Delhi EV Policy 2026 — How to Save Up to ₹40,000 (Year 1 Guide)
Delhi launched a fresh EV policy on 1 July 2026, and for buyers of electric scooters it is the most generous deal in India right now. In Year 1 of the policy, a Delhi resident can get up to ₹30,000 as a purchase subsidy, and that is before the ₹10,000 scrap bonus and the complete waiver of road tax and registration fees. Add those together and a typical eligible buyer saves around ₹40,000 in cash, plus another ₹10,000–12,000 in taxes they never have to pay. With the central PM E-DRIVE subsidy now over (31 July 2026), Delhi's state scheme is the single biggest reason to buy an EV scooter this year. Here is every benefit, who qualifies, how the Year 1 rate is calculated, and the exact steps to claim your money without losing it to a missed deadline.
The Four Ways the Policy Saves You Money
The Delhi EV Policy 2026 stacks four separate benefits on one purchase. Unlike the old central scheme, which was a flat ₹5,000, this policy rewards bigger batteries with bigger savings, up to a cap. Here is the full menu.
| Benefit | Amount | Simple explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Purchase subsidy | ₹10,000 per kWh (max ₹30,000) | A 3 kWh battery = ₹30,000 off the ex-showroom price |
| 2. Scrap bonus | ₹10,000 | Give your old BS-IV (or older) two-wheeler to an approved scrap yard and get cash |
| 3. Road tax | 100% exempt | Petrol scooters pay ~8% road tax; EV buyers pay nothing |
| 4. Registration fee | 100% exempt | No registration charges on the invoice |
The purchase subsidy is calculated on battery capacity, not on price. That detail matters: a 2 kWh scooter gets ₹20,000, a 3 kWh scooter gets ₹30,000, and a 3.5 kWh scooter still gets ₹30,000 because of the cap. So the policy slightly favours 3 kWh models, which reach the maximum subsidy without paying for more battery than you need.
Who Qualifies: The Eligibility Checklist
Not every buyer and every scooter gets the benefit. Check these five conditions before you fall in love with a model:
- Price cap: The scooter's ex-showroom price must be below ₹2.25 lakh. Almost every mainstream model qualifies, but high-end variants may not, and there is no partial subsidy, so a price above the cap means zero benefit.
- Approved model list: The model must be on the Delhi EV portal's notified list. Dealers know which of their models qualify, but always confirm by VIN before booking.
- Delhi registration: The scooter must be registered in Delhi. Buying in Delhi but registering in another state disqualifies you entirely.
- One per person: One subsidy per Aadhaar holder. Two scooters in one family can each get the benefit only under separate Aadhaars.
- First come, first served: The scheme is quota-limited. When the yearly allocation is exhausted, the subsidy stops, even mid-year. Buy early in the policy year.
The practical takeaway: an Ola S1 X, Ather 450X, TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak or Hero Vida priced under ₹2.25 lakh all qualify. Verify the price and the model code with the dealer in writing, and you are safe.
Year 1 vs Year 2 vs Year 3 — Why Waiting Is Expensive
Here is the detail that most buyers miss. The Delhi policy deliberately reduces the subsidy every year so that early adopters are rewarded. The numbers are published in the policy itself, and they fall steeply.
| When you buy | Rate per kWh | Maximum subsidy | Compared to Year 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 (Jul 2026 – Jun 2027) | ₹10,000 | ₹30,000 | Full benefit |
| Year 2 (Jul 2027 – Jun 2028) | ₹6,600 | ₹20,000 | ₹10,000 less |
| Year 3 (Jul 2028 – Jun 2029) | ₹3,300 | ₹10,000 | ₹20,000 less |
Delaying your purchase by twelve months costs you ₹10,000. Delaying by twenty-four months costs you ₹20,000. This is the strongest financial argument for buying in the current policy year: the maximum benefit is available only between July 2026 and June 2027, and the quota makes even that window uncertain.
The Real Maths: Three Popular Scooters in Delhi
Let us put real models through the Year 1 calculation. On-road price = ex-showroom − purchase subsidy − scrap bonus + insurance (we use 6% of ex-showroom as a typical first-year premium). Road tax and registration are zero.
| Scooter | Ex-showroom | Subsidy (kWh × ₹10,000) | Scrap bonus | Insurance | On-road in Delhi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ola S1 X (2 kWh) | ₹84,999 | −₹20,000 | −₹10,000 | +₹5,100 | ~₹60,099 |
| Ola S1 X (3 kWh) | ₹97,381 | −₹30,000 | −₹10,000 | +₹5,843 | ~₹63,224 |
| TVS iQube (3.5 kWh) | ₹138,596 | −₹30,000 (capped) | −₹10,000 | +₹8,316 | ~₹1,06,912 |
Notice what happens: a ₹97,381 scooter lands on the road at about ₹63,000, roughly ₹34,000 below its list price. Even the premium TVS iQube drops below ₹1.1 lakh. If you do not have an old scooter to scrap, add ₹10,000 back to each figure; the purchase subsidy and tax waivers still apply.
