Ways to include women in Delhi’s EV policy
The electric mobility industry must include women in the value chain and state EV policies can provide that impetus through a multi-pronged approach.
The electrification of road transport is being adopted as a strategy to reduce India’s imports of fossil fuels and improve local air quality. According to research by the Delhi government and IIT-Kanpur, vehicular emissions accounted for 38% of air pollution in the capital city in November 2023.
The Delhi government adopted an electric vehicle (EV) policy in August 2020, which was operational until June 2024. The Delhi EV policy 2020 aimed to accelerate the adoption of EVs with a focus on two-wheelers, public/shared transport vehicles, and goods carriers. The policy set a target for EVs to constitute at least 25% of all new vehicle registrations by 2024. As per the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) data, EVs constituted 11% of newly registered vehicles in the city as of September 2024.
In 2022-23, Delhi had a female labour force participation rate of 16% in the age group of 15-59 compared to 79% for men. Access to a two-wheeler is critical for participation in the services and last-mile delivery sectors.
Over the last nine months, The Urban Catalysts conducted action-oriented research to include a gender lens in electric mobility systems, particularly electric two-wheelers. This was through our WELECTRIC programme and funded by the High-Volume Transport Applied Research Program by UK Aid. Our goal was to understand the ownership and use of electric two-wheelers amongst women and the barriers faced in the process through five entry points: driving training and license processes, design of vehicles, charging infrastructure, financing and institutional support. Primary data was collected through focus group discussions and surveys with male and female users of electric and ICE two-wheelers. These user groups were further categorised as predominantly personal users (users travelling to and from a fixed place of employment) and commercial users (users using two-wheelers for commercial work including food, grocery, and e-commerce delivery, and home services).
Our analysis revealed that gender-disaggregated data is not collected during the registration of vehicles. The share of licenses held by women provides some insight into their potential presence on the roads. For example, as per MoRTH data, women constituted 10% of driving licences issued in Delhi in 2020.
Our research revealed that male two-wheeler users in Delhi travel 1.3 to 1.7 times longer distances per day depending on the type of user (personal or commercial). EVs have a higher upfront cost, but operational costs are lower particularly when using the vehicle for longer distances. The total cost of ownership (TCO) for electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) is 29% to 58% higher for women in Delhi as compared to men, largely due to differences in vehicle utilisation. Women commercial users faced an annual cost difference of up to ₹8,950 more than their male counterparts.
The majority of surveyed E2W users (90% of personal users and 75% of commercial users) reported charging at their home locations regularly. This eliminates the need for users to ride to fuel stations as in the case of ICE 2W users. However, in emergencies and cases of long-distance usage, the need for more widespread public charging infrastructure was felt.
Both men and women emphasised the need for better information on the locations of charging stations. Women EV users were particularly concerned about the lack of fast chargers, safety and lack of amenities at public charging stations. This was published by Hindustan Times in an earlier article by The Urban Catalysts.
A major concern among E2W users is the post-sales service, including a shortage of skilled EV technicians. This results in long waiting times for servicing as repairs are undertaken at limited EV servicing stations, typically offered by the E2W OEMs.
As the GNCTD contemplates extending its current EV policy or formulating EV Policy 2.0, it is crucial that it addresses these concerns to increase women’s access to E2Ws, as these can provide mobility and unlock access to employment. Gender disaggregated data on vehicle registration (Table 1) is key to this, which can be collected with ease by including it in vehicle registration forms and published annually.
The EV policy could include targets on women’s ownership of electric vehicles and employment in the value chain. Targets, while politically sensitive, can enable better monitoring and tracking. In 2021, the Delhi government reserved 33% (1,406) of electric auto permits for women. Hindustan Times reported that only 14 out of 743 female applicants had registered for electric autos in 2022 after receiving the letter of intent, and there is a need to explore the challenges women face. Women have reported barriers such as delays in loan processing and high interest rates, which have hindered the uptake of e-autos.
