EVs fail to spark buyers’ interest in Chandigarh, 8.8% registrations in five months

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, April 1

Lack of proper infrastructure has resulted in a dismal adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the city with only 8.8 per cent EVs having been registered in the city in the past five months.

Following the removal of capping on the registration of non-electric vehicles by the UT Administration, only 1,408 electric vehicles, including two-wheelers, have been sold in the past five months, compared to 15,844 non-electric vehicles in the city.

The UT Administration had initiated a five-year EV Policy in September 2022 with the goal of gradually halting the registrations of fuel-run vehicles to promote a shift towards eco-friendly transportation. The policy was also aimed at establishing Chandigarh as a “Model EV City” by achieving high penetration of zero-emission vehicles by 2027.

However, on November 23 last year, under pressure from various stakeholders, UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit revoked the capping on non-electric vehicle registrations, including two-wheelers, four-wheelers and commercial vehicles.

In November 2023, approximately 350 electric vehicles were registered within just 23 days. Yet, only 839 electric two-wheelers and 569 electric four-wheelers had been registered against 7,886 and 7,959 non-electric ones from November 24 to March 31 this year.

Despite directions of the UT Administrator, 53 charging stations were yet to be made operational in the city. On March 8, Purohit had directed that all 53 charging stations be made operational by March-end, but it was likely to take one more month to complete the work after equipment were stolen from a few units.

According to officials of the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), three companies were allotted engaged to install 53 charging stations. Two companies have completed the installation work of nearly 40 charging stations, but one company is yet to start the work. Moreover, the companies are likely to take nearly a month to replace the equipment stolen from the charging stations.

Thieves have stolen costly equipment from the unguarded EV charging stations across the city in the past few months. “Buying an electric vehicle is a costly affair, as the cost of such vehicles is far more than those running on internal combustion engine. Moreover, infrastructure is still not ready in the city,” said a resident of Sector 48. The UT Administration had notified the EV Policy on September 20, 2022. However, the city’s infrastructure is still not ready for the electric

vehicles. As many as 23 charging stations were installed at nine locations across the city in November 2022.

These stations have a total of 92 charging guns and an equal number of vehicles can be charged simultaneously. However, work on the installation of 44 more charging stations under the “Chandigarh developer mode” at various locations is underway and such stations had been installed at various places, including the multilevel parking in Sector 17, the parking lot at the Elante mall, parking area of the Mani Majra car bazaar, the Madhya Marg in Sector 26 and the parking lot of the Sector 44-D market.

Records indicate that from April to October in 2023, 1,109 electric two-wheelers were registered compared to 15,588 fuel-based ones. Notably, the registration of electric two-wheelers peaked in May, with 297 registrations, coinciding with temporary halts in non-electric two-wheeler registrations twice in October.

Regarding four-wheelers, only 592 electric vehicles were registered from April to October, while non-electric four-wheelers, including strong hybrids, saw 18,485 registrations. Even strong hybrid vehicles surpassed electric vehicle registrations, further underscoring the decline in EV adoption post-capping removal.

Capping removed

On November 23 last year, under pressure from various stakeholders, UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit revoked the capping on non-electric vehicle registrations, including two-wheelers, four-wheelers & commercial vehicles.

Thefts hit plans to made charging stations operational

Despite directions of the UT Administrator, 53 charging stations were yet to be made operational in the city. On March 8, Purohit had directed that all 53 charging stations be made operational by March-end, but it was likely to take one more month to complete the work after equipment were stolen from a few units.