Delhi government plans charging booths for electric cars

If vehicle manufacturers have introduced green cars at the Delhi Auto Expo, the city-state’s administration has decided to do its bit to reduce carbon footprint: provide electric charge stations.

The Delhi government is also planning incentives like base price discount, lower VAT, and road tax and registration charge refund to boost the sale of environment-friendly electric cars.

“We will be ready to provide electric charge stations in Delhi when such cars will be ready for launch in India. The government wants to bring down the city’s pollution level,” a senior government official said.

The government is already providing a 15% subsidy on the base price of the Reva, the first Indian-made electric car, along with 12.5% VAT exemption, and road tax and registration charge refund.

Several manufacturers are exhibiting environment-friendly electric and hybrid cars at the Auto Expo, inaugurated on Monday. While an electric car runs only on batteries, which need to be charged, a hybrid car makes dual-technology use of both battery and fossil fuels.

Among the electric cars being developed is Renault’s two-seater Twizy ZE Concept — expected to hit European markets by early 2012 and after that in India — which will run on rechargeable lithium ion batteries. The company is also making two more Concept cars — Fluence ZE and Kangoo ZE.

As for hybrid cars, automobile giant Toyota is expected to launch its Prius at the Expo. Experts say hybrid cars, which use far less petrol or diesel than conventional cars, can help reduce smog by 90%.