Auto drivers fear income loss, seek better charging infra for smooth EV transition

With the Delhi government gearing up to notify its new electric vehicle (EV) policy, autorickshaw drivers remain uncertain about the shift to electric three-wheelers. They cite inadequate charging and battery-swapping infrastructure while questioning the performance of EVs compared with existing Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) autorickshaws.

Rajesh, who drives an electric three-wheeler around Hauz Khas, worries about how to make the most of his vehicle’s 100-kilometre range – the maximum it can travel on a single charge – to maximise his earnings without having to recharge during the day.

“You have to think twice before picking up passengers because you are constantly calculating how much money you can earn without draining the battery. If I am working in Hauz Khas, I cannot go to Anand Vihar and return and still expect to pick up passengers for the rest of the day. But I could easily do that with my CNG auto,” he said.

The government’s draft EV Policy 2.0 has been in the public domain since April 2026. It outlines a framework to accelerate electric vehicle adoption and reduce air pollution. The draft proposes a phased transition to electric mobility, allowing only electric three-wheelers to be newly registered from January 1, 2027, and only electric two-wheelers from April 1, 2028.

Fear of income loss

Drivers say the current fleet of electric three-wheelers takes too long to charge without offering advantages in speed or range over ICE vehicles. They say that this could directly affect their livelihoods.

Pawan Kumar, a driver from Govindpuri, said the transition would be difficult unless drivers could charge their vehicles at home. “There are lakhs of auto drivers in Delhi. Once they all shift to EVs, the existing charging stations will be overcrowded. To avoid that, vehicles will have to be charged at home. But many landlords do not allow charging, and in many places the electrical wiring cannot support the additional load,” he said. Mr. Kumar suggested that the government should either substantially increase the number of charging stations or expand battery-swapping facilities.

According to the Transport Department’s website, Delhi currently has 1,919 charging stations, 2,452 charging points and 232 battery-swapping stations. “This is highly insufficient,” Mr. Kumar said, adding that vehicles equipped with dynamic charging systems that can charge on the move would also help. “That would be better because we would not lose valuable earning time waiting for the vehicle to charge,” he added.

Battery operated autorickshaw plying on the road on Saturday. ory)
| Photo Credit:
SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Mileage, repair concerns

Moin, who operates in Hauz Khas Village, pointed to the lack of after-sales support. “The pickup of an EV is better than a CNG auto, but it can break down at any time, and there are no mechanics apart from company-authorised ones who can fix it. A CNG auto can run up to 150 kilometres, and even replacing the entire engine costs no more than ₹5,000,” he said.

Mr. Moin said that replacing an EV battery costs between ₹60,000 and ₹75,000 while a high-capacity controller costs around ₹30,000. “The cost of repairing an EV is simply too high for most drivers,” he said.

Financing the transition

Vinod, from Sangam Vihar, bought his CNG auto eight years ago and still has three loan instalments left to repay. He said the total repayment, including interest, comes to about ₹9 lakh. “Even with subsidies and scrapping incentives, buying an EV is still a major financial burden,” he said.

Electric three-wheelers currently cost between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹4.5 lakh. Under the draft EV Policy 2.0, the Delhi government has proposed Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) incentives for drivers shifting to electric vehicles. Electric autorickshaws would receive incentives of ₹50,000 in the first year, ₹40,000 in the second year and ₹30,000 in the third year, applicable to both new purchases and replacement of older CNG autos operating under Delhi permits. The draft policy also proposes a scrapping incentive of ₹25,000 for three-wheelers.