A women-focused purchase subsidy for electric two-wheelers
The purchase subsidies aim to provide parity in the acquisition costs for electric two-wheelers amongst men and women. Our research shows that the TCO for E2Ws over a ten-year period is 29% to 58% higher for women as compared to men, largely due to differences in vehicle utilisation. This considers the current PM E-DRIVE subsidy and the erstwhile state subsidy for electric two-wheelers. A purchase subsidy of ₹3,000 per kWh, up to ₹10,000 could reduce the TCO for women by 15% to 29%.
A number of states have undertaken measures to improve women’s ownership of two-wheelers. Tamil Nadu’s Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment implemented the Amma Two-Wheeler Scheme for Working Women in 2018 to support women in purchasing two-wheelers by offering a 50% subsidy, up to ₹25,000. The scheme defined eligibility criteria and the subsidy was provided to beneficiaries after the purchase of the vehicle, upon submission of required documentation, including a valid driving license, proof of employment issued by the employer, the vehicle invoice, or loan details if financed. Women employed in informal sectors, such as those working in shops or establishments, NGOs, banking correspondents, and ASHA workers, were also eligible for this scheme.
In 2023, the Odisha government launched the Mission Shakti Scooter Yojna for a duration of one year. The scheme, implemented by the Department of Mission Shakti, offers an interest-free loan of up to ₹1 lakh to women working as Mission Shakti Federation Leaders and Community Support Staff. To eliminate financial barriers, the scheme allows women to access loans without a down payment for the total amount of the two-wheelers at a zero interest rate for a duration of four years. All banks that have previously collaborated with the Odisha government on other Mission Shakti financial schemes are eligible to participate. These banks will receive the interest portion of the loan from the state government upon submission of the required documents.
To further assist women in accessing loans, the government has established implementation modalities that include handholding support for eligible beneficiaries in the loan application process. Additionally, the scheme aims to conduct orientation programs for beneficiaries, bankers, and other stakeholders to disseminate information about the scheme.
Additionally, improving the quality of charging infrastructure is another vital aspect outlined in this article published by The Urban Catalysts in the Hindustan Times.
Provide a training-to-job subsidy for women EV technicians
Our primary survey with users underlined the need for EV technicians. Courses for EV technicians offered by private institutes in Delhi have a duration of 1 to 2 months and have a training fee of ₹20,000 and 25,000 per participant. A women-focused subsidy for learning-to-earn courses can encourage skilling institutes to forge partnerships with OEMs and attract women to these roles. Under its EV policy, Tamil Nadu offers an upskilling allowance to automotive manufacturing companies of ₹4,000 per worker per month for six months. For women, transgender employees, individuals with benchmarked disabilities, and persons from SC/ST communities, the training subsidy increases to ₹6,000 per worker per month for the same duration.
According to the Directorate of Training and Technical Education, there are 20 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Delhi. They offer courses for a duration of 1-2 years, a comparatively lower fee structure than private institutions; and female students are required to pay only half of the admission fee, with no subsequent fees charged thereafter. However, ITIs do not offer courses for E2W technicians. E2W technician courses can be included in ITIs in collaboration with OEMs for placement support.
Include gender experts (in transport, finance sectors and community engagement) within the EV cell
Under the Delhi EV policy 2020, a dedicated EV cell was established within the Transport Department for effective implementation of the policy. The role of the experts will be to support the Transport Department in increasing women’s uptake of EVs in Delhi and increase women’s employment in EV maintenance, repairs, and as drivers.
The electric mobility industry must include women in their value chain and as EV users. State EV policies can provide that impetus through a multi-pronged approach that addresses multiple barriers related to driving training and licensing, financing of vehicles and charging infrastructure. Therefore, we need to bring women into the Delhi EV Policy intentionally and holistically.
Sonal Shah is the founder of The Urban Catalysts (www.theurbancatalysts.org). The research team includes Manisha Sharma, Adithya D, Lakshmi R, Sutanu Pati, Priyadarshi Singh and Namrata Daniels. The views expressed are personal