Measures to improve air quality and reduce emissions have never been more urgent. Across India, levels of particulate pollution have increased by 69 percent over the past twenty years. According to the University of Chicago, exposure to air pollution in Delhi is shortening life expectancy of residents by a decade.

Indian cities are beginning to take decisive actions in response to worsening air pollution. Given the enormity of the challenge, Delhi has been at the forefront of testing and instituting both the emergency response measures and long-term interventions that can help reduce the increasing emission concentrations in city’s air.

Delhi released its draft electric vehicle policy with a key objective of improving the local air quality. The draft policy’s bold target of 25 percent battery electric vehicles in new vehicle registrations within the next five years is inspiring and is exemplary of the commitment needed from many cities. If realised, the ambitious target will support a material improvement in Delhi’s air quality, reduce consumption of conventional transport fuels and lower carbon emissions.

EVs combat local air pollution because they have no tailpipe emissions. Studies show that 30-40 percent of particulate emissions in cities are emitted from vehicle tailpipes and up to 65 percent of death and disease from air pollution is caused by pollution spewed by diesel vehicles due in part to the higher exposure from the proximity of the emissions source.

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