How to Claim the Subsidy — Step by Step
The Delhi subsidy is not applied at the dealership. You pay the full price, register the scooter, and then claim the money back through the official portal. The process has one unforgiving deadline, so follow it exactly:
- Buy the scooter and complete the registration in Delhi. Keep the invoice, RC and Aadhaar handy.
- From the date printed on your RC, you have 30 days to submit the online application on the Delhi EV portal.
- Fill in the application with your Aadhaar, invoice number, RC number, and your bank account details (for Direct Benefit Transfer).
- Upload the required documents in the formats the portal asks for. Mismatched names are the most common reason applications get rejected.
- Track the application status. Approved amounts are transferred by DBT, typically within 60 days of a complete, correct application.
The 30-day window has no grace period and no appeal for late filing. A missed deadline means a lost ₹20,000–30,000. Set a phone reminder for the day you take delivery, and file the claim the same week you receive the RC.
The Scrap Bonus: ₹10,000 for Your Old Two-Wheeler
The scrap component is an additional ₹10,000 available to buyers who surrender an old vehicle. The sequence matters, so follow it in order:
- Take your old BS-IV (or earlier) two-wheeler to a Delhi-government-approved scrap facility.
- Receive the official Certificate of Deposit (CoD) with your details on it.
- Buy the new EV within 6 months of the CoD; the certificate expires after that.
- Attach the CoD to your subsidy application. The ₹10,000 is credited by DBT like the main subsidy.
One clarification: the scrap bonus is not a trade-in discount at the dealer. The dealer may also offer a separate exchange value for your old scooter, but the ₹10,000 government bonus is claimed separately through the portal. Do not let a showroom "adjust" it against your down payment and then forget to file the claim.
Five Traps That Cost Delhi Buyers Money
- The price-cap edge case: A model above ₹2.25 lakh gets nothing, not even partial subsidy. Check the ex-showroom, not the discounted showroom quote.
- The 30-day deadline: The most common reason for rejection is late filing. File within days of the RC, not weeks.
- Quota exhaustion: The scheme is first-come, first-served within each year. If the yearly allocation fills up, later buyers get zero, even in Year 1.
- Moving out of Delhi: Re-registering the scooter in another state within the lock-in period can trigger subsidy recovery. Keep the vehicle in Delhi registration for the period the policy specifies.
- Bank details mismatch: The DBT amount goes only to an account in the applicant's own name, matching Aadhaar. A relative's account means a rejected transfer.
None of these traps is hard to avoid, they just require care. The reward for that care is an on-road price tens of thousands of rupees below the showroom sticker.
What If You Missed Year 1?
If you read this after June 2027, the picture changes but does not collapse. Year 2 still offers ₹6,600 per kWh up to ₹20,000, a solid discount that keeps Delhi among India's best states. The scrap bonus and road tax waivers continue through the policy period. Even in Year 3, the ₹10,000 subsidy plus free road tax keeps the state ahead of most others. But the gap between Year 1 and Year 3 buyers is ₹20,000 on the same scooter, so the honest advice remains: if you can buy within the current policy year, do not wait.
FAQs
What is the maximum I can save in Delhi on an EV scooter?
Up to ₹40,000 in direct money: ₹30,000 purchase subsidy (Year 1) plus ₹10,000 scrap bonus. On top, road tax and registration are free, worth about ₹10,000–12,000 more.
Is the central ₹5,000 subsidy also available in Delhi?
No. PM E-DRIVE e-2W subsidy ended on 31 July 2026. Only Delhi state benefits apply now, and they are far larger than the old central payment.
Can I buy in Delhi but register the scooter in another state?
No. The subsidy requires Delhi registration. The portal checks the RC, and moving the vehicle out of Delhi within the lock-in period can cancel the benefit.
How long does the subsidy take to reach my bank?
After a complete application, DBT usually takes about 60 days. Late or incorrect applications are rejected and must be refiled within the same 30-day window, which is rarely possible.
Do second-hand EV scooters qualify for the Delhi subsidy?
No. The purchase subsidy applies only to new vehicles registered for the first time in Delhi during the policy period.