In a major step toward India’s clean mobility and net-zero ambitions, Smart Freight Centre (SFC) India, in collaboration with NITI Aayog’s e-FAST India initiative, has released its report “From Awareness to Action: Regional Perspectives on Battery-Electric Trucks.” The pan India campaign engaged over 700 stakeholders across 11 strategic cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Thiruvananthapuram, Ranchi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Alwar, and Mysuru.
The campaign convened government departments, logistics companies, shippers, financiers, OEMs, charge point operators, and research institutions to collectively chart India’s roadmap for Zero-Emission Trucking (ZET). These stakeholders explored the opportunities,
challenges, and regional priorities required to decarbonize the country’s fast-growing freight sector, one that currently moves 70% of domestic goods and contributes over 200 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
Dr. Hanif Qureshi, IPS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) said: “India’s logistics transformation is central to achieving our clean mobility goals. The Smart Freight Centre’s campaign has succeeded in translating the complex Zero Emission Trucking (ZET) discourse into practical, region-specific insights. This initiative brings together policymakers, financiers, and industry in a way that sets a
strong precedent for sustainable freight transition across the country.”
Prof. Dr. Christoph Wolff, CEO of Smart Freight Centre, said: “This initiative represents a new benchmark for collaborative climate action. By
uniting over 700 stakeholders across 11 cities, Smart Freight Centre India has catalysed a national conversation on freight decarbonization. Zero-emission trucking is not just an environmental goal – it’s a cornerstone for efficiency, competitiveness,
and future-ready logistics in India.”
Across India’s 11 cities, stakeholders identified charging infrastructure, financing, policy alignment, and capacity gaps as the key challenges to large-scale adoption. Despite growing enthusiasm, the absence of freight-specific charging corridors and fragmented state-level EV policies remain major gaps. Stakeholders called for a national ZET infrastructure roadmap, harmonized policies that explicitly include medium- and heavy-duty truck categories (N2 and N3), and data-driven corridor planning using freight and toll data. Financing emerged as a pivotal challenge – fleet operators highlighted that the high upfront cost of electric trucks (often double that of diesel vehicles) limits adoption, particularly for smaller players. The report recommends innovative financial models such as Risk-Sharing Facilities (RSFs), Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS), and lease-to-own frameworks to de-risk investments and improve cash flow. Additionally, blending philanthropic, climate, and private capital can help build lender confidence and scale ZET financing.
The report advocates a phased electric freight transition, commencing with industrial hubs and progressing to intercity corridors. It underscores standardized driver training, maintenance readiness, and technological advancements in batteries and charging. A
coordinated approach policy alignment, financial innovation, scaling localized OEM production aims to establish a resilient, low-carbon freight ecosystem for India.
Pramod Rajendran, Partnerships & Program Manager, Smart Freight Centre India said: “The campaign has revealed both the enthusiasm and readiness of India’s freight ecosystem to act. What’s encouraging is the shared recognition that zero-emission trucks are not only viable but vital to India’s sustainable growth.”
