rs 1,500 crore towards these scrappage incentives.
Commercial Vehicles And Charging Infrastructure
To speed up electrification of commercial transport, the first 1,000 N2 electric trucks (3.5-12 tonnes) purchased within three months of the policy notification will receive a 10-year exemption from Delhi's 'No Entry' restrictions, allowing greater operational flexibility.
School transport operators have also been brought under the policy. They will be required to convert 10 % of their fleet to electric within two years, 20 % by the third year, and 30 percent by March 2030.
Supporting this transition will be a major expansion of charging infrastructure, with the government targeting the installation of more than 30,000 public EV charging points across the city.
A Major Boost For India's Electric Two-Wheeler Market
The April 2028 deadline is expected to significantly influence India's electric two-wheeler industry. According to a CRISIL assessment, Delhi's move could increase the share of electric two-wheelers in overall sales to 21-23 % by FY2029, compared to 18-20 % without such a policy. The study also estimates the mandate could add nearly 6 lakh electric two-wheelers to national sales volumes.
With two-wheelers accounting for nearly two-thirds of Delhi's registered vehicles, the policy could also encourage other states to adopt similar electrification measures in the coming years.
