Delhi govt launches WhatsApp chatbot, electric vehicle queries now on fingertips

Delhi government has launched a chatbot service, which will answer all queries related to electric vehicles (EVs). The state government in its bid to spread EV awareness in the capital has launched this chatbot on the instant-messaging platform WhatsApp.

The newly launched chatbot will help people living in the city to manage all their EV-related queries at their fingertips. Queries ranging from incentives, price, range, and charging solutions among others will be catered to by the chatbot.

Ashish Kundra, Delhi Transport Commissioner took to Twitter as he announced the launch of the chatbot with a tweet saying, “Delhi government has launched a #WhatsApp chatbot for #ElectricVehicles. Find your nearest charging station, know more about electric mobility, models, etc. Send a ‘hello’ at 98103 36008 and let’s collectively @SwitchDelhi”.

Upon texting “Hello”, the user is asked to opt for a preferred language between English and Hindi. In the next step, the chatbot lists five options – EV Calculator (Based on potential savings while switching to EV), EV Search (Find the right EV for yourself), Charging Stations, EV Pledge, and FAQs.

The initiative comes after the Delhi government recently announced its draft policy ‘Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator Scheme 2022’. The state government has mandated the transition to an all-electric fleet for cab services, food delivery companies, and e-commerce firms by April 01, 2030. 

Additionally, the Arvind Kejriwal-led government has proposed a fine of Rs 50,000 per vehicle for the companies who fail to adhere to the guideline.

Aiming to electrify a quarter of new vehicle sales by 2024, the Delhi government rolled out its EV policy in August 2020. Earlier this year, the EV sales percentage in the capital amounted to 12.5 per cent of the total vehicles sold. Just two years ago, the EV share was just 1.2 per cent and it has been surging robustly ever since.