Chandigarh's ambitious drive towards electric mobility is delivering spectacular environmental dividends, with a staggering 16-fold increase in electric vehicle (EV) registrations over a mere five years. This explosive growth has triggered a monumental 26-fold leap in cumulative carbon dioxide savings, positioning the city as a frontrunner in urban climate action.
Electric Vehicle Adoption: The Numbers Tell the Story
The data reveals an extraordinary trajectory. In 2021, Chandigarh had 1,089 registered electric vehicles. By 2025, that number had ballooned to 17,404, marking a transformative shift in the city's transport landscape. This surge is directly linked to a parallel jump in environmental benefits. Cumulative carbon dioxide emission savings, measured in kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (kt CO₂e), soared from 5.6 kt CO₂e in 2021 to nearly 150 kt CO₂e by 2025.
A pivotal catalyst for this change was the introduction of the Chandigarh EV Policy in September 2022. The administration's strategy, offering a host of financial incentives, successfully encouraged consumers to make the switch from fossil fuel-based vehicles to cleaner electric alternatives. The most significant jump in EV absorption was witnessed following this policy intervention.
"Overall, there is a clear positive link between rising EV adoption and increasing CO₂ emission reductions, emphasising the importance of electric mobility in achieving climate and sustainability goals," stated a source from CREST, the organization behind the assessment covering 2021 to 2025. The transportation sector remains a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, making this shift critically important for air quality and climate change mitigation.
Solar Power: The Twin Engine of Green Transition
Chandigarh's climate strategy is not solely reliant on EVs. A massive parallel push for solar energy has significantly amplified its emission reduction efforts. The Union Territory has achieved an installed rooftop solar capacity of 103 MWp across 11,663 sites. Notably, it has reached 100% rooftop solar saturation across all 377 government non-residential buildings, with most government housing also covered where feasible.
These solar installations are powering a clean energy revolution, generating approximately 84 million units (MU) of clean electricity annually. This output results in a reduction of nearly 57,960 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year. An official highlighted the scale of this achievement, noting, "This level of emission reduction is environmentally significant and is equivalent to an increase in adoption of 14,000 electric vehicles annually."
Net-Zero Buildings Set a National Benchmark
A standout achievement within this solar push is that 37 buildings have successfully attained Net-Zero Energy Status. These structures now generate sufficient solar energy on an annual basis to completely offset their total electricity consumption. This milestone is a major step in Chandigarh's journey towards becoming a "Model Solar City" and realising its long-term vision of Net-Zero government buildings, setting a replicable benchmark for other States and Union Territories across India.
The detailed data on EV growth and carbon savings is summarized below:
- 2021: 1,089 EVs | 5.6 kt CO₂e saved
- 2022: 1,759 EVs | 15.9 kt CO₂e saved
- 2023: 4,335 EVs | 38.9 kt CO₂e saved
- 2024: 11,113 EVs | 83.8 kt CO₂e saved
- 2025: 17,404 EVs | 150 kt CO₂e saved
The cumulative savings represent emissions avoided by replacing conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with electric vehicles. These estimates were calculated using standard emission factors and methodologies referenced from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The figures underscore a powerful urban model where targeted policy on electric mobility, coupled with aggressive renewable energy adoption, can yield rapid and measurable benefits in the fight against climate change.
