The missing ‘reuse’ principle in India’s EV transition journey, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• India's electric vehicle adoption is increasing, with growing manufacturing investments and policy support.
• Current policy frameworks, such as the Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021 and the Environment Protection (End of Life Vehicles) Rules, 2025, primarily focus on vehicle recycling and material recovery.
• As of January 2026, 129 Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities were operational, processing 4.3 lakh vehicles.
• The article highlights a missing 'reuse' principle, specifically vehicle retrofitment, in India's EV transition strategy.
• Retrofitment involves converting existing internal combustion engine vehicles to electric powertrains, extending their useful life.

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Detailed Insights:

• The current 'scrap-first' approach for ageing vehicles overlooks the opportunity to extend asset life and accelerate electrification through reuse.
• Retrofitment preserves the functionality and value embedded in structurally sound vehicles, unlike recycling which only recovers materials.
• Scrapping a two-wheeler generates approximately 90 kilograms of material for recycling and 18 kilograms of landfill waste.
• A 'scrap-first' approach for India's 30 crore vehicles could generate 2.7 crore tonnes of recyclable material and 0.54 crore tonnes of landfill waste.
• Retrofitment aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal no. 12 (responsible consumption and production) by reducing material demand and waste generation.
• A proposed vehicle hierarchy suggests three pathways: continued operation for safe vehicles, retrofitment for structurally sound vehicles with inefficient powertrains, and scrappage for unsafe or severely degraded vehicles.
• This hierarchical approach would ensure that vehicles are treated based on their condition rather than age alone, promoting genuine circular economy principles.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Circular Economy: An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources.
• Vehicle Retrofitment: The process of replacing an internal combustion engine with an electric powertrain in an existing vehicle.
• Scrappage Policy: Government regulations that encourage or mandate the removal and recycling of old, polluting vehicles.
• End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs): Vehicles that are no longer roadworthy or economically viable to repair, designated for dismantling and recycling.