Auto sector hails move on electric, hybrid vehicles

The budget for 2011-12 also proposed to cut excise duty on development and manufacturing of hybrid vehicle kits to 5 per cent from the existing 10 per cent, besides fully exempting customs and counter-vailing duty (CVD) on import of special hybrid parts.

“The Indian automobile market is the second fastest growing in the world and has shown nearly 30 per cent growth this year. To provide green and clean transportation for masses, National Mission for Hybrid & Electric Vehicles will be launched in collaboration with all stakeholders,” Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said presenting the budget. Substantial investments have been made across the world in the field of hybrid and electric mobility, he added. Currently, hybrid vehicles enjoy a concessional excise duty  of 10 per cent.

“In response to the growing demand for green products, a technology has been developed indigenously for the conversion of fossil fuel vehicles into hybrid vehicles through the fitment of a kit. I propose to reduce the excise duty on such kits and their parts from 10 per cent to 5 per cent,” he said.

Besides, Mukherjee announced withdrawing fully basic customs duty and special CVD on import of specified parts of such vehicles as “import dependence for their critical parts/ sub-assemblies is still quite high”. “In addition, a concessional rate of excise duty of 5 per cent is being prescribed to incentivise their domestic production,” he added.

In November last year, the government had announced a Rs 95 crore incentive package for the electric vehicle makers for the remaining part of the 11th plan. Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers President Pawan Goenka told PTI: “This is a very welcome move. It will allow advanced technologies to be developed in India rather than importing technology”.

Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles President Naveen Munjal welcomed the move. “The government is finally realising the importance of electric and hybrid vehicles in the Indian automotive sector. This is bound to give a huge boost to the sector once the final policy is formulated,” Munjal said.