Transportation rules for electric vehicle

The rules and regulations for electric vehicles in India are not so clear or one can say there are many questions regarding this.The government of India has made the work super easy for future electric vehicle owner.They have made guidelines which are people friendly. Guidelines focus on rules for owning and operating electric vehicles.

Requirements for car registrations

Identity proof (any one of this )

Adhar card

Pan card

Voter ID

Driving licence

Address Proof /(Any one of the following)

Voter ID

Passport

Adhar card

Water bill

Bank statement

LIC Policy

Telephone bill

Along with requirements mentioned above all electric vehicles need approval from Automotive research association of INDIA (ARAI)

Number plate

As per regulations associated with central motor vehicle rules 1989, it is compulsory for all registered vehicles after 1 april 2019 to have HSRP . Means High Security Registration Plate.

The government has requested all state transportation departments to ensure green number plates in electric vehicles across the country. To maintain a clear database of vehicles and vehicle security , registration is done only at government offices.This type of number plate is assigned to zero-emission vehicles. Having a green number plate means that you may get benefits such as preferential parking, reduction in toll taxes on highways, etc.

Number plate rules are :

Commercial electric vehicles should have a number plate with a green background and yellow letters.

Private EVs should have a number plate with a green background and white letters.

Number plates with yellow background and black letters are used for commercial ICE vehicles.

Number plates with white background and black letters are used for private ICE vehicles.

A green number plate in India indicates that a vehicle runs purely on electric energy without emitting any toxic gases into the environment.

How to apply for a green number plate in India?

The process for applying for a green number plate is pretty similar to applying for any other vehicle’s registration. You must ensure that all the vehicle documents are handy and provide accurate information to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in your area.

Drivers Licence

Drivers licence is much needed to operate any type of motor vehicle.This rule is applicable to electric vehicles also. It's illegal to drive without a licence. For a two wheeler electric vehicle which has a top speed of 25 km/hr and power output of 250 watts, a drivers licence is not needed.Because these two wheeler electric vehicles do not need registrations it's mostly driven by teenagers,retirees and students.

Registration Fees in INDIA

The Ministry of road transport and highway (MoRTH) has recently exempted electric vehicles from paying registration fees.This is done to promote mass adoption of electric vehicles.Ev owners will not have to pay for insurance and renewal of their electric vehicle.

Process of applying for EV registration

Visit your local RTO with all required documents and duly filled vehicle registration form. You can download the form via the Parivahan portal.

Once you submit all documents and any applicable fees, an official from the RTO office will conduct physical verification of the vehicle.

Road tax

Road tax, also known as vehicle excise duty (VED), is a charge that you have to pay when you buy a car. It's based on the CO2 emissions of your vehicle and how much it costs. The more expensive the car, the higher the VED rate will be.

The government also excluded Ev owners from paying road taxes.This is because the amount of road tax you pay is calculated by the emissions it produces. As electric cars produce no emissions, they have no costs.This is one of the many reasons why owning an electric car can be cheaper than its petrol and diesel counterparts because the running costs are much lower.

Preferential parking and reduced toll charges on highways

Electric vehicles with green number plates receive preferential parking space in many parts of the country.While driving across toll plazas on Indian highways, electric car owners may have to pay less than standard toll charges.