The state government of Himachal Pradesh has directed all state departments to stop buying diesel or petroleum vehicles and promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) on a large scale.

The departments will be able to purchase petrol or diesel vehicles only after the approval of the state cabinet on a case-by-case basis.

The initiative is in line with the state’s pledge for a Clean and Green Himachal announced by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in his first budget speech.

“Our government is promoting e-vehicles in Himachal in a big way. The Transport Department becomes the first department to replace its official vehicle fleet with e-vehicles. All the departments will ensure replacing their fuel vehicles with e-vehicles in a phased manner,” the Chief Minister said.

There are currently 185 government EVs in the state, while registered private EV numbers stood at 2,733, the government notification said.

The government has also issued e-taxi permits to meet departmental vehicle requirements. Under the ₹6.8 billion (~$81.65 million) Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Start-up initiative, the permits have been provided to youth with a 50% subsidy on the purchase at the same time. The government is committed to revamping the charging infrastructure across 54 locations in the state while also making it accessible for owners to charge their vehicles at home.

Further, the diesel buses operating under Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will be converted to e-buses in a phased manner. After directing the manufacturing companies to account for the state’s geographical conditions while manufacturing them, the government will soon run these buses along long routes.

“Type-1, 2, and 3 e-buses are being included in the HRTC fleet in a phased manner, so that the target of making Himachal a clean and green energy state by March 31, 2026,” Sukhu said.

In 2023, EV sales in India touched a record of 1.53 million units as opposed to the million units sold in the previous year, registering a 50% year-over-year rise.

In the same year, EV manufacturers in the country received a total of ₹52.28 billion (~$627 million) worth of subsidies as financial support.