Electric vehicles’ number plates may go green

NEWDELHI: The Union road transport and highways ministry has recommended green registration plates for electric vehicles (EVS) so as to identify them for preferential treatment, such as special parking or discounted tolls.

The ministry will soon issue a notification specifying the colour of the plates to be used by these vehicles, two senior government officials said on condition of anonym- ity. According to the ministry’s proposal, while the registration plates of private electric vehicles will have a green background with numbers and letters in white, those of commercial electric vehicles will have a green background with numbers and letters in yellow, the officials added.

Federal think tank Niti Aayog, which is framing the draft policy for EVS, had recommended green registration plates for such vehicles. It has also constituted a team comprising seven ministries such as power, road and heavy industries to frame guidelines to promote such vehicles.

India currently has four number plates: white background with black numbers and letters for personal vehicles; yellow background with black letters for commercial vehicles; black background with yellow lettering for selfdriven rental vehicles; and blue background with white lettering for vehicles belonging to embassies and high commissions. White: Private vehicles Yellow: Commercial Blue: Vehicles registered under foreign consulates Red: Official vehicles of President and Governors Black, yellow letters: Self-driven rental cars Up arrow: Registrations for defence ministry