Delhi-NCR’s EV Push: Who will face LGV registration curbs from January 2027? All vehicle owners need to know

CAQM Mandates Phased Transition for LGV Registrations

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued directions under Section 12 of the CAQM Act, 2021, mandating a phased transition to cleaner Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) across Delhi-NCR. The order, reported by The Financial Express and The Hindu Business Line, will restrict new registrations of diesel, petrol and, in some areas, CNG LGVs starting January 2027. It applies only to new registrations and does not automatically ban existing petrol, diesel or CNG LGVs.

The restrictions are based on the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and its place of registration. For N1 vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes), no new diesel, petrol or CNG LGVs can be registered in Delhi from January 1, 2027. The restriction extends to Gurugram, Sonipat, Faridabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad from July 1, 2027. For the rest of NCR, new diesel or petrol N1 LGVs are barred from January 1, 2028, but CNG remains excluded from this restriction.

For N2 vehicles (above 3.5 tonnes and up to 7.5 tonnes), Delhi will see a ban on new diesel, petrol or CNG registrations from January 1, 2028. The five high vehicle-density districts will follow from July 1, 2028, and the rest of NCR will prohibit new diesel and petrol N2 LGVs from January 1, 2029, again excluding CNG.

Rationale: Disproportionate Pollution from LGVs

CAQM's order cites air quality expert assessments showing that vehicles account for around 23% of total PM2.5 load during winter and 18% during summer in Delhi-NCR. Although LGVs constitute only about 1.2% of the active vehicle stock across NCR, they are responsible for around 3.3% of particulate matter emissions from the active fleet. This contribution is estimated at 5.1% in Delhi, 2.3% in the five high vehicle density districts, and 3.1% in the rest of NCR.

CAQM also referenced BS-VI (2026) emission factors made available by ARAI, stating that a BS-VI CNG LGV generates more than 57 times the PM2.5 of a BS-VI CNG passenger car, while a diesel LGV emits around 130 times more. The commission noted that goods vehicles have higher particulate emissions due to their higher utilisation and emission intensity, and that their use is expanding with e-commerce, courier services, logistics and urban goods movement.

On nitrogen oxides, CAQM said CNG produces lower direct particulate emissions but continues to emit NOx, which contributes to secondary PM2.5 formation. Citing a 2022 TERI analysis, it said vehicles account for around 18-22% of the total NOx load in the NCR region.

Industry Concerns: CNG's Role and EV Readiness

Industry veterans told The Hindu Business Line that the CNG segment, which has been a key component of Delhi-NCR's efforts to reduce vehicular pollution, is well on its way to becoming redundant as the region moves towards an all-electric fleet of small commercial vehicles. They highlighted that CNG vehicles currently offer faster turnaround times than electric vehicles because they can be refuelled quickly, while charging infrastructure for commercial EVs remains inadequate.

S P Singh, Fellow and Coordinator of the Indian Federation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT), said restricting CNG-fuelled trucks is incongruous with the broader clean-fuel agenda. "Small fleet owners, independent operators and drivers are the backbone of the economy and such policies could disrupt their operations," he told the publication. An auto industry executive echoed that the order could create disturbance in the logistics chain among small and medium businesses.

Critics also point out that CNG and LPG vehicles, while more polluting than electric vehicles overall, have advantages over petrol and diesel. They emit less carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases and burn cleaner, according to industry sources. CNG was introduced in Delhi's public transport and commercial ecosystem more than two decades ago and played a major role in reducing urban air pollution.

However, an industry veteran noted that the environmental benefits of electric vehicles must be assessed against the source of electricity used for charging and the end-of-life treatment of batteries.

Market Readiness: EV Availability and Infrastructure

The Hindu Business Line reported that Delhi-NCR is the largest market for CNG-powered N1 vehicles, with more than 1.03 lakh units as of December 2025, according to industry estimates, while the electric N1 fleet stood at only around 5,000 units. There are 20 electric N1 models from nine registered manufacturers. In the N2 segment, there are six EV models from four registered manufacturers. In 2025, 2,744 new N2 LGVs were registered in Delhi-NCR, but none of them was electric, as per The Financial Express.

Companies including Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Ashok Layland's subsidiary Switch Mobility, VE Commercial Vehicles and Euler Motors offer electric vehicles in the N1 segment, according to The Hindu Business Line.

Charging infrastructure outside Delhi and the five HVD districts is at an initial stage, as noted in the analysis. The CAQM's August 19, 2025 direction, reported by The Hindu Business Line, will require a rapid transition from CNG to electric vehicles, with the EV focus on charging use and upfront cost as key challenges.

Perspectives

Regulator's view: CAQM's order emphasises the need to cut PM2.5 from a vehicle segment that is a small share of the fleet but high in emissions intensity. It sets a phased timeline for new registrations and excludes CNG in the rest of NCR, but manual is aimed at driving down low-PM2.5 sources.

Industry / operators' concerns: Industry veterans say CNG vehicles are vital for last-mile logistics due to their fast refuelling, and moving to an electric fleet faces infrastructure and affordability hurdles. S P Singh of IFTRT warns of disruption to small fleet owners and independent operators, while acknowledging that CNG trucks are being phased out.

Cautious on climate benefits: CNG and LPG vehicles are largely less conventional fuels, but EVs are positioned as the cleaner end-game. The industry’s caution point: the total footprint of EVs depends on the power source and battery disposal.