India Picks 10 Highways for Zero Emission Trucking
The Indian government has identified ten high-impact highway corridors for the deployment of zero-emission trucks (ZETs).
The move is aimed at cutting transport-related carbon emissions, improving air quality, and aligning with India’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070. Announced by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, the corridors have been selected based on freight density, industrial significance, infrastructure readiness, and compatibility with current electric truck battery range. The report was developed in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET) at IIT Madras, the Rocky Mountain Institute, and pManifold. The ten corridors identified include Delhi–Chandigarh, Delhi–Jaipur, Pune–Nashik, Dhanbad–Kolkata, Kolkata–Haldia, Vijayawada–Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru–Chennai, Chennai–Viluppuram, Coimbatore–Salem, and Coimbatore–Kochi. These routes represent some of India’s busiest freight lanes and are seen as ideal starting points for the introduction of electric trucking infrastructure.
Although trucks represent just 3% of vehicles on Indian roads, they contribute to over 33% of transport-related CO₂ emissions. With road freight comprising around 71% of all freight movement in India, shifting to ZETs is seen as a necessary step to lower environmental impact and improve public health. The corridor selection is part of a three-phase evaluation process and will serve as the foundation for strategic investments in charging infrastructure, battery-swapping stations, and logistical support hubs. The report also provides guidance to private sector players and public agencies on how to scale the initiative through regulatory mechanisms and public-private partnerships. This initiative runs parallel to the PM E-DRIVE scheme, introduced in 2024 with a ₹500 crore budget to encourage the adoption of zero-emission transport solutions. The scheme provides financial incentives for electric truck purchases, with scrappage of older diesel vehicles as a mandatory condition to qualify for subsidies. With this roadmap in place, India positions itself to lead a green transformation in freight transport. The focus on corridor-specific deployment is expected to optimise resource allocation and offer replicable models for other parts of the country.
As the global freight industry moves toward cleaner alternatives, India’s corridor-based strategy represents a practical and timely step in addressing the twin challenges of climate change and urban air pollution.
