Test for EV ride as focus turns wider, deeper

E-trucks and e-buses under the ₹10,900-crore PM E-Drive scheme would be the government's priority in 2026.

- Manas Pimpalkhare

India's electric vehicle ambitions will face its most significant test in 2026 as the government pivots its focus to electric buses, trucks, and charging infrastructure. This strategic shift is considered crucial for the nation to achieve its stated goal of 30% electric mobility by 2030.

According to a senior government official, e-trucks and e-buses under the ₹10,900-crore PM E-Drive scheme will become the top priority in 2026, particularly as incentives for electric twoand three-wheelers are scheduled to lapse in March of that year.

Overall adoption of electric vehicles rose in India despite significant supply-chain disruptions in 2025, largely stemming from China's grip on rare earth minerals. Total sales of battery-powered vehicles crossed 2 million, up from approximately 1.9 million in 2024. The next focus is commercial transport, driven by the fact that large diesel-powered vehicles emit significantly higher levels of greenhouse gases and particulate matter.

Just last week, manufacturers including PMI Electro Mobility, Eka Mobility, and Olectra Greentech won nearly 80% of India's largest tender for electric buses. These vehicles will be deployed in major cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Surat, and Ahmedabad. Providing commentary on the environmental necessity of this transition, Shyamasis Das, a fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), noted that diesel is notorious for emitting more air pollutants—such as particulate matter, sulphur oxides, and nitrous oxides—than petrol or even CNG.