Air pollution in Delhi, the capital of India, was found to be one of the most lethal of any city in the world in an August 2022 study of 7,000 world cities by the US-based Health Effects Institute.[2] Air pollution in India is estimated to kill about 2 million people every year. India has the world’s highest death rate from chronic respiratory diseases and asthma according to the World Health Organization.[3] In Delhi, poor air quality has irreversibly damaged the lungs of 2.2 million children.
On 25 November 2019, the Supreme Court of India expressed their sentiments on the pollution in Delhi, saying “Delhi has become worse than narak (hell)”.[4] Supreme Court Justice Arun Mishra remarked that it is “better to get explosives, (and) kill everyone.”[5]
During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in India, the air quality in Delhi significantly improved.[6][7]
India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences published a research paper in October 2018 attributing almost 41% of air pollution to vehicular emissions, 21.5% to dust and 18% to industrial emissions.[8]
If the largest single factor is vehicle emissions, I wonder how far people there typically go. Like, if it’s people who are only driving around the city, that might be a good candidate for EV use.
EDIT: Sounds like they’re already on it, just started some major push.
Delhi’s new EV Policy 2.0 introduces financial subsidies for electric vehicles starting July 1, 2026, and implements a phased ban on new petrol/CNG vehicle registrations (including petrol two-wheelers by April 1, 2028), though existing registered petrol vehicles can still be legally driven
Delhi will stop registering new petrol and CNG three-wheelers from January 1, 2027. Registration of new petrol two-wheelers will also end from April 1, 2028.
The ban applies only to new vehicle registrations. Existing petrol vehicles, or those bought before the 2028 deadline, can continue to be used legally until the end of their permitted lifespan.
Highway there is like literal hell, 50 ppl sharing one lane, you are quite literally bumper to bumper on the highway going highway speeds, youll see 3-5 ppl sharing one moped somehow, like poor families that need to travel for whatever reason.
Somehow no one crashes, no turn signals, just constant never ending honking which lowkey feels like sonar. (they can tell the distance without looking)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_Delhi
If the largest single factor is vehicle emissions, I wonder how far people there typically go. Like, if it’s people who are only driving around the city, that might be a good candidate for EV use.
EDIT: Sounds like they’re already on it, just started some major push.
https://www.outlookindia.com/national/delhis-petrol-bike-ban-should-you-still-buy-a-two-wheeler-in-2026
Highway there is like literal hell, 50 ppl sharing one lane, you are quite literally bumper to bumper on the highway going highway speeds, youll see 3-5 ppl sharing one moped somehow, like poor families that need to travel for whatever reason.
Somehow no one crashes, no turn signals, just constant never ending honking which lowkey feels like sonar. (they can tell the distance without looking)