The Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) has invited expressions of interest (EoI) for manufacturers to market and distribute electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers in the state.

The EoI has been issued under the GEDA’s battery operated vehicles (BOVs) program with state government subsidy for the financial year (FY) 2020-21. The tentative target for the marketing of electric two-wheelers in Gujarat for FY 2021 is 2,000, and GEDA can increase or decrease the number of vehicles for the current year. Similarly, the tentative target for electric three-wheelers is 500 during the current financial year up to March 31, 2021.

The last date for the submission of bids is July 10, 2020, and interested bidders will have to pay an amount of ₹150,000 (~$1,978) as the earnest money deposit (EMD).

The manufacturer should have adequate infrastructure facilities for the manufacturing, marketing, and after-sales services of the electric vehicles. The work should be completed by March 31, 2021, and no work allocated to the manufacturer should be carried forward to the next financial year.

As per the document, the vehicles supplied should have a comprehensive guarantee or a warranty from the manufacturer for a minimum period of three years, including an advanced battery.

The authorized dealers must have a 3S facility (sales, services, and spares) in permanent establishment equipped with a dedicated telephone facility and display board. The manufacturer should deliver 50% of vehicles by October 31, 2020, and the total number of vehicles by March 31, 2021.

To promote eco-friendly vehicles, the government of Gujarat implemented a program for the distribution of battery-operated vehicles, especially two-wheelers, to the students of grade nine and above.

Last year, GEDA also issued an EoI for the authorization of manufacturers for marketing and distribution of 100 battery-operated school vans in Gujarat.

In April 2020, Mercom had reported that the sale of electric vehicles in India went up by 20% in 2019-20. The EV industry sold 156,000 electric vehicles in the financial year 2019-20. The increase of 20% came mostly from electric two-wheelers. Of the electric two-wheelers that were sold in FY19-20, 97% were electric scooters, and a very small volume of motorcycles and electric cycles filled the rest of the 3%.

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