New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- As Delhi, one of the world's most polluted cities, braces for another winter of hazardous air, an expert panel's proposal to mandate 100% zero-tailpipe-emission passenger vehicle sales by 2030 in the national capital region has opened a fresh divide in the automobile ecosystem.

Led by IIT Madras professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala, the panel has recommended a sales mandate for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) selling private four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR. The proposed targets are 20% of new sales in 2027, rising to 45% in 2028, 70% in 2029 and 100% in 2030.

The recommendation has intensified the debate in the automobile industry, pitting proponents of battery-electric vehicles against industries representing compresse...