Delhi plans to ban new fossil fuel bikes by 2028 as draft EV policy shifts gears

Delhi is moving toward a sharper transport reset, and this draft policy marks a clear turning point because it sets a date for ending fresh registrations of two-wheelers powered by internal combustion engines. The proposal is still open to public comment, but the direction is unmistakable: the city wants to accelerate the switch to electric mobility through incentives, scrapping benefits, and phased registration cutoffs.

What Happens When Delhi Sets a Deadline?

The draft Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2026–2030 proposes that from April 1, 2028, only electric two-wheelers can be newly registered in the city. That is the most consequential line in the document for everyday commuters, delivery riders, and small businesses that depend on scooters and motorcycles.

Before that date, the policy would first tighten the market for three-wheelers and auto-rickshaws. From January 1, 2027, only electric three-wheelers and auto-rickshaws would be allowed fresh registrations. The policy also aims to push fleet operators toward a full-electric model from 2027, after a grace period for BS-VI two-wheelers ends on December 31, 2026.

Delhi is not relying on restrictions alone. The draft pairs the transition with purchase incentives, tax breaks, and scrapping bonuses intended to make the switch less abrupt. Electric cars priced up to ₹30 lakh would get zero road tax and zero registration fee until March 31, 2030. Strong hybrid cars in that same price band would get a 50% exemption. EVs above ₹30 lakh would not receive the same support.

What If Incentives Matter More Than Bans?

The policy’s most immediate test is whether buyers respond to the financial structure around it. For two-wheelers, the incentive is tied to battery size and declines over time: ₹10, 000 per kWh in the first year after notification, capped at ₹30, 000; then ₹6, 600 per kWh, capped at ₹20, 000, in year two; and ₹3, 300 per kWh, capped at ₹10, 000, in year three. Only models priced under ₹2. 25 lakh ex-factory qualify.

That design suggests the government wants adoption to happen early, not drift slowly over the policy period. The same logic appears in the auto-rickshaw incentive, which begins at ₹50, 000 in the first year, then falls to ₹40, 000 and ₹30, 000 in the following years. Scrapping incentives also strengthen the push: ₹1 lakh for replacing an old BS-IV or lower-emission car with a new electric one, plus smaller bonuses for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers.

For the city’s public sector, the message is just as direct. All new government vehicle purchases will be electric. By 2030, 30% of school buses must be electric, and all new government buses will have to be electric going forward.

What Happens When Charging and Waste Become Part of the Plan?

The policy goes beyond vehicle sales and into the infrastructure that makes a transition workable. Delhi Transco Limited has been assigned to lead the expansion of public charging stations and battery swapping stations. A single-window clearance system is proposed to speed approvals for new charging infrastructure.

The draft also addresses battery disposal and emissions accounting. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee would set up collection centres across the city through public-private partnerships. Separately, the environment department would track and quantify actual emission reductions from EV registrations using a transparent methodology.

That matters because vehicle policy can look ambitious on paper without a clear way to measure results. Here, the administration is trying to build the reporting framework alongside the rollout itself. If that works, the city can better judge whether incentives are changing behavior, whether charging capacity is keeping pace, and whether the phaseout schedule remains realistic.

Who Wins, Who Loses, and What Should Be Watched Next?

• Potential winners: electric vehicle buyers eligible for incentives, fleet operators that adapt early, charging infrastructure providers, and public agencies that can align procurement with the new rules.
• Potential losers: buyers of petrol and diesel two-wheelers after the cutoff, manufacturers focused on internal combustion models, and fleet operators that delay the transition.
• Uncertain middle: strong hybrid buyers, who receive partial support on cars in the eligible price range, but face a policy environment clearly tilted toward full electrification.

The biggest uncertainty is execution. The draft is still open for public comment for 30 days, and its final shape may change. Even so, the structure is already clear: Delhi is attempting to combine deadlines with incentives rather than rely on one or the other.

For readers watching the mobility transition, the key takeaway is that Delhi is no longer treating electric adoption as a distant target. It is building a timetable, a financial push, and an infrastructure plan around the same endpoint. If the policy survives consultation in broadly this form, the next few years will be less about whether the shift happens and more about how quickly households, fleets, and public agencies adjust to it. Delhi