Delhi High Court Rejects PIL Seeking Use of Lead Acid Batteries in e-Rickshaws

The Delhi High Court rejected a public interest litigation (PIL) which sought to allow the use of lead acid batteries in electric rickshaws. The bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramoniam Prasad refused to entertain the IPL filed by an e-rickshaw driver which challenged Delhi Transport Authority’s order that refuses the registration of e-rickshaws that run on acid batteries. The petitioner held that the authority was promoting the use of lithium ion batteries.

The court didn’t get into the details of the petition and held that it’s a policy decision of the government. The bench even opined that the acid batteries are dangerous in nature and the lithium batteries are already being employed in multiple appliances. The petitioner wanted the court to allow the use of both types of batteries in e-rickshaws.

The court called the petition to be ‘sponsored one’ but allowed the petitioner to withdraw the PIL without attracting any cost from the court. The plea for the use of lead acid batteries was rejected despite its contention that lead acid batteries are cheaper and safer compared with lithium ion substitutes.

The Delhi EV Policy that was rolled out in 2020 provided a thrust to e-rickshaws and e-carts where per vehicle per person would attract a purchase incentive Rs 30,000 for e-rickshaws that come with acid batteries. But those having ‘advanced batteries’ get interest subvention of 5 per cent on loans. The Central Government’s FAME-II scheme that intends to hasten the adoption of electric vehicles in the country offers incentives of Rs 50,000 on every e-rickshaw purchase. Electric vehicles have been kept at the lowest GST rate of 5 per cent.

In April also, the Delhi High Court had pulled up the Delhi Government for failing to act against the e-rickshaws whose fitness and registration certificates had expired.

Lithium Or Lead Acid?

Lead acid batteries have an overwhelming domination in the e-rickshaw segment; about 96% according to one source. As per a report, by 2025, the share of lithium-ion battery-powered e-rickshaw is expected to grow more than 50%.

The present cost of lithium ion batteries is 2-3 times higher than lead acid ones but the cycle life is 6-10 times higher. Hence, less battery replacements are required in a vehicle. Lead acid batteries have cycles of 500-1000 while lithium batteries would go between 3000 and 10,000 cycles.

Lithium batteries offer much higher capacity and come in smaller sizes. The recycling of acid lead batteries is also problematic as the danger of acid leakage into the environment is always there.