Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Apr 27: There has been a steady increase in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in the state of Karnataka. From 2020-21 to 2023-24, registrations have seen a 1275% rise.

According to transport department officials, Karnataka ranks third in India in terms of the number of electric vehicles in the country, with Uttar Pradesh topping the list followed by Maharashtra.

In 2017-18, there were just 1922 EVs. Now, the number has risen to 159,428, which includes two, three, and four-wheelers. In Karnataka, there are 3.4 lakh EVs, out of which 2.98 lac are two-wheelers, while 23,516 are four-wheelers and 18,246 are three-wheelers.

Additional Transport Commissioner Jnanendra Kumar said, “When these vehicles were first introduced, there were very few buyers. They were not sure about their performance, and people were worried about charging stations as well. In 2017-18, there were only 1922 EVs, including 97 two-wheelers, 1589 three-wheelers, and 236 four-wheelers. Now, with an increase in charging stations in towns and cities, and many EV sellers in Karnataka, the number of EVs has also risen.”

The Karnataka government is providing subsidies on EVs (except for vehicles costing above Rs 25,000), creating awareness about the environment among the public. This has led to the increase in the number of EVs. In 2023-24, out of the EVs registered, two-wheelers constitute a whopping 140,327, while cars are 13,667, and three-wheelers are 5,434.