Govt open to more support for electric trucks, buses if needed under PM E-DRIVE: PMO Advisor
New Delhi, July 2
The government is open to providing more support for electric trucks and buses under the PM E-DRIVE scheme if needed, PMO Advisor Tarun Kapoor has said. Faster EV adoption, he noted, will also depend on industry innovation, lower vehicle prices, and better financing options.
Addressing mediapersons on the sidelines of the National Conference on Electric Mobility in Delhi, Kapoor on Wednesday said the government would consider further measures if required as the EV ecosystem evolves.
Responding to a question on whether additional schemes would be introduced for electric trucks and buses, Kapoor said, " Yeah, as we move along, if there is a need, then certainly. But we also feel that some innovative financing methods and certain efforts by the industry to bring down the price, introduce more models, and understand what customers really need will help accelerate adoption."
Kapoor said promoting electric vehicles across the country is essential to reducing India's dependence on imported oil and will require the combined efforts of the Centre, state governments and industry.
"We want to promote electric vehicles across the country. All stakeholders, whether state governments or industry, have an important role to play. We want to reduce our dependence on imported oil," he said.
He noted that while India has become self-sufficient in the power sector and has made significant progress in renewable energy, the transport sector remains the country's largest consumer of imported energy.
"We are self-sufficient in the power sector and have also done good work in renewable energy. It is important to transform the transport sector because it accounts for the largest share of our energy imports. Achieving this will require collective efforts from all stakeholders," Kapoor added.
On reports that the proposed Parivartan scheme may provide full road tax rebates for EVs in NCR states, Kapoor clarified that such tax incentives are decided by State governments.
"Those tax benefits have to be given by the states. It's up to them. I am quite sure they are conscious of this and are supportive of promoting electric mobility," he said.
According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the PM E-DRIVE scheme provides demand incentives for electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, e-ambulances, electric trucks and other emerging EV categories.
It also supports the deployment of electric buses, the establishment of EV charging infrastructure and the upgradation of testing facilities.
The scheme supports more than 28 lakh EVs. As of January 27, 2026, a total of 22.12 lakh EVs had been sold under the scheme, including 19.19 lakh electric two-wheelers and 2.93 lakh electric three-wheelers.
The scheme has also allocated Rs 4,391 crore for the deployment of 14,028 electric buses, of which 13,800 have been allocated in two phases across Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune and Surat.
In addition, Rs 2,000 crore has been earmarked for setting up EV public charging stations across the country.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some focus on EVs beyond two-wheelers! Our cities need clean public transport urgently. Delhi's pollution is killing us, and electric buses are a great step. But we also need more charging infrastructure - especially for trucks that run long distances. Good initiative, but execution matters!
Interesting approach. As someone working in logistics, I see the potential for electric trucks on last-mile delivery routes - short distances, predictable routes. But long-haul trucks need much better battery range and fast-charging networks along highways. The industry needs to collaborate more on this.
Reducing oil imports is a national priority - but let's not forget our electricity grid is still coal-heavy. We need to ensure the power used for these EVs comes from renewable sources, otherwise we're just shifting pollution from tailpipes to power plants. Need a holistic view. 🤔
The PM E-DRIVE numbers are impressive - 22 lakh EVs already! But only 2.93 lakh three-wheelers vs 19 lakh two-wheelers shows where the real adoption is happening. The government needs to push harder on commercial vehicles like buses and trucks where the biggest pollution savings can happen. Let's accelerate!
I appreciate the government's openness, but we need to see concrete actions on state-level tax rebates. The Parivartan scheme mentioned sounds promising - a full road tax rebate in NCR would be a massive boost. States like Delhi and UP need to step up and make this happen. Words are cheap, deeds matter! 🚍🌱
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