Will Diesel Vehicles Be Banned In India By 2027?
Will Diesel Cars be Banned in India by 2027? For the full story check out our latest video.
The Energy Transition Advisory Committee is a government panel under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. In a recent report the panel recommended a strict pan-India diesel ban by 2027. The report stated that the use of four-wheel diesel cars should be banned in cities with a population of more than one million (10 lakh) people. However, because of India’s dense population, and poor air quality, this applies to basically every town and city. To curb emissions, the panel has also proposed to transition to electric and gas-fuelled vehicles at such places. The panel also suggested that diesel buses for city transport should not be added from 2024 onwards and by 2030, only electric city buses should be added. The panel said that, from 2024, new registrations of only electric-powered city delivery vehicles (good carriers like tempo / vans etc) should be permitted. Another suggestion was to increase the use of railways and gas-powered (CNG) trucks for transportation. Since rumours were spreading that Diesel cars would be banned, the Petroleum Ministry announced that the proposal is put forward by a panel but it is still in discussion and has not yet been accepted. The government finds the recommendations wide-ranging and fast-moving (futuristic) so it is yet to consult with various stakeholders like multiple ministries, states and even car manufacturers to find a more acceptable solution to the overall task.
After this, the decision to implement a ban on diesel cars will be taken. Car manufacturers invest a lot of money in setting up factories and manufacturing diesel cars. So even their point of view is important. Almost all commercial vehicles, be they small trucks, buses, or cabs, are diesel-powered. In many hard-to-reach locations, especially mountainous areas, diesel-powered four-wheeler commercial vehicles are the only means to transport essential goods and services. Strong hybrids and electric cars are possible solutions and replacements for these diesel cars, but not by 2027. Many other countries like Germany, China, Belgium, France etc that are in the process of making the transition away from diesel, have given at least 10 to 15 years advance notice. So for us to do it in a period of just 3.5 years is definitely unreasonable and impractical. So, the news that diesel cars have been banned has no base and you can relax for now. However, in the future, this will at some point be a reality.
