Despite trucks accounting for just 3% of the total vehicle fleet, including passenger and freight vehicles, they contribute 34% of CO2 and 53% of Particulate Matter emissions
In September 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Logistics Policy, which aimed at facilitating the seamless movement of goods to boost trade. Launching the policy, he said that India needed to bring down the logistical costs from 13%, almost double to what they are in developed countries, to single digit. It was an acknowledgment of a serious challenge in the country’s rapid development.
For a country to grow rapidly, it must reduce the logistics costs and facilitate the faster movement of goods. Because the more the goods remain in transit, the more the input costs rise. The logistics policy was a great start. But it has to be aided by other measures.
There is, thus, a case for trying electric vehicles for transportation of goods. While the initial cost could be high or at par with trucks that run on fossil fuels, several studies have shown that zero-emission (electric) trucks offer a reliable and cost-effective alternative over a longer run and when deployed at scale.
Fig 1. ZTEs not just reduce logistics cost, they also help curb pollution. Image via Shutterstock
Why is it important to electrify trucks
Currently, India moves a staggering 4.6 billion tonnes of freight annually, resulting in over three trillion tonne-kilometres of freight demand. Despite trucks accounting for just 3% of the total vehicle fleet, including passenger and freight vehicles, they contribute 34% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and 53% of Particulate Matter (PM) emissions.
By 2050, the cumulative freight volume is expected to grow four times, with the trucking sector representing 70% of domestic freight movement. As freight demand rises, reliance on fossil fuel vehicles will increase, boosting air pollution, threats to public health, escalating transportation costs, and energy security concerns.
With the growing demand for goods, it is imperative to deploy zero-emission trucks (ZETs) – such as electric battery trucks, hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks, and hydrogen internal combustion engine trucks – to chart a resource-efficient growth trajectory and support improved logistics efficiency, lower costs, better air quality, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced public health.
How can sector-wise transition to ZETs offer benefits
To test this idea, a study was done taking the Delhi-Jaipur corridor as a potential "lighthouse" corridor to evaluate the cost, viability, and operability of different ZET technologies and a report – titled Technology Assessment Of Zero-Emission Trucking On The Delhi-Jaipur Corridor – was prepared.
According to the report, a sector-wide transition to ZETs can offer numerous public benefits that align with India's national priorities. Some of them are:
- Logistics cost savings: ZETs present an opportunity for a 17% reduction in logistic costs. These cost savings can directly reduce the cost of end goods and commodities, benefiting the public and society.
- Enhanced Energy Security: ZET adoption can help India chart a path towards greater energy security. Road freight accounts for more than 25% of annual oil imports. ZET adoption can reduce oil spending by 993 billion litres of diesel cumulatively by 2050, resulting in upwards of Rs 161 lakh crore of reduced oil expenditures.
- Alignment with Atmanirbhar Bharat: The creation of a ZET market in India supports national priorities. By 2050, ZETs could create a cumulative battery demand of up to 5,400 GWh in India, providing the impetus for India to become a low-cost, low-carbon manufacturing hub.
- Improved air quality and lower carbon emissions: ZETs have no tailpipe emissions and can reduce PM and nitrous oxide pollution by over 50% by 2050, substantially improving air quality and public health. ZET adoption can lead to dramatic emission reductions in the transport sector, supporting India's five central climate goals (Panchamrit). Replacing diesel trucks with ZETs could eliminate up to 3.8 gigatonnes of carbon emissions between now and 2050.
The transition towards zero-emissions trucking can be unlocked by deploying ZET corridors and highways equipped with the necessary charging infrastructure. At present, 50% of the truck traffic in India moves along seven highway corridors connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kandla, Kochi, and Kolkata.
The significant volume of road freight and economic activity on these corridors presents a strategic opportunity for investing in charging infrastructure development across the entire road network to accelerate the adoption of ZETs.
Among these highly-travelled corridors, the Delhi-Jaipur corridor stands out. This eight-lane highway connects two prominent cities in Northern India and serves as the initial link along the more extensive Delhi-Mumbai corridor. Furthermore, due to its significant freight volumes, suitable length (280 km), and robust grid infrastructure, the Delhi-Jaipur corridor presents ideal circumstances for a flagship ZETs corridor.
