Delhi to ban petrol two-wheelers soon? New rules hint at big changes for bike and scooter buyers

Delhi may soon stop new petrol two-wheeler registrations, triggering concern among riders as a major shift in commuting looms, potentially impacting millions dependent on bikes and scooters daily.

New Delhi: Delhi government’s draft EV Policy 2.0 has brought forward a provision under which it plans to stop fresh registrations of petrol, diesel and CNG-fueled two-wheelers from August 15, 2026, in a bid to boost adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and curb pollution.

This policy is currently under consideration and might be cleared by Delhi cabinet this week. According to news agency PTI, the government will not allow fresh registrations of petrol or CNG-powered two-wheelers from August 15, 2026.

Experts feel that if this proposal goes live then soon EV two-wheelers will dominate Delhi roads.

Draft EV policy 2.0:

The Delhi government has said that from August 15, 2026, only electric two-wheelers will be allowed to get registered in Delhi. In case you want to buy a new petrol-powered two-wheeler after this date, then you won’t be able to get it registered in Delhi.

The plan might shake the entire automobile industry in Delhi as it will stop the registration of new petrol and diesel two-wheelers. At present petrol-powered scooters and motorcycles account for most of the two-wheeler sales in Delhi.

Buyers can get EV subsidies up to ₹30,000:

Delhi government’s draft electric vehicle (EV) policy includes subsidies of up to ₹30,000 on purchase of electric two-wheelers based on battery capacity. Buyers will also get road tax exemptions, registration fee waiver, scrapping incentives for purchase of electric two-wheelers.

“The Delhi EV policy draft also includes plans to develop charging infrastructure and battery recycling plants,” said officials.

Here’s the official tweet:

Delhi Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2026–2030 (Draft):

Electrification Mandates
•From 2027: Only electric three-wheelers allowed for new registration.
•From 2028: Only electric two-wheelers allowed for new registration.
•School buses: Minimum 30% electric by 2030.
•Government… pic.twitter.com/hajMoQvD1e

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2026

EVs will reduce pollution significantly:

• Two-wheelers account for almost two-thirds of the total vehicles in Delhi.
• Hence government officials have said that if they could electricise two-wheelers alone in Delhi then pollution will come down drastically.

This apart by promoting the adoption of electric vehicles Delhi government has said that it is planning for up to 95% adoption of EVs in new registration category by 2027.

Business impact:

• Auto dealers and manufacturers will be hit hard by Delhi government’s decision to ban registration of new petrol two-wheelers.
• Companies like Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motors that sell the majority of petrol two-wheelers will take a major hit if the government goes ahead with its plans.

Delhi people who want to buy petrol two-wheelers will face difficulty because they will not get registration of their vehicles after August 15, 2026. But since running and maintenance cost of EV two-wheelers are cheaper than petrol or diesel vehicles people might not feel the pinch.

Charging infrastructure and price are some concerns:

• Delhi lacks the charging infrastructure needed for large-scale EV adoption.
• Unless the government addresses this concern buying an electric vehicle will not be viable for common people.

Also the high upfront cost of EV two-wheelers might deter people from buying them.