Introduction of electronic vehicles to reduce air pollution

New Delhi: Induction of electronic vehicles in Delhi's transportation fleet will lead to a possible reduction in air pollution, according to a report released on Monday. The report named 'Accelerating Delhi's Mobility Transition: Insights from the Delhi Urban Mobility Lab' was submitted by the Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) an advisory body of the Delhi government to state Transport Minister, Kailash Gahlot.

By identifying the economic and environmental benefits of an electric mobility future in the region, the report proposes ten actionable solutions to accelerate capital's transition to a shared, clean, and people-centric mobility future by including 35,000 electric vehicles within a year.

Stating further that as per Delhi's Draft Electric Vehicle policy, a target of 25 per cent share of electric vehicles (EVs) in new registrations by 2024, the city will be required to register approximately 5 lakh new EVs in the next five years.

Over their lifetime, these EVs are estimated to avoid approximately Rs 6000 crores in oil and liquid natural gas imports and 4.8 million tonnes of CO2(carbon dioxide) emissions, equivalent to avoiding CO2 emissions from nearly 1 lakh petrol cars over their lifetime.

They will also help avoid about 159 tonnes of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) and tailpipe emissions (a known cause of respiratory diseases and premature deaths).

Speaking about the report, Gahlot said, "As Delhi looks to take ambitious steps towards inducting a large number of electric buses and taking leadership in fighting air pollution, this report will become an important reference point for all our agencies on the various reforms needed to ensure a successful transition to electric vehicles."

Explaining the objectives of the report, Urban Mobility Lab, Akshima Ghate, Principal, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) said, "Delhi has an extraordinary opportunity to transform its mobility trajectory with EVs, alongside ongoing initiatives to improve walking, cycling, and public transport."

"To rapidly deploy electric mobility solutions at scale, several actions must be taken to address existing barriers in the system. The report summarises actions that Delhi and such cities can take to support faster adoption of the EVs," Ghate added.

The proposed solutions in the report range from policy, institutional, technical, and financial interventions that can help support rapid adoption of EVs and other urban mobility solutions in Delhi.

One proposed solution is the creation of a single-window clearance system that provides clearer and simpler processes for both registering and permitting EVs, as well as commissioning, charging and battery swapping infrastructure.

Other solutions would be focused on various aspects such as financing the EVs through a government-led interest rate subvention scheme, data solutions, awareness campaigns, and capacity-building programs.

Meanwhile, the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme will be implemented in the national capital after Diwali, from November 4 to 15, Chief Minister Kejriwal announced on Friday. During the 12-day period, vehicles will ply alternately on odd and even dates as per their registration numbers.