The electric push | News wrap

DELHI EV POLICY 2.0

Dellhi's EV Policy 2.0 comes into effect from July 1 and will remain valid till March 31, 2030. Among the key measures is an exemption from road tax and registration fees for electric cars priced up to Rs 30 lakh. Only electric autorickshaws will be registered from January 1, 2027, while registration of new petrol and CNG-powered two-wheelers will end from April 1, 2028. Buyers of electric two-wheelers will receive purchase incentives of Rs 60,000 over three years. Electric three-wheelers will be eligible for incentives of up to Rs 50,000, while buyers of N1-category electric goods vehicles may get up to Rs 1 lakh. The policy also offers scrappage incentives of up to Rs 1 lakh. The government has earmarked Rs 15,000 crore for the policy over four years (Rs 7,000 crore for incentives and Rs 8,000 crore for charging infrastructure and tax concessions). Some 32,000 public EV charging points are also being planned.

VINFAST SET TO COMPETE WITH OLA AND UBER

Vietnam-based mobility company Green SM has entered the Indian market with the launch of its electric taxi service, Green SM Limo, in New Delhi. The launch coincided with World Environment Day, making India the company’s fifth international market after Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines. The service has commenced operations across key parts of the Delhi-NCR region and will be expanded in phases. Green SM Limo uses the VinFast Limo Green, a seven-seat electric SUV developed specifically for commercial passenger transport. The vehicles are designed to cater to a range of mobility requirements, including daily commuting, airport transfers, business travel and family trips. Safety features include the company’s Secure-to-Safe system, comprising interior and exterior cameras, AI-powered safety technology and emergency assistance buttons for both drivers and passengers. Drivers undergo training in electric vehicle operations, road safety and customer service before joining the platform. Customers can book rides through the Green SM mobile app on Android and iOS, contact the company’s hotline or hail vehicles directly within operating areas. Alongside the launch, Green SM also inducted five Indian companies into its Green Alliance Frontier initiative, a global platform that promotes collaboration on sustainable mobility.

BYD’S PLUG-IN HYBRID SUV

The arrival of the Seal U plug-in hybrid SUV will mark a major shift in BYD’s India strategy, as the company looks to bridge the gap between conventional internal combustion vehicles and fully electric cars. The DM-i (short for Dual Mode Intelligent) system has been developed to deliver an electric-first driving experience while retaining the flexibility and convenience of a petrol-powered vehicle for longer journeys. At the heart of the powertrain is a 1.5 litre turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine paired with dual electric motors and an 18.3 kWh battery pack. BYD claims the hybrid system can achieve fuel consumption of just 4.8 litres per 100 km while delivering a combined driving range exceeding 1,200 km on a full tank and charge. The Seal U will be a five-seater SUV.

Speaking about the introduction of the plug-in hybrid technology DM-i, Rajeev Chauhan, head of Electric Passenger Vehicles Business at BYD India, said the company aims to make sustainable mobility more accessible by combining electric driving for everyday use with the convenience of long-distance travel.

MARUTI SUZUKI TIES UP WITH FIVE AI-BASED STARTUPS

Maruti Suzuki is deepening its collaboration with India’s startup ecosystem, onboarding five tech start-ups to develop solutions spanning battery recycling, artificial intelligence and customer engagement. The startups—MiniMines, Easework AI, Sarvam AI, Siftly and CodeMate AI—have been selected under the fifth cohort of the Maruti Suzuki Incubation Program (MSIP), which is run in partnership with IIM Bangalore’s NSRCEL. The latest collaborations reflect the automaker’s growing focus on using homegrown technology to improve business operations rather than limiting innovation to vehicle development. The programme forms part of Maruti Suzuki’s broader innovation strategy.

INDIA’S FIRST E85 PETROL PUMP OPERATIONAL IN DELHI

E85 fuel has officially been launched in Delhi with the inauguration of the capital's first dispensing station at Indian Oil's Pusa Road outlet by Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Puri. The fuel is priced at Rs 82 per litre, around Rs 20 less than the E20 petrol sold in the city. The rollout marks the beginning of a phased expansion, with the government planning 50-100 E85 stations across the Delhi-NCR and Mumbai-Pune-Nagpur corridors before scaling the network to around 500 outlets by 2026-end. The long-term target is 5,000 E85 stations across major Indian cities by the end of 2027. E85 is currently compatible only with flex-fuel vehicles designed to run on high-ethanol blends. The Suzuki Gixxer SF FFV, Hero Splendor+ Flex Fuel and Hero HF Deluxe Flex Fuel are among the vehicles currently capable of using the fuel, while Maruti Suzuki's flex-fuel WagonR is expected to join the market.