New policy: TS govt waives off road tax for electric vehicles

Hyderabad: With the aim to promote electric vehicles in Telangana, the state government has offered 100 per cent exemption of road tax and registration fee for the first two lakh electric two-wheelers purchased and registered within Telangana.

The Telangana Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage policy 2020-2030 provides incentives for two- and three-wheelers, four-wheelers, light commercial vehicles, shared transport, and public transport which include waiver of road tax and registration charges.

As part of the policy, the state is also offering a 100 per cent exemption of road tax and registration fee for first 20,000 electric three-wheelers purchased and registered within the state.

According to the new policy, financing institutions will be encouraged to provide a hire-purchase scheme at discounted interest rates. Retro-fitment incentive will be offered at 15 per cent of the retro-fitment cost capped at Rs. 15,000 per vehicle for first 5,000 retrofits three-seater auto-rickshaws in Telangana. The policy also provides 100 per cent exemption of road tax and registration fee for the first 5,000 electric four-wheeler commercial passenger vehicles such as taxis and tourist cabs purchased and registered within Telangana.

Happy to launch futuristic #Telangana Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Policy 2020-2030 along with my cabinet colleagues @IKReddyAllola Garu and @puvvada_ajay Garu & @GoenkaPk Ji in Hyderabad today#EVpolicy pic.twitter.com/gs47J8be6W

— KTR (@KTRTRS) October 30, 2020

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The Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission will provide a special power tariff category for electric vehicle charging stations. TSREDCO, the state nodal agency, will evaluate the establishment of public charging stations directly or under the licensee/franchise/PPP model. Various public places such as airports, railway and Metro stations, parking lots, bus depots, markets, petrol stations, malls, and electric poles will be examined for the same.

The Telangana Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage policy 2020-2030 was launched by the Telangana transport minister Ajay Puvvada, IT and MAUD minister K.T Rama Rao, and environment minister Indra Karan Reddy at MCR HRD Institute in Hyderabad on Friday.

While unveiling the policy, KTR highlighted the 3D mantra — Decarbonisation, Digitisation, and Decentralisation — for sustainable development. “We invite the industry to come and make Telangana their manufacturing base as we believe local production is the key to achieve price and performance parity and enable faster adoption of electric vehicles,” KTR said.

Several investors have announced their commitment to the state and their plans to expand and invest in the state, he said, adding the Automotive Research Association of India has signed an MOU with the government. Uber has launched its Green EV initiative and has committed to introduce electric cars and rickshaws in the shared mobility space while MOUs were signed by electric bus manufacturers Olectra and Mytrah Energy and three-wheeler EV manufacturer ETO motors to support their plans of setting up manufacturing units in the state, KTR said.

A total of 5,431 electric vehicles are registered in Telangana comprising 4,292 motorcycles, 491 motor cabs, 194 e-rickshaw/e-cart, and 40 TSRTC electric buses as of 27 October, according to the state government.

The Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Systems Policy aims to make Telangana the preferred destination for electric vehicle, ESS, and component manufacturing. It also aims to proactively support the creation of EV charging infrastructure and promote recycle and cascading of batteries. The new policy will help develop Telangana as a global centre for cutting-edge research and innovation in electric vehicles, battery technologies, and other emerging technologies such as autonomous and connected vehicles.

To promote the use of electric vehicles in Telangana, the policy has proposed some incentives, including 100 per cent exemption of road tax and registration fee for the first 10,000 electric three-wheelers (goods), e-carriers, as well as electric light goods carriers purchased and registered within Telangana; 100 per cent exemption of road tax and registration fee for the first 5,000 electric four-wheeler private vehicles purchased and registered within Telangana; 100 per cent exemption of road tax and registration fee for the first 500 electric buses purchased and registered within Telangana; and 100 per cent exemption of road tax and registration fee shall be applicable for electric tractors purchased and registered in the state of Telangana as per the existing rules/guidelines applicable for tractors by the state transport department.