NEW DELHI - In an upscale neighborhood in Delhi, electric vehicle charging stations near a busy shopping district hummed with activity as drivers recharged their scooters, trucks and cars.

India's capital requires far more charging points, EV owners note, to support an ambitious effort to phase out gas vehicles in one of the world's most polluted cities.

“Charging facilities are not up to the mark yet,” said Shyam Singh, a marketing executive who owns a two-wheel electric scooter, noting that long-distance travel remains difficult because current battery ranges fall short.

Delhi introduced a fresh policy on July 1 aimed at making the great majority of newly registered vehicles electric by 2027. Existing gas-powered vehicles face no outright ban, yet their numbers should decline steadily over time.

Energy specialists describe the plan as among the nation's most ambitious electric-vehicle measures and a major move toward cleaner air in the city.

The policy grants EV buyers subsidies plus waivers on registration fees and certain road taxes, offers incentives to retire gas vehicles, and includes expansion of charging networks. It focuses on two- and three-wheelers that represent nearly 70 percent of city vehicles: from 2027 onward, all new three-wheeled vehicles and small trucks must be electric, followed by two-wheelers the next year.

At present only about 5 percent of the 8.7 million vehicles registered in Delhi are electric. Still, EV registrations have risen, exceeding 100,000 in the past year, mostly two- and three-wheelers. New gas-powered cars and larger trucks may continue to register for now.

The initiative, projected to cost the local government 150 billion rupees ($1.5 billion), will provide cash incentives up to 50,000 rupees ($522) for residents buying EVs and up to 100,000 rupees ($1,044) for those retiring old gasoline vehicles.

“Delhi’s EV policy is one of the most ambitious policies that I have seen in India,” said Jaideep Saraswat, who leads work on clean power and electric mobility at the Vasudha Foundation. The deadlines, he noted, signal to automakers and buyers that change is “inevitable.”

While states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu have supplied incentives for electric vehicle owners and makers, reduced taxes and funded charging stations, Delhi leads in setting a timetable to retire gas-powered vehicles.

Harsh air pollution in Delhi often triggers school closures, construction halts and emergency health steps, especially in winter. Vehicles account for roughly a quarter of air pollution in the National Capital Region around Delhi, and two- and three-wheelers produce nearly half of the city's vehicular pollution.

Ruchita Shah, an energy analyst for the global energy think tank Ember, observed that the city has long pioneered clean energy steps, including its earlier move to compressed natural gas vehicles. She noted electric vehicles made up about 12.7 percent of Delhi’s new vehicle sales in the 2026 financial year, versus 8.3 percent nationwide.

The policy's most forward-looking element, she said, ties subsidies to firm deadlines after which certain internal combustion engine vehicles can no longer be newly registered.

Sunil Dahiya, founder of environmental research organization Envirocatalyst, stated that cleaner vehicles could greatly cut public exposure to roadside emissions. He cautioned, however, that gains will emerge gradually since existing gasoline, diesel and CNG vehicles will remain on roads for years.

Some owners of gasoline-powered two-wheelers believe the moment is not yet right to switch to electric.

Siddhant Jha, a 22-year-old software engineer and northern Delhi resident, worries about EV durability compared with his current two-wheeler and about annual street flooding harming electrical parts.

“I'd like to wait for a few years for better models and the 150,000 rupees ($1,566) I'll spend (on an EV) will make more sense then.”

Jha also questions EV charging availability.

Shah, the energy analyst, said success depends on Delhi creating enough charging infrastructure and drawing more power from renewable sources instead of fossil fuel plants. Most charging occurs at night when solar power is unavailable, increasing reliance on thermal plants.

Delhi must also strengthen its electricity grid, especially fast chargers for buses, cargo vehicles and cars, to handle rising demand and prevent outages, said Dahiya.

Dahiya suggested adding battery storage at charging stations and using time-of-day pricing to encourage charging when renewable power is plentiful.

Delhi's further tasks include working with neighboring states to decarbonize the electricity grid and electrify public transport, said Saraswat of the Vasudha Foundation.

“As a resident of Delhi, I’m sure each and every one will be extremely thrilled to have this policy. To see that winter where there is no smog, no pollution.”