In a major boost for electric vehicle adoption, the government will bring out a battery swapping policy as well as interoperability standards for promotion of zero-fossil fuel mobility.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her Union Budget speech today, “Considering the constraint for space in urban areas for setting up charging stations at scale, a battery swapping policy will be brought out and interoperability standards will be formulated.”

The government has already allowed sale of electric two-wheelers without a battery. Automotive companies have launched multiple products with batteries that can be removed for charging or swapping. However, there is a lack of government policy on this.

“The private sector will be encouraged to develop substantial and innovative business models for battery- or energy-as-a-service. This will improve efficiency in the EV ecosystem,” Sitharaman added.

The government has been promoting sale of electric buses through monetary incentives for o state governments to reduce the dependence on diesel-powered vehicles. This shift will continue.

“We will promote the shift to public transport in urban areas. This will be complemented by clean-tech and governance solutions, special mobility zones with zero fossil fuel policy and electric vehicles (EV),” Sitharaman added.

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