The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has allowed the sale and registration of electric vehicles (EVs) without pre-fitted batteries. The battery could be provided separately by the original equipment manufacturer or the energy service provider.
The move is aimed to improve EV demand as delinking the battery will lower the upfront cost of these vehicles.
For the promotion of electric two-wheeler and three-wheeler vehicles, there were recommendations brought to the notice of the ministry to delink the cost of battery (which accounts for 30-40 per cent of the total cost) from the vehicle cost.
In a letter to Transport Secretaries of all the States and union territories, the ministry has clarified that vehicles without batteries can be sold and registered based on the type approval certificate issued by the Test Agency.
Further, there is no need to specify the make/type or any other details of the battery for registration. However, the prototype of the electric vehicle, and the battery (regular battery or the swappable battery) is required to be type approved by the test agencies specified under Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
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The de-linking of Batteries from Vehicles (two-three wheeler in this case) is an excellent idea.
It will support a “Charged Battery” Industry that will just lease/replace Batteries reducing the upfront costs considerably.
If a few local/national “Charged Battery” Brands (like Petrol Stations… Indian Oil, BP, HPCL, Reliance, etc..) support this then the “long refueling” time will be eliminated if Battery Switching is done in a minute or so…