The newly proposed policy by the Delhi government mandating that a household’s third private car must be an electric vehicle (EV) is a textbook example of coercive environmentalism that lacks both economic foresight and scientific robustness. By barring the registration of fossil fuel-powered three-wheelers from August this year and imposing a similar restriction on two-wheelers by 2026, the new state government is taking a page out of the global Left-‘liberal’ climate agenda, ignoring the nuanced realities of energy production, economic feasibility, and consumer convenience.

While the push for EVs is framed as a step towards reducing pollution, the underlying truth about electric vehicles tells a different story. Proponents claim that EVs are a cleaner alternative, yet the reality of their environmental impact remains shrouded in uncertainty.

The mining and processing of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel — necessary for EV batteries — come with a massive environmental footprint. These energy-intensive processes generate significant emissions, largely offsetting any perceived benefits of EV adoption.

Moreover, a shift towards EVs will make India increasingly dependent on China, the world’s dominant supplier of rare earth metals........

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