Ola, Uber, Rapido must transition to 100% EV fleets by July 2027 in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government has set July 2027 as the deadline for bike taxi aggregators, including Ola, Uber, Rapido and others, to transition to 100% electric fleets.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the State Transport Department issued a letter in October to ride-hailing aggregators and Regional Transport Offices across Maharashtra, giving operators a nine-month phased transition period following directions from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Under the plan, aggregators currently operating petrol-powered bike taxis have six months in the first phase to comply with the electric vehicle mandate. Operators with provisional or temporary licences under the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules, 2025, will get an additional three months to meet the requirement, as per the report.

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The directive comes amid concerns from bike taxi associations and riders about the mandatory shift to electric vehicles.

In September, the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Welfare Association wrote to Fadnavis and other officials seeking one-and-a-half years to complete the transition. Amit Gawde, president of the association, said most bike taxi riders come from middle or lower-middle-class backgrounds, making it difficult to invest in an electric vehicle at once. He also cited the lack of EV charging infrastructure and the shorter life of electric vehicles as challenges.

Aggregators had requested an extension until 2030, referring to the Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy and the need for more time to transition their fleets. However, the government granted only nine months.

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The move follows increased enforcement against unauthorised and non-compliant bike taxi operations in Maharashtra.

State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the government initially considered allowing a 50:50 mix of petrol and electric motorcycles. The Cabinet rejected this proposal due to concerns that companies might avoid procuring electric vehicles despite having the capacity, given their higher cost.