Electric trucks can operate profitably on India’s major freight routes, according to findings released by the Smart Freight Centre (SFC) following the country’s first corridor-level electric truck demonstration. The results, unveiled at a high-level event at the India Habitat Centre, mark a pivotal step towards large-scale freight electrification in India.
The multi-partner study tracked electric trucks with gross vehicle weights (GVW) ranging from 5.5 to 55 tonnes across the 280-km Delhi–Jaipur corridor, one of India’s busiest freight routes. Findings confirmed the corridor’s operational readiness for electric trucks, signaling India’s transition from small pilot projects to coordinated, scalable electrification.
Dr. Hanif Qureshi, IPS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting sustainable and efficient freight mobility through indigenous innovation and policy support. He noted that under the PM E-DRIVE Scheme, heavy electric trucks (N2 & N3 categories, up to 55 tonnes) have been included for the first time, with incentives of up to 10% of vehicle cost and a ₹2,000 crore outlay for charging infrastructure.
He emphasized the importance of strengthening domestic manufacturing of EV components such as traction motors, converters, and advanced chemistry cells (ACCs), building resilient supply chains, and expanding charging networks along major logistics corridors.
The study revealed that electric trucks offered operational savings and lower maintenance costs. It highlighted that the deployment of ultra-fast and depot-based chargers could substantially improve fleet turnaround times, making electric operations commercially viable.
Prof. Dr. Christoph Wolff, CEO of Smart Freight Centre, said the Delhi–Jaipur EV Demonstration Run showcased the “technical and commercial viability of electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (e-MHDVs)” in live commercial conditions. Real-time data collected on range, energy use, and charging time is being converted into actionable insights for policymakers, logistics providers, and financiers.
Participating transporters — including Tejas Cargo India, Harsh Transport, and Instant Transport Solutions — reported operational benefits but cited financing challenges as a key hurdle to wider adoption.
Building on the success of this pilot, SFC announced plans to replicate the model on other high-density corridors such as Bengaluru–Mumbai, Pune–JNPT, and Kolkata–Asansol, with a goal of scaling up zero-emission truck deployment tenfold.
The event also showcased methodologies for assessing Well-to-Tank emissions from electric vehicles, emphasizing the integration of renewable energy into charging infrastructure to ensure a truly sustainable freight ecosystem.
