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-   -   Green number-plates for EVs | What are your thoughts on them? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/electric-cars/280920-green-number-plates-evs-what-your-thoughts-them-2.html)

Yes, legibility is a big problem, especially in low light conditions.
Also, distinguishing between a yellow board and a white board is tough, even though the lettering is in yellow and white respectively. The green background makes them look similar.

I am for distinguishing EVs from others, it definitely has the 'evangelical' value. It also tells you they have instant power on tap :).

Instead of the green background plate, a better idea would be an EV emblem on the plate. Or some indicators like a vertical or horizontal green line would do.
A beautifully designed EV emblem gets my vote.

Agree that there is a need to distinguish EVs - not only from an Evangelical perspective but also to practically implement EV specific relaxations such as on smog days.

Having said that the colour combination is a disaster. We should have a simple indicator (like the UK green flash) coupled with a normal number plate. Once EVs become common place the indicator can be dropped.

Agree 100% with GTO on these points.

On seeing EVs on road, the folks who are dicey b/w EVs and ICEs would take the plunge towards EVs.

Being a EV-owner myself, there were countless instances when I was stopped on the road and was enquired about the iQube. And, at least a handful of people have taken the plunge and bought an EV (iQube, Ather etc.,) after getting to know the pros / cons from me.

If not for the green board, people on the road would have thought that I'm riding a TVS-Jupiter and not have given a second thought.

Similarly, when we drive past an EV Nexon, Punch, Tiago etc., my son & I point at it and talk about it. If not for the green board, we would just go about without giving two hoots about it.

Now, on to the cons, I have 2 of them.

1. The numbers are very difficult to read in the dark - especially, when a light is directly pointed at it. It gives reflection kinda-effect.

2. I see a lot of EVs being used for commercial purposes - both 2 & 3-wheelers being used extensively by delivery agents. For example, there is a collection point for BigBasket in my area and at any time, I can see some 10 2-wheelers (all EVs) parked out there. Now, with this green number plates, the distinction between commercial vehicle and private vehicle is gone.

Cheers!

These vehicles are business-owned for internal business use and will not require a "For Hire" plate. Whether electric or not, it is not possible to distinguish a business vehicle from a privately-owned vehicle not intended for hire.

For commercial EV registrations, the Green number plate can have a vertical yellow band on the left hand side of the number plate, for both front and rear reg plates.
This yellow band should NOT be a sticker or retro-reflective tape. It should be a colour impregnated band on the reg plate itself, possibly of the luminous "glow-in-the-dark" kind. This will help in quick identification during night and poorly lit areas.
The same yellow band can be replicated on the MParivahan app on phone.

Green is just a colour that clashes with common car colours. I prefer the UK way where EVs get standard plates but with a green strip (similar to the EU plates with a blue strip) on the left. Has all the benefits enumerated in the thread but remains subtle.

I see no purpose for the Green plates. It's just a fancy thing. Maybe it helps in catching a sly petrolhead parking in electric recharge stations, but nothing more. :)
Yeh, the green distinguisher has helped pull people into the electric bandwagon, when they realize there are many adopters around. But then, I'm not yet convinced that Electric is so much better that people be pulled into it.

I feel it stand out and just adds more value to the already expensive purchase! The green symbolises safety to the environment

While green number plates increase awareness about the proliferation of EVs, they are ugly.

I was driving behind a copper-toned XUV 400 for a good 10 minutes in heavy traffic yesterday. For the entirety of this duration the only thought I had was how ugly does the green number plate look on this beautiful coloured vehicle.

EVs don't need to be distinguishable like an ambulance needs to be, the VIN can be used for such. With the proliferation of EVs the aspect of standing out also falls progressively (what is there to stand out?). I do not think the green credentials (pun intended) were envisaged with special benefits of entry and parking.

White on green is a poor combination of contrasts and might fail visual accessibility tests, even in the vehicles own number plate light it is not very readable. I cannot distinguish between private and for-hire EV vehicles and if it involves a hidden clue, that's not how it ought to be!

Green plates been a puzzling thing for me. Quoting my own post from another thread.

Yeah it is so long as you have a pic certificate for it

Green is also the colour of money ($) and the current crop of EV’s consume a lot of money upfront :) and whether EV’s are truly green from end to end environmental standpoint is sometimes challenged.

However in all seriousness , I can barely read the registration number of the ‘ev’ especially at night. And my night vision is normal.

I don't think green EV plates with white lettering are dull, indistinguishable or in any way less readable than other number plates. In sufficient light, they are quite easily visible.

Though I agree that the yellow numbering against a green background (for EV taxis) is not easily distinguishable from white lettering because the white and yellow color shades are very close. This gets further complicated as yellow is closer to green than white
The yellow lettering thus appears like a dulled version of the white inscription and is a poor choice.

Instead, they could perhaps have used black lettering against a green background for taxis.

What I feel is that there should be something to differentiate between the commercial and private EVs.

As of today, cars like Tiago ev and C3 ev are being used by commercial players as well as individual owners.

It may not make a difference to many but it is something similar to having Yellow and White plates.