A Pathway to Zero-Emission Trucking in India: Setting the Framework

By International Transport Forum (ITF)

This report assesses the potential of decarbonising heavy-duty trucks in India with zero-emission technologies, focusing on battery-electric technology. It presents a four-pillared roadmap for a transition to zero-emission trucks that addresses technology, infrastructure and operations, financing, and policy interventions for India. It achieves this by identifying economically feasible truck segments (based on weight classification) for the transition, along with strategies for developing support infrastructure and innovative financing models.

Summary and Key Findings:

• The total cost-of-ownership of electric trucks is falling.

  Battery cost reductions and efficiency improvements are significantly reducing battery-electric trucks’ total cost-of-ownership (TCO). Heavy-duty battery-electric trucks are projected to achieve TCO parity with internal combustion engine trucks sooner than hydrogen and fuel-cell electric trucks.

• Maximise the early mover advantage.

  Prioritising battery-electric trucks – especially for the 18-tonne and 55-tonne segments – could help India begin the market transformation to heavy-duty zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in the coming decade.

• Policy levers are critical to zero-emission truck uptake.

  Transitioning to ZETs in India will rely on important policy levers such as target setting, purchase incentives, greenhouse gas emissions regulations, and fleet and infrastructure development.

Read more at itf-oced.org.

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