Delhi’s 2025 EV policy marks a significant step towards reducing air pollution by targeting a phase-out of internal combustion engine vehicles and promoting electric mobility.

Delhi, India’s capital, has long been plagued by air pollution, and like Mumbai, it may need to implement a drastic solution. Top-ranking central government officials are considering permanently banning traditional ICE vehicles in the metropolis.

According to a report from The Economic Times, the Indian government is discussing a solution for Delhi’s air pollution issue at the highest level. One of the main subjects is phasing out all vehicles running solely on petrol or diesel and adopting fully electric, hybrid, and CNG vehicles instead.

In a phased manner, India could stop new registrations for all the traditional ICE vehicles in Delhi and the National Capital Region, which comprises certain areas of neighbouring Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The central government is discussing the appropriate timeline for enforcing this ban and has held talks with involved ministries and automakers. It could roll out the first phase within the current financial year (April 2025-March 2026).

Experts expect Delhi to be able to restrict new bus registrations to pure electric, hybrid, and CNG models by the end of this year. It could extend this move to three-wheeled and light goods vehicles in early 2026-2027. Commercial taxis could be the next on the list, and last but not least, private cars, possibly between 2030 and 2035. The report mentions flex-fuel and other blended fuels as alternatives for the latter.

The ET expects the government to enforce the new restrictions first in Delhi and then in NCR districts, beginning with Gurugram, Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Ghaziabad, which have high vehicular density. Additionally, it may bar all goods vehicles not meeting the current BS VI emission standards from entering Delhi within a year.

At the beginning of the year, Maharashtra, a state in the western part of India, announced that it could prohibit petrol and diesel vehicles in Mumbai, the state capital and the nation’s financial hub.

The potential ban on all traditional ICE vehicles will likely heighten pressure on public transport, and Delhi is preparing for that with sustainable measures. Last month, Firstpost reported that the city will retire 90% of its CNG buses by December and replace them with pure electric models. The Times of India later published an article stating Delhi will phase out about 5,000-7,500 old buses and add 900 new electric ones, consisting of nine- and twelve-metre models. By 2027, the national capital plans to completely switch to electric buses for public transport.