Ola, Uber, bike taxis in Maharashtra get 9 months to switch to 100% EV fleets - The Indian Express
The Maharashtra government has set July 2027 as the deadline for bike taxi aggregators, including Ola, Uber, Rapido and other bike taxis to transition to a 100 per cent electric fleet.
In October, the State Transport Department wrote to ride-hailing aggregators and Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across Maharashtra, granting a nine-month phased transition period to operators to switch to 100 percent EV fleets, following directions from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Under the 100 percent EV transition plan, aggregators currently operating petrol-powered bike taxis will be given six months in the first phase to comply with the EV mandate.
Operators that have applied for provisional or temporary licences under the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules, 2025, will receive an additional three months to meet the requirement.
The directive comes amid concerns raised by bike taxi associations and riders over the mandatory transition to electric vehicles.
In September, the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Welfare Association had written to CM Fadnavis and other officials, including the State Transport Minister and Transport Commissioner, requesting one-and-a-half years to fully switch to EVs given several considerations.
“Most bike taxi riders hail from middle or lower-middle-class backgrounds, making it difficult for them to undertake a significant investment to purchase an EV bike at once. The lack of EV charging infrastructure and the smaller life of an electric vehicle also makes this decision more difficult,” Amit Gawde, President of the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Welfare Association, said.
Aggregators had also sought an extension until 2030, citing the Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy and the need for more time to transition their fleets, according to a state government official.
The government has, however, granted them only nine months to switch to 100 percent EV fleets.
Aggregators had also sought an extension until 2030, citing the Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy and the need for more time to transition their fleets, according to a state government official. The government, however, has granted only a nine-month transition period.
The move comes as the state has stepped up enforcement against unauthorised and non-compliant bike taxi operations.
State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had earlier told The Indian Express that the government had initially considered allowing a 50:50 mix of petrol and electric motorcycles. However, the Cabinet rejected the proposal amid concerns that companies could choose not to procure electric vehicles despite having the capacity to do so, as they are more expensive.
