Centre Proposes 5-Year Age Extension For EVs, Hydrogen, CNG Vehicles

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed raising the permissible age limit for battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-driven vehicles by five years, as per draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

The draft rules were published on August 10, and the ministry has sought public feedback for 30 days. The amendments will take effect only once notified in the Official Gazette.

What The Draft Proposes

The five-year extension would apply to the age limits set for electric, hydrogen and CNG-powered vehicles, though the ministry has not clarified what the revised maximum age would be for each category once the extension is applied.

This change relates to rule 88(3) of the existing rules, which currently voids a national permit once a multiaxle goods vehicle turns 15 years old, or 12 years for other goods carriers, unless the vehicle is swapped out. Vehicle age, as per this rule, is counted from the date the vehicle, or its prime mover in case of an articulated vehicle, was first registered.

The ministry also wants to let operators secure national permits online for periods of up to five years in one go, paying ₹16,500 annually into the national permit account. Both the permit application, filed via Form 46, and its approval through Form 47, would move to an electronic format under the proposed changes.

Temporary Registration Rules Tweaked

The draft also revises how temporary registration works. A bare chassis, without a body built on it, would get six months of temporary registration. Where fitting the body takes longer, whether due to workshop delays or circumstances beyond the owner's control, authorities could grant 30-day extensions as needed.

A shorter window of 45 days has been proposed for vehicles that are fully assembled but need modification for a different use, or are being registered outside the state where the dealer operates.

New Norms For Component Makers

Component manufacturers that carry out research and development for the auto industry, and are certified by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, would now fall under the rules governing trade certificates, according to the draft.

On documentation, the ministry wants several details pulled automatically from the VAHAN database the moment a dealer certificate or vehicle number is entered. Dealers would additionally need to furnish GST numbers, PAN, Udyam Aadhaar and their Corporate Identification Number, wherever these apply.

Vehicle owners, meanwhile, would need to link an Aadhaar-registered mobile number under Form 20. For vehicles bought on loan, lease or hire-purchase, the paperwork would now also capture the relevant loan or agreement number.

Form 48 stands to be updated too, with a requirement to list a vehicle's registration validity, insurance status, pollution certificate, fitness certificate, outstanding challans and any prior national permit held.