A new Supreme Court proposal could fast-track India’s electric transition by targeting luxury ICE cars without hurting the mass market
EV adoption in India, the world’s most populous nation, has been slower than policymakers anticipated, but the country’s Supreme Court now believes it may have found a new lever to accelerate change.
The judges have urged the government to consider a gradual phase-out of luxury ICE cars, arguing that a targeted approach could push cleaner mobility without disturbing the broader market.
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The bench suggests that withdrawing luxury and premium models with combustion engines, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids, could act as a test case for a measured “phased transition” toward electric mobility.
According to Autocar India, EVs already account for around 12 percent of sales in the premium segments, far higher than the 2–3 percent share seen among mass-market models.
Could a Luxury Ban Spark an EV Shift?
Critics point out that luxury vehicles represent a tiny fraction of India’s automotive landscape, arguing that the proposed ban would have a limited impact on national emissions. Others blame the weak scrappage policy for the country’s aging fleet of cars and LCVs which poses a far bigger pollution problem.
Others point instead to the weak vehicle scrappage framework, which leaves aging cars and light commercial vehicles on the road far beyond their prime, an issue that poses a much larger pollution challenge.
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Even so, the court maintains that an EV-only requirement for high-end models would send a clear signal without harming affordability for the masses and disrupting the nation’s new car market.
As India Today reports, Justice Kant noted that carmakers already offer a range of premium electric models matching the comfort and performance of their combustion counterparts.
He explained, “Since these vehicles cater to a very small and affluent segment, imposing restrictions on high-end petrol and diesel cars can be a starting point. The common man will not be affected.”
The Government’s Willing To Discuss
Luxury brands such as Mercedes and BMW already maintain substantial zero-emission lineups, yet an internal combustion ban would inevitably reshape their operations in India, bringing possible ripple effects for local employment and supplier investment.
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For now, the idea remains a proposal without firm timelines. However, the Supreme Court has asked the government to review its National Electric Mobility Mission Plan, with another hearing scheduled for December.
India’s Attorney General confirmed that the administration is “alive to the idea,” citing ongoing coordination across 13 ministries and departments, covering everything from manufacturing incentives to charging infrastructure.
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Thanos Pappas, a product design engineer by trade, has been wading through automotive journalism for… Read full bio
