Driving Change on Two Wheels in Pune

Pune is one of India’s most rapidly growing urban centers and faces the dual challenge of expanding mobility while reducing its environmental footprint. With two-wheelers dominating the city’s transport mix, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) recognized electrification as a transformative opportunity. In 2021, it set up a dedicated EV Cell, the first of its kind in the country, to design and implement a holistic EV Readiness Plan.

This plan addresses not just infrastructure, but also policy reform, institutional innovation, manufacturing, skill-building, and community engagement. By establishing clear adoption targets (35% of 2Ws, 25% of 3Ws, and 50% of aggregator fleets by 2025), Pune has positioned itself as a national leader in e-mobility transition. The project aims to create a cleaner, healthier, and more inclusive transport ecosystem while catalyzing local economic development through EV-related industries and jobs.

Pune’s EV Readiness Plan is one of the most comprehensive in India. It combines regulation, infrastructure, and innovation:

• Governance & Policy: Creation of a single-window clearance system for private charging operators; regulatory reforms to simplify EV adoption.
• Infrastructure: Detailed city deployment plan for charging and battery swapping stations; upgrading of upstream power distribution networks to handle increased load.
• Fleet Mandates: Gradual conversion of e-commerce, logistics, and passenger fleets with binding targets.
• Urban Integration: Establishment of low-emission zones, dedicated EV parking, and retrofitting schemes for existing ICE vehicles.
• Digital Tools: Launch of a public EV dashboard and dedicated EV Cell website to ensure transparency, data sharing, and citizen engagement.
• Awareness & Capacity Building: Skill-training programs for mechanics, drivers, and entrepreneurs to adapt to EV technologies.

This phased implementation ensures early wins (charging stations, pilot fleets, awareness) while building the foundation for long-term systemic transformation.

Collaboration is central to Pune’s EV journey. Many actors are key to the initiative:

• Government leadership: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) anchors the plan through the EV Cell.
• Private sector: Clean Mobility Solution India & India Accelerator invested in local EV manufacturing (Zbee plant).
• National & state support: Subsidies and incentives under FAME II and Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (2024).
• Academia: Local universities support research, training, and data monitoring.
• Civil society & international partners: NGOs and donor agencies provide technical assistance, ensuring inclusiveness and just transition.

Public buy-in is essential to scale adoption. Pune has invested in building trust and awareness by:

• Running mass awareness campaigns emphasizing cost savings, health benefits, and cleaner air.
• Leveraging digital platforms and the EV dashboard to share live progress and adoption targets.
• Conducting skill-building and training programs for local mechanics, fleet drivers, and students to reduce resistance and create a future-ready workforce.
• Organizing public consultations and campaigns in schools and universities to embed the EV culture among youth.

Pune combines municipal, state, and private funding to make EV adoption viable.

• ₹10 billion (USD 120 million) mobilized across infrastructure, incentives, and manufacturing.
• National subsidies under FAME II and EMPS 2024 reduce upfront vehicle costs.
• Private investment: Clean Motion invested USD 10 million in the Zbee EV 3W plant.
• Public-private partnerships fund charging infrastructure roll-out.
• Innovative business models like battery swapping and leasing reduce user entry costs.

Although still in the early stages, Pune’s EV push is already showing visible results:

• Governance innovation: EV Cell established as a replicable governance model.
• Manufacturing boost: Local production of Zbee e-3Ws began in 2024.
• Infrastructure rollout: Expansion of charging/swapping network reduces “range anxiety.”
• Fleet transition: Aggregators and e-commerce fleets are converting in line with mandates.
• Awareness rise: Increased EV visibility, awareness events, and media campaigns.
• Expected environmental benefits: Reductions in CO₂ and particulate emissions from the largest vehicle segments.

Despite strong progress, Pune faces critical hurdles:

• High upfront costs still deter individual adopters, especially low-income drivers.
• Infrastructure gaps persist, particularly in dense neighborhoods where land availability is limited.
• Financing models are underdeveloped for small businesses and informal drivers.
• Capacity gaps remain in EV mechanics, retrofitting expertise, and workforce skilling.
• Behavioral resistance: Some users remain hesitant due to range concerns and unfamiliarity with EVs.

Pune’s model offers a replicable pathway for other Indian and global cities:

• Dedicated EV Cell: Creates centralized, accountable governance that cuts across silos.
• Holistic approach: Targets not just vehicles, but infrastructure, manufacturing, and public awareness.
• Clear adoption targets: Quantifiable goals drive accountability and progress tracking.
• Private sector integration: Manufacturing and fleet mandates align business incentives with city goals.
• Community engagement: Awareness, training, and consultations ensure a just and inclusive transition.

Pune demonstrates that electrifying two- and three-wheelers at scale is not only feasible but also accelerates low-carbon, inclusive mobility. Its governance-led, ecosystem-based approach makes it a living laboratory for the EV transition, capable of inspiring other cities across India and globally.

• Pune EV Readiness Plan – PMC
• Clean Motion: Zbee Manufacturing Launch in Pune
• Ministry of Heavy Industries – Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme
• UTMC Policy brief: the promising role of electric two- & three-wheelers in indian cities

Pune Municipal Corporation
EV Cell Department
evcell@punecorporation.org

Shri. Santosh Varule
EV Cell Department
Deputy Commissioner
dmc.environment@punecorporation.org