Latest news with #PrimeMinisterElectricDriveRevolutioninInnovativeVehicleEnhancement
Time of India
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Govt extends PM E-DRIVE scheme till 2028
The Ministry of Heavy Industries has extended the Prime Minister Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme by two years, pushing the new deadline to March 31, 2028, according to a recent government notification. However, subsidies for electric two- and three-wheelers under the scheme will end on March 31, 2026. Launched on October 1, 2024, the ₹10,900 crore scheme was originally set to expire in March 2026. It provides demand-side incentives for electric vehicle (EV) purchases and supports the development of public charging infrastructure, testing facilities and localisation of EV technologies. The scheme aims to catalyse the adoption of around 24.8 lakh electric two-wheelers , 3.2 lakh electric three-wheelers , and over 14,000 electric buses across nine major Indian cities with populations exceeding four million. It also allocates ₹500 crore each for electric trucks and ambulances. Incentives for electric vehicles While incentives for electric two- and three-wheelers will cease in March 2026, subsidies for other vehicle categories, including e-buses, e-trucks and e-ambulances, will continue—subject to fund availability—until March 2028. The scheme is fund-limited and will close sub-components early if allocations are exhausted before the terminal date. Buyers of electric two- and three-wheelers are eligible for demand incentives of ₹5,000 per kWh in FY25 and ₹2,500 per kWh in FY26, capped at 15 per cent of the ex-factory vehicle price. Aadhaar-authenticated e-vouchers issued via the PM E-DRIVE portal facilitate these incentives. In addition to vehicle subsidies, the scheme envisions the installation of 22,000 EV chargers for four-wheelers and 1,800 chargers for electric buses, alongside significant upgrades to vehicle testing infrastructure under the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The PM E-DRIVE scheme is a cornerstone of India's green mobility strategy and building a globally competitive EV manufacturing ecosystem under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
India's tier 2 cities have 4,625 EV charging stations: Centre
New Delhi: As many as 4,625 EV charging stations are operational in the tier 2 cities in the country (as on April 1, 2025), according to the government. In addition, Rs. 2,000 crore has been allocated under the Prime Minister Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme for the establishment of electric vehicle public-charging stations (EV PCS) across India, including tier 2 cities in Tamil Nadu, said Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries, Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. The PM E-DRIVE scheme was launched in October 2024 to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) through demand incentives and expand EV charging infrastructure nationwide. The Centre has allocated Rs 10,900 crore for subsidies to EVs under this scheme. "Setting up electric vehicle charging stations is an unlicensed activity and private entrepreneurs can also install the charging stations. The installation of EV charging stations is demand driven activity and no target can be set as installation depends on many factors including EV penetration," the minister added. The Centre has allocated Rs. 873.50 crore towards the installation of 8,932 EVPCS by the three oil marketing companies (OMCs) namely IOCL, BPCL and HPCL under the FAME-II Scheme, he further said. Meanwhile, electric car sales penetration is expected to cross 7 per cent by FY 28, subject to timely resolution of rare earth element (REE) disruptions and the government's continuous push to improve charging infrastructure in the country. India's EV fleet grew from just over 5,000 units in FY21 to more than 1.07 lakh units in FY25. Meanwhile, over the past three years, the number of public EV charging stations in the country grew from 5,151 to 26,000. Earlier this month, the government launched a groundbreaking scheme to provide financial incentives for electric trucks (e-trucks) under the PM E-DRIVE initiative, with the maximum incentive set at Rs 9.6 lakh per vehicle. The scheme is expected to support the deployment of approximately 5,600 e-trucks across the country. --IANS aaron/na
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Govt identifies 10 highway segments for zero-emission truck movement
India has identified 10 high-impact highway segments where only zero-emission trucks (ZETs) will be used for freight movement in the near future, as part of the country's broader goal to decarbonise the logistics sector, reduce air pollution, enhance energy security, and achieve the long-term climate target of 'net zero' by 2070. These priority corridors, list of which was released by the office of the principal scientific adviser (PSA) to the govt early this month, will be used as pilots for early ZET deployment, laying the groundwork for a dedicated national infrastructure network focusing on electric and hydrogen-based fuel technologies across all highways in the country in due course. Despite comprising only 3per cent of all vehicles, trucks are responsible for more than one-third of transport-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the country. This is particularly concerning given that road transportation accounts for a staggering 71per cent of overall freight movement in India. According to Niti Aayog estimates , the number of trucks will be increased by more than four times - from four million in 2022 to around 17 million - by 2050. It is, therefore, important to move fast towards ZET deployment for long-term benefits and that's why the office of the PSA has undertaken the initiative to identify the top corridors for initial deployment of such trucks in India. "These (10) corridors serve not only as the best candidates for ZET pilots, but as blueprints for the future of freight movement," said Ajay K Sood, PSA, in his foreword to the 56-page report on India's priority corridors for Zero-Emission Trucking. He said, "The adoption of ZET in India will play a crucial role in decarbonising the logistics sector, improving public health, enhancing energy independence, and showcasing the country's leadership in the global transition to a net-zero future." "Establishing ZET corridors can help ensure the use of truck and infrastructure assets, demonstrate ZET operational and financial feasibility, help manage risks and lower costs, and unlock private capital for ZET projects," said the report. Efforts are already under way to kick-start ZET adoption in India as the central govt has allocated 500 crore for the purchase of such trucks under the Prime Minister Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme. The top 10 corridors were identified through a three-phase process: quantitative and qualitative assessment of an initial list of 230 corridors using parameters such as toll traffic data and mapping of supply/demand centres, stakeholder consultations and detailed field research. Other factors such as high freight traffic, industrial activity, availability of ancillary services, grid infrastructure readiness, corridor length relative to battery range, and strategic stakeholder inputs for commercial and business viability were also taken into account while finalising the corridors.
