India’s Electric Truck Adoption Lags as Long-Haul Segment Remains Untapped

India’s transition to electric mobility is gathering pace in some sectors, but electric trucks—particularly long-haul models—remain significantly underrepresented in the country’s EV landscape, according to a new report by NITI Aayog titled “Electric Vehicles in India: Unlocking a $200 Billion Opportunity.”

In 2024, only 6,220 electric trucks were sold in India, out of over 834,000 total truck sales. Of these, 95% were under 3.5 tonnes, used mostly for short-haul urban deliveries. Just 280 trucks sold were above the 3.5-tonne category—vehicles critical for long-distance freight transport.

This contrasts sharply with China, which sold over 76,000 heavy-duty electric trucks in 2024 alone. India’s heavy-duty electric truck market remains nascent despite the fact that such vehicles make up only 3% of the fleet but account for 34% of transport sector CO₂ emissions, making them key targets for decarbonization.

The report identifies multiple structural challenges:

High capital costs (e-trucks cost 2–3 times their diesel counterparts)
Limited financing options, especially for small fleet owners who dominate India’s logistics sector
Inadequate long-haul charging infrastructure along highways
Lack of reliable performance data and battery resale mechanisms
To address this, NITI Aayog recommends a blended finance facility to lower the cost of capital, support for battery and vehicle leasing models, and targeted development of charging corridors on national highways. The government is also urged to transition from incentives to mandates, particularly in urban freight zones and state procurement schemes.

As India aims for 30% EV penetration by 2030, the report stresses that meaningful reductions in transport emissions will be unachievable without a sharp rise in electric truck deployment, especially in the long-haul segment.