No More Premium ICE Cars? SC Suggests EV Adoption Amid Pollution Concerns

The Supreme Court, on Thursday, has asked the centre about the possibility of phasing out premium internal combustion engine cars, in an attempt to boost EV adoption under the Centre’s electric vehicle policy.  

The Bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, observed that a wide range of EV models is now available. It suggested that premium ICE cars could be the first to face restrictions, as such measures would primarily impact affluent buyers and would not affect the broader, ordinary demand.

Citing Justice Kant, Business Standard reported, “Just think of imposing a ban on the very high-end vehicles first of all. So it will not affect the common man, because a very small part of the Indian population can afford that.”

As per the Attorney General, R Venkataramani, the government supports the suggestion made by the top court in broad terms. He further ensured the court that the government, via its 13 ministries, is already working in different domains of EV adoption. 

The observation came during ongoing proceedings in a case filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, which challenges the government’s failure to ensure a clean environment under Articles 14 and 21. Represented by Prashant Bhushan, Common Cause, and the Sitaram Jindal Foundation, the petitioners are seeking the implementation of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP), introduced in 2012 by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, along with the recommendations of Zero Emission Vehicles: Towards a Policy Framework, released by NITI Aayog in September 2018, BS reported.

 Although EV costs have decreased, Bhushan pointed out that the slow installation of charging stations still prevents broader adoption.

The Bench stated that charging networks are likely to rise and noted that infrastructure growth usually follows demand. It also proposed adding charging stations to already-existing fuel stations. The Attorney General admitted that there are still implementation issues that need more focus.

The court also noted that, as the government's EV regulations have been in place for several years, they are in need to be updated. It further stated that in order to speed up the adoption of EVs, the government should review NEMMP 2020 and think about starting a trial project in metropolitan cities.

As per the report, the Attorney General has agreed to provide a combined report on all notifications issued by the government until now. In one month, the case will be heard once more.