2026 Petrol Two Wheeler Ban: Govt Issues Clarification!
Last month, in March, it was announced that the government of Delhi wants to ban all petrol-powered two-wheelers. This created a situation of panic amongst the residents of Delhi. However, it has now been announced by the government of Delhi that no ban will be implemented on ICE two-wheelers. It added that the current EV policy, which was introduced back in 2020, has been extended for three months until the next EV policy is finalized by the government.
ICE two-wheelers are here to stay
While announcing that the ICE two-wheelers will not be banned in Delhi, Dr. Pankaj Singh, Transport Minister of Delhi, stated, “All bikes and autos will continue to operate in the Union Territory.” The minister has refuted all the reports spread by the media, which created panic amongst the two-wheeler owners and buyers in Delhi.
In addition to this, it has also been reported that the implementation of the Delhi EV Policy 2.0 has been delayed multiple times. Singh, on the delay, stated, “Discussions on the new policy are underway. The existing policy will continue to remain in force until the new policy is finalised.”
The transport minister also highlighted, “There are over 1,00,000 autorickshaws and two-wheelers in Delhi. It’s not feasible to phase them out or push for an immediate shift to EVs… The reports about banning them have caused panic. All of these concerns were discussed, and suggestions were made to bring in changes to promote EVs and facilitate a smooth transition from [petrol] or CNG vehicles to electric.”
What was announced last month?
For those who may not be up to speed on this topic: last month, it was announced that no new petrol, diesel, or CNG two-wheelers will be registered in Delhi after August 2026. It was also mentioned that no new fossil fuel three-wheelers, like CNG autos, will be registered in Delhi after August 2025.
Additionally, reports also stated that the existing CNG auto permits won't be renewed, and CNG autos older than 10 years must be retrofitted with electric kits or replaced with electric autos. The government of Delhi also stated that all municipal garbage collection vehicles run by MCD, DJB, and other civic agencies must be converted to electric by 2027.
On top of these, it was added that all Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) running on fossil fuels should be phased out. Lastly, all government-owned vehicles must become electric in the coming years. It was reported that the government of Delhi is planning to add 3,000 electric buses in the city by the end of 2025.
The Delhi government is also aiming for 95 percent of new vehicle registrations to be all-electric by 2027. Also, by 2030, the government aims for 98 percent of vehicles to be electric. For reference, the goal for 2025 was for 25 percent of all vehicles on the road to be electric. However, only 13–14 percent was realistically achieved.
Infrastructure development
In addition to these ambitious goals for new vehicle registrations and old vehicle conversions into electric, the government of Delhi is aiming to help in the installation of 13,200+ EV chargers across the city. It added that new residential buildings will be required to have EV charging points. Additionally, fast-charging corridors will be set up along the Ring Road and Outer Ring Road.