Patiala, Dec. 17 -- The demand for electric vehicles has shot up in Punjab in the last few years, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) said during the ongoing winter session in the Parliament. According to the ministry's data, the registration of EV two-wheelers in Punjab rose from 128 in 2020 to 21,229 in 2025 (till November 27). "As of electric cars, the number has risen from 11 in 2020 to 2,670 in 2025 (till November 27). The number jumped from 799 in 2023 to 1,469 in 2024, and then to 2,670 by November 27, 2025," the ministry said, adding that the jump has been quite significant in the past two years. This change, as per the experts, came only after Punjab introduced its e-vehicle policy in 2023, whereby the government offered an exemption to e-vehicles from road tax. The road tax in Punjab is between 9-13% of the ex-showroom price of the vehicle. The exemption will be applicable irrespective of the price of an e-vehicle, but no further subsidy is provided. Whereas Chandigarh, in addition to road tax exemption, also provides a subsidy on purchasing the e-vehicle, while neighbouring Haryana offers 15% subsidy on EVs. In Haryana, around 4,248 e-vehicles have been registered in 2025, till November. "Punjab EV policy is a comprehensive policy aiming to encourage electric vehicle adoption in the state. The current policy framework is up to 2026. It needs further extension, at least up to five years. At the same time, charging stations have to be increased. This will encourage people to adopt the electric powertrain, and Punjab will contribute to India's global quest to reduce the carbon emissions norms," Dr Mohd Parvez, owner-founder of Automotive portal Xroaders, said. Another EV enthusiast, Dr Simran Dhaliwal, highlighted gaps in EV charging infrastructure in the state. "In many cities of the state, there is not even a single charging station. The state needs to implement their EV policy in letter and spirit because the policy states that there will be one public charging station for every 10 electric vehicles in the target cities of the state," said Dr Simran....