Parul
Electric vehicle (EV) startups on Tuesday hailed the Uttar Pradesh government’s announcement on the complete waiver of registration tax on strong hybrid cars to promote the use of environment-friendly vehicles in the state.
The state is offering a 100 per cent waiver on registration fees for strong hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. According to reports, registration tax waiver on hybrid vehicles would lead to a drop in prices of models by up to Rs 3.5 lakh.
The move is set to benefit hybrid cars being offered by automakers like Maruti, Toyota and Honda.
Maruti Suzuki India Chairman RC Bhargava said that the move recognises the fact that multiple technologies are required to reduce carbon emissions and oil imports.
When contacted, Bhargava told PTI that the step taken by the UP government would also inspire other states to consider such proposals.
“The UP government action is the first instance where a state government has realised and acted on the fact that multiple technologies are required for reduction in carbon emissions and oil imports,” he stated. Electric cars are not the only option, there are other effective technologies like hybrid cars to tackle the issue, Bhargava asserted.
On the other hand, EV makers are also hailing the move. Raghav Arora, Co-Founder and CTO, Statiq, told IANS that it is a significant step towards promoting eco-friendly cars.
“As an EV charging company, we applaud this initiative for making sustainable vehicles more accessible. This proactive government effort will encourage people to shift towards EVs, aligning with India’s broader goals of reducing carbon emissions and advancing green technology adoption,” said Arora.
Since this is an amendment to the existing EV policy, the relaxation in registration costs will be valid till October 2025.
According to Ankit Sharma, Co-Founder & Director, Vidyuta Materials, as a startup focused on producing Cathode Active Materials (CAM) for lithium-ion batteries in EVs, they support this initiative for enhancing the affordability of sustainable mobility.
“These actions foster broader adoption of electric vehicles, bolstering India’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and embrace environmentally sustainable technologies,” Sharma added.
