Section 80EEB – Deduction in respect of interest paid on loan taken for the purchase of electric vehicle

Budget 2021 update :It has been proposed to exempt the senior citizens from filing income tax returns if pension income and interest income are their only annual income source. Section 194P has been newly inserted to enforce the banks to deduct tax on senior citizens more than 75 years of age who have a pension and interest income from the bank.

1. Features of Section 80EEB

a) Eligibility criteria

The deduction under this section is available only to individuals. This deduction is not available to any other taxpayer. Thus, if you are a HUF, AOP, Partnership firm, a company, or any other kind of taxpayer, you cannot claim any benefit under this section.

b) Amount of deduction

A deduction for interest payments up to Rs 1,50,000 is available under Section 80EEB. An individual taxpayer may have an electric vehicle for personal use or for business use. This deduction would facilitate individuals having an electric vehicle for personal use to claim the interest paid on the vehicle loan.

In case of business use, an individual can also claim the deduction up to Rs 1,50,000 under section 80EEB. Any interest payments above Rs 1,50,000 can be claimed as a business expense. To claim as a business expense, it is necessary that the vehicle should be registered in the name of the owner or the business enterprise.

Do note that an individual taxpayer should obtain the interest paid certificate and keep the necessary documents such as tax invoice and loan documents handy at the time of filing of the return.

2. Conditions for claiming the deduction

• The loan must be taken from a financial institution or a non-banking financial company for buying an electric vehicle.
• The loan must be sanctioned anytime during the period starting from 1 April 2019 till 31 March 2023.
• “Electric vehicle” has been defined to mean a vehicle which is powered exclusively by an electric motor whose traction energy is supplied exclusively by traction battery installed in the vehicle and has such electric regenerative braking system, which during braking provides for the conversion of vehicle kinetic energy into electrical energy.

3. Promotion of electric vehicle mobility solution

The union cabinet has approved Phase-II of FAME scheme for promotion of electric mobility in the country. The FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) is an incentive scheme of the government of India for the promotion of electric and hybrid vehicles in the country. The ultimate objective of the scheme is to promote electric mobility and the scheme offers financial incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles and the creation of electric transportation and charging infrastructure. Under the scheme, the incentives are available for 3 Wheelers, 4 Wheelers and electric 2 wheelers.

The Phase-II of the scheme has started from 1 April 2019 and will be completed by 31 March 2022. The Phase-II is an expanded version of the first phase. FAME India Phase II has a total outlay of Rs 10000 Crores over a period of 3 years from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2022.