Mumbai’s auto and taxi drivers say they are unable to switch to electric vehicles due to the lack of infrastructure and basic facilities needed to operate them. A report launched by Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik highlighted the urgent interventions required to speed up EV adoption in the city’s last-mile transport sector. The survey, conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1200 autorickshaw and taxi drivers across all 24 municipal wards of Mumbai, underscored the pressing need for support systems if electrification is to take off.

Speaking at the launch of the report titled “Wheels of Change, Understanding EV Adoption for Mumbai’s Auto & Taxi Drivers”, Sarnaik said creating an environmentally friendly “New Mumbai” is a shared responsibility achievable only through the collective efforts of all stakeholders. “The EV revolution is not just a change in the transport sector, but a transformative step towards building a clean, healthy, and economically viable Mumbai,” he said.