Source : PTI | The new Electric Vehicle (EV) policy of the Maharashtra government seeks to achieve 30 per cent EV penetration in the state by 2030, officials said on Saturday. Among other things, the policy lays down that new residential buildings must provide EV charging facilities, and also offers incentives such as toll waiver for these eco-friendly vehicles.
The transport department on Friday issued a government resolution announcing the new policy which will be in effect from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030. It aims to make Maharashtra a leading hub for EVs in India through incentives, infrastructure expansion and manufacturing support, said an official release.
By implementing this policy, the state wants to prevent 325 tonnes of PM 2.5 emissions and 1000 tonnes of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector by 2030 as part of the Clean Mobility Transition Model, the GR said. The policy proposes incentives of up to ₹2 lakh for electric four-wheelers used for transport and ₹20 lakh for electric buses.
One lakh EV two wheelers, 25,000 transport category EV four wheelers and 1500 EV private as well as city buses will get these incentives. It also provides for complete exemption from Motor Vehicle Tax and registration renewal fees for EVs registered during the policy period. EVs will get 100 per cent exemption from toll on Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Nashik Expressways, the GR said. A steering committee chaired by the chief secretary will also take a decision about granting tax exemption to EVs in phases on the remaining roads under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department, it added.
Charging infrastructure will be developed at 25 km intervals along highways, and it will be ensured that there is at least one EV charging station at every government office parking space. Also, public charging stations will receive viability gap funding of up to 15 per cent of setup cost. All new residential buildings must be 100 per cent EV charging ready, with at least one community charging point.
New commercial buildings must earmark 50 per cent of parking for EV charging, while 20 per cent of space in existing commercial buildings with shared parking must have operational chargers, as per the new policy. The policy also lays down that all new vehicles purchased for city travel by government departments must be electric. In cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati, 50 per cent of city utility vehicle purchases must be electric.
The state will also support research and development in alternative battery chemistries, motor technology, vehicle-to-grid integration and green hydrogen generation. A ₹15 crore corpus will be created under the Chief Minister’s EV R&D Grant to fund such initiatives, as per the policy. The transport department shall establish a network of Automated Testing Stations for EVs to conduct standardized safety assessments, including thermal runaway testing for batteries. The Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) will introduce specialized courses in EV design, battery technology, charging infrastructure, power electronics and energy management, the policy contemplates.
Source: worldautoforum.com
