With the rise of conventional fuel prices, Navi Mumbai residents are now focusing on electric vehicles (EVs). From January-July this year, the deputy regional transport office (RTO) in Vashi registered 278 EVs. The registration numbers for August have not been collated yet by the authorities.
Last month, the state government had announced an EV policy and offered a number of benefits for both buyers and sellers. However, it’s apparently the surge in fuel prices that has prompted potential vehicle buyers to think about EVs.
An official from Vashi deputy RTO said, “In comparison to vehicles run on diesel and petrol, the number of EVs is still very low. But the trend has started shifting.”
According to an official, between January and July, 150 buses, 58 cars, and 70 two-wheelers in this category were bought. The majority of the electric buses registered are with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport; these will start plying soon.
Currently, the charging centres are located at Turbhe. However, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has planned to set up more than 30 charging stations across the city to promote green number plates.
Among EVs, there are a few categories that do not require registration with the RTO. “Two-wheeler electric vehicles with a maximum speed of 25 km per hour do not require RTO registration as they fall under the category of bicycles,” said an official. Many people who buy two-wheelers for short distances prefer to buy EVs for safety due to low speed and also to save time spent on registration. In fact, many department stores have started keeping such vehicles for home delivery of goods.
