As fuel prices soar, sales of e-vehicles pick up

State government to frame guidelines to also use them for commercial purposes

With the price of petrol being more than ₹100 in the State, the popularity of battery vehicles have been growing steadily in the city. The sales of battery-operated two-wheelers have grown tremendously ever since people started favouring personal vehicles over public transportation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety, which is the nodal authority for keeping tabs of the number of vehicles being registered in the State, has recorded that a total of 22,133 battery-operated vehicles have been sold till June. A senior official said of the total, 19,986 were two-wheelers and 2,147 were other types of three- and four-wheelers.

A number of companies, both established and new, have been launching a range of two-wheelers in the battery-operated segments, attracting a section of customers. However, the battery-operated vehicles have also raised safety concerns.

The growth in demand for battery-operated vehicles can be attributed to them drastically reducing the fuel cost, making them an attractive transport option for personal use. The State could soon witness battery-operated vehicles for commercial purposes, including autorickshaws, call taxis and buses.

However, as per Central government guidelines, the use of battery-operated vehicles has not been differentiated into personal and commercial purposes. In order to bring a semblance of regulation for these types of vehicles being put for commercial operation, the State government is set to frame regulations by issuing permits for these vehicles.

The senior road transport official said while there were safety issues, where a number of the battery vehicles had caught fire, the Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety had sent a proposal to the State government to regulate the vehicles by issuing permits for commercial purpose.

“Very soon the State government will be issuing a Government Order (G.O.) whereby any battery-operated vehicle can be put to commercial use after getting permits similar to autorickshaws,” he added.

The road transport official said at present, no registration or licence was required for battery-operated vehicles below the capacity of 0.25 kW.