karnataka ev policy: Karnataka unveils draft EV policy, targets Rs 50,000 crore investment

The state government on Friday unveiled a revised draft for the Electric Vehicle policy 2023-28, which aims to create one lakh jobs and attract an investment of Rs 50,000 crore in Karnataka.Speaking at an ideation meeting with representatives of the EV sector, industries minister MB Patil said that the government would develop model EV cities across the state in Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Mysuru to promote EV adoption. “This proposed policy aims to transform Karnataka into a pioneering force in the field of electric mobility, embracing sustainable practices and equitable growth while fostering innovation and creating a robust ecosystem for EVs,” he said.

The government, he added, was also in touch with the centre’s National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to set up electric vehicle charging stations on either side of the highway at ten major toll booths along the national highway between Bengaluru and Pune.

The proposed revised draft policy has increased the capital subsidy for testing centre to 30% from 15% for onboarding private operators to set up EV Testing cum Certification facilities.

It also proposes a rental subsidy to include reimbursement of 30% of rent or maximum Rs 5 per square feet per month, for three years on rental properties above 10,000 square feet. Additionally, the draft policy says it would rapidly identify land parcels aligned with power infrastructure for charging stations, providing favorable power tariffs to accelerate EV adoption.

Karnataka was the first in India to launch the EV policy in 2017. With approximately 2.5 lakh EVs registered and 700 charging stations, the state stands as the third highest in EV registrations nationally. It is also home to several electric vehicle makers like Ola Electric, Ather, Altigreen, and Bounce.