New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government has issued an order stating that all battery-powered passenger vehicles (such as e-auto rickshaws, e-taxis, and private electric vehicle buses) or passenger vehicles that run on methanol or ethanol fuel will be issued permits by the Transport Department without a permit fee.
Registration of EVs used for passenger transportation, such as e-auto rickshaws, e-taxis and EV buses, will now begin in Tamil Nadu. Previously, licences were not provided to battery-powered passenger vehicles or vehicles that ran on methanol or ethanol fuel.
In order to promote green vehicles, the Government of India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a notification in 2018 declaring that battery-powered Passenger cars and Passenger Vehicles driven on methanol or ethanol fuel were exempt from getting a licence.
The Transport Commissioner of the Government of Tamil Nadu, as the implementing authority, has stated that without the registration and issuance of licences, there would be regulatory concerns and field problems.
During a roundtable organised by Guidance Tamil Nadu on June 16, 2023, members of the EV industry apprised the Minister for Industries, Dr. TRB Rajaa, of this issue.
The Minister promptly sought the involvement of Chief Minister MK Stalin, who directed that relevant instructions be made as soon as possible to facilitate the operation of battery-powered shared passenger cars on the ground.
P Amudha, Principal Secretary to the Government, Transport Department, issued an order (G.O.(Ms).No.319) on June 28, 2023, stating that all transport vehicles that are battery-powered or run on methanol or ethanol fuel (except Goods vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight of less than 3000 kgs) shall be issued a permit by the Transport Department without a permit fee. This has filled a critical policy vacuum and will allow for the expansion of EV fleets in Tamil Nadu.
