EV targets not met, claims plea; SC seeks Centre's report

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the central govt to file a status report on implementation of its policies to encourage electric vehicles (EVs) as a PIL petitioner alleged that though in 2012 Centre had targeted to have about 70 lakh EVs on road by 2020, their numbers are just 35 lakh in 2025.

Appearing for an NGO, advocate Prashant Bhushan told a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh that the promised infrastructure to encourage people to buy EVs has not been fulfilled, resulting in 26.6 crore fossil fuel-run vehicles on the road which cause pollution, increase in fuel import cost and harm to the environment aiding climate change. Though the bench asked attorney general R Venkataramani to file a status report on implementation of various EV policies, it believed these are issues which are determined by market forces coupled with people's trust and capacity to buy EVs.

Justice Kant said the car manufacturing industry is one of the largest in India and is not only earning good revenue for the country but also engaging a huge workforce.

"Moreover, the production of EVs in India would be dependent on demand and supply, though EVs are of late gaining acceptance among people," the bench said. Bhushan said except for small subsidies made available on purchase of EVs, govts have done nothing to build charging infrastructure.

In 2012, the target to provide 2.27 lakh charging centres for EVs has woefully fallen short as only 27,000 charging stations have been set up. Why can't every parking lot have multiple charging centres for EVs, he asked.

The bench asked the attorney general to place on record in four weeks the policy decisions taken by Union govt from time to time to promote EVs and augmentation of charging infrastructure to facilitate those who are using EVs.