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The initiative marks the first phase of testing electric vehicle (EV) trucks along the 350-kilometre Bengaluru-Chennai highway corridor.
In a significant move towards sustainable transportation, The Climate Pledge and C40 Cities have announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind demonstration project in India. The initiative marks the first phase of testing electric vehicle (EV) trucks along the 350-kilometre Bengaluru-Chennai highway corridor. The project brings together industry leaders including Amazon, Ashok Leyland, Billion-E, and ChargeZone to explore the potential of long-range electric freight transportation. By analysing the operational feasibility and cost-effectiveness of EV trucks in long-haul scenarios, this collaboration aims to set a new standard for eco-friendly logistics in India and beyond.
Billion-E, an e-mobility-as-a-service company, will run 20 heavy-duty Ashok Leyland EV trucks of varying payloads (up to 55 tonnes) for six months, starting along NH48, which connects Bengaluru and Chennai, collecting real-time fleet data and demonstrating the technical, financial, environmental, and social viability of switching to electric freight. Amazon, a signatory, will also use the corridor using ChargeZone’s charging infrastructure solutions.
The project is part of Laneshift, a zero-emission international freight initiative launched by the Pledge and C40 Cities in 2023.
“India’s highways, like those between Bengaluru and Chennai, provide a powerful opportunity to demonstrate the viability of electric trucking solutions. Our collaboration with C40 Cities and The Climate Pledge marks an important milestone in transforming India’s road freight sector and is crucial to accelerating the adoption of zero-emission freight," says Abhinav Singh, Vice-President of Operations, Amazon India.
What is Laneshift?
The Laneshift-India EV freight corridor project is the first step in the development of a network of connected EV freight highways in India, bringing together businesses, logistics service providers, original equipment manufacturers, charging point operators, and financiers to accelerate the adoption of electric trucks across India's highways.
"The Laneshift initiative not only highlights the potential for electrification but will also encourage the partnerships needed to achieve a cleaner, more sustainable future for road transport in India, serving as a model for future sustainable logistics solutions,” Singh adds.
A spokesperson from Ashok Leyland says, "Our participation in this landmark EV Highway Demonstration is a testament to Ashok Leyland’s commitment to pioneering cleaner, more efficient transport solutions. We believe this project will highlight the operational and environmental benefits of electric trucks, paving the way for large-scale adoption across India’s highways. We are excited to be at the forefront of this transformation, playing a key role in building a more sustainable logistics ecosystem.”
Electrifying the trucking sector is essential to reducing emissions and keeping India on track to achieve its 2070 net-zero goals. Trucks represent just 3% of vehicles on India’s roads but are responsible for over 34% of carbon dioxide and 53% of particulate matter emissions in the transport sector.
As India’s road freight transport continues to grow, the number of medium- and heavy-duty trucks is expected to more than quadruple, from four million in 2022 to roughly 17 million trucks by 2050. As a major source of air pollution, removing tailpipe emissions and electrifying this sector will result in wider health benefits to people living near freight routes.
“If electric medium-duty trucks were responsible for 60% of journeys, and heavy-duty trucks 35%, along the Bengaluru-Chennai route by 2035, it could prevent 231,000 tons of CO2 emissions and generate fuel cost savings of $94 million, marking significant progress in decarbonizing India's freight sector," says Shruti Narayan, Managing Director, Regions and Mayoral Engagement, C40 Cities.
Putting the planet first
This demonstration project is the culmination of a year-long collaboration, drawing insights from both public and private stakeholders, and freight decarbonisation initiatives. The team consulted with over 50 businesses, financial institutions and government representatives, and analysed 8 highway corridors, before selecting the Bengaluru-Chennai corridor as the first for the demonstration project.
The project demonstration will pave the way for many more businesses to transition to e-trucks—adopting innovative business and financial models, and will also help further action for a just and inclusive transition in the road freight sector.
Kartikey Hariyani, Founder & CEO of Charge Zone & BillionE, says, "We are excited to work with C40 Cities and The Climate Pledge under the Laneshift initiative to demonstrate the transformative potential of electric trucks along the Bengaluru-Chennai highway. This project represents a significant step towards building a sustainable transport ecosystem in India.”
The project’s results will be used to develop a national EV Highway Roadmap for India and provide critical information that will help send demand signals to stakeholders – moving the project from demonstration to implementation with bankable, scalable solutions that will sustain the growth of EV freight throughout India.