Overview
- Reports on Monday said the Ministry of Heavy Industries plans to ask for additional funds to extend or boost two‑wheeler subsidies under the PM E‑Drive scheme, though the exact amount has not been decided.
- The reporting is based on anonymous ministry sources and is developing, not yet confirmed by a formal government announcement.
- The scheme has already subsidised about 2.35 million electric two‑wheelers against a 2.47 million target, a gap that officials cite as the reason for considering more support.
- PM E‑Drive currently pays Rs 5,000 per kilowatt‑hour of battery capacity in year one and Rs 2,500 per kWh in year two, and the FY27 budget allocates only Rs 1,500 crore to the programme so any expansion will require reallocating or increasing funds.
- Electric two‑wheeler registrations rose sharply from roughly 252,787 units in FY22 to about 1.46 million in FY26, and officials argue further subsidies could cut fuel spending for households and lower India’s crude import bill while supporting manufacturers and charging infrastructure.