Delhi EV registrations hit record high in Jan-May as electric 2W, cars see sharp growth: Report

Private electric cars also posted strong growth, with registrations jumping 96 per cent year-on-year to 9,471 units during January-May 2026, up from 4,832 units a year earlier.

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Delhi witnessed record growth in electric vehicle adoption during the January-May 2026 period, with registrations of electric two-wheelers and private electric cars reaching their highest levels since 2019, according to data compiled by research and advisory think tank Envirocatalysts.

According to the think tank, electric two-wheelers remained the largest segment in Delhi’s EV market, accounting for 51.9 per cent of all electric vehicle registrations during the period. Registrations rose nearly 70 per cent year-on-year to 20,239 units, compared with 11,939 units in the corresponding period of 2025.

The figure marks a significant increase from just 533 electric two-wheelers registered during the same period in 2019, highlighting the rapid pace of electrification in the capital’s two-wheeler market.

Private electric cars also posted strong growth, with registrations jumping 96 per cent year-on-year to 9,471 units during January-May 2026, up from 4,832 units a year earlier. The segment accounted for 24.3 per cent of all EV registrations and recorded its highest volume since 2019, when only 76 electric cars were registered.

Electric commercial passenger vehicles, including app-based taxis and fleet operators, emerged as one of the fastest-growing categories. Registrations surged 254 per cent year-on-year to 1,068 units, compared with 302 units during the same period last year.

Electric bus adoption also continued to gain momentum. Registrations increased 59 per cent year-on-year to 858 units during the first five months of 2026, up from 540 units in the corresponding period of 2025.

E-rickshaw registrations decline sharply
In contrast to the broader EV market, e-rickshaw registrations fell sharply to 1,887 units during January-May 2026 from 25,643 units in the year-ago period, representing a decline of more than 92 per cent.

The category accounted for just 4.8 per cent of total EV registrations, compared with its dominant presence in previous years. Notably, 2025 had recorded the highest e-rickshaw registrations since 2019.

Despite the rapid growth in electric mobility, petrol-powered vehicles remained the dominant fuel type in Delhi’s overall vehicle market. More than 2.58 lakh petrol vehicles were registered during the first five months of 2026, making petrol the most popular fuel among newly registered vehicles in the capital.

EV Policy 2.0 likely to accelerate transition
The growth in EV adoption comes ahead of the expected rollout of Delhi’s Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0.

According to the draft policy, no new CNG autorickshaw registrations will be permitted from August 15, while existing CNG auto permits will be replaced with permits for electric autorickshaws upon renewal.

The draft also proposes ending registrations of new petrol, diesel and CNG-powered two-wheelers and goods-carrying three-wheelers from August 15 as part of the government’s efforts to accelerate the transition to cleaner mobility.

Sunil Dahiya, Founder and Lead Analyst at Envirocatalysts, said, “Delhi’s new EV policy is a bold move signalling the end of the road for polluting fossil-fuel vehicles. While actions following regulatory interventions like GRAP and age-based bans in Delhi-NCR are successfully accelerating EV adoption, cleaning up the transport sector is only part of the solution.”

He added that while EV adoption is gaining momentum, broader measures would be required to tackle air pollution in the region.

“Achieving truly breathable air requires looking beyond private EVs; we must aggressively scale up public and non-motorised transit, alongside strict emission controls across industries, power plants, waste management and construction,” Dahiya said.

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