If you’ve been planning to buy an electric vehicle (EV), Delhi’s new EV Policy-2026 could make this the best time to make the switch.From July 1, the Delhi Government will waive 100 per cent road tax and registration charges on all electric vehicles. For electric cars, the benefit will apply to models with an ex-showroom price of up to Rs 30 lakh.Approved by the Delhi Cabinet, the policy will come into effect after the Lieutenant Governor’s approval and remain valid until March 31, 2030. The government has committed over Rs 7,000 crore to promote electric mobility, while residents are expected to receive benefits worth nearly Rs 15,000 crore through tax waivers and incentives.Major savings on your purchaseThe biggest attraction is the complete exemption from road tax and registration fees, reducing the upfront cost of buying an EV. However, electric cars priced above Rs 30 lakh will continue to attract the existing road tax of 10 per cent for individual buyers and 12.5 per cent for corporate buyers.Cash incentives for buyersApart from tax savings, buyers will also receive purchase incentives through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).In the first year of the policy, buyers of electric two-wheelers can get up to Rs 30,000, electric three-wheelers up to Rs 50,000, and N1 electric goods vehicles up to Rs 1 lakh. These incentives will reduce in the second and third years.The policy also rewards owners who scrap BS-IV or older vehicles. Scrap incentives range from Rs 10,000 for two-wheelers to Rs 1 lakh for four-wheelers, with additional benefits for commercial vehicles.More charging stations, less range anxietyTo make EV ownership more convenient, the government plans to install over 30,000 public charging points across Delhi during the policy period. The charging network will be rolled out in phases after land identified for the infrastructure.Delhi’s push towards electric mobilityThe policy also outlines a phased transition towards cleaner transport. From January 1, 2027, only electric passenger and goods-carrying auto-rickshaws in specified categories, along with N1 electric goods vehicles, will be registered in Delhi. From April 1, 2028, only electric two-wheelers will be registered in the capital.School transport will also gradually go electric, with EVs targeted to make up 30 per cent of school bus fleets by March 2030.To encourage cleaner freight movement, the first 1,000 N2 electric trucks purchased within three months of the policy’s notification will receive a 10-year exemption from Delhi’s no-entry restrictions.No subsidy for hybrid vehiclesThe government has clarified that the policy is focused solely on pure battery electric vehicles. Hybrid vehicles will not be eligible for any subsidy or purchase incentive.The takeawayWith road tax and registration fee waivers, purchase incentives, scrappage benefits and a rapidly expanding charging network, Delhi’s EV Policy 2026 significantly reduces the cost of owning an electric vehicle. For anyone planning to buy a new vehicle in the coming months, the policy makes a compelling financial case for going electric while contributing to cleaner air in the capital.