Abstract:
The electrification of medium and heavy-duty trucks (MHDTs) in India represents a crucial step toward achieving sustainable and carbon-neutral road transport, particularly addressing the significant environmental impact of commercial vehicles, which are responsible for 40% of vehicular emissions. The EMHDT’s system contributes to reducing harmful emissions and promotes the use of renewable energy sources. A detailed literature review illuminates the current MHDT landscape in India, as well as the global and domestic availability of electric MHDT (EMHDT) technology. The existing ecosystem for EMHDT’s has been analyzed through consultations with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and market studies. This thesis explores the challenges that hinder the widespread integration of EMHDT’s within the Indian logistics sector, taking into account technological, infrastructural, economic, and policy-related factors. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset derived from primary data collection, stakeholder consultations, expert interviews, and policy analysis, the study identifies and examines obstacles to electric truck adoption. It also provides a detailed mapping of stakeholders involved at various levels, defining their roles and responsibilities in the EMHDT ecosystem. Furthermore, the exploration of business models and their benefits, along with a total cost of ownership calculation in different cases, is presented. The results demonstrate that the adoption and operation of EMHDT’s in the early phase are significantly dependent on travel characteristics as well as government policy and initiatives. For widespread adoption in the later phase, overcoming technological constraints and developing supporting infrastructure are crucial. Mitigation strategies are provided in the conclusion, which can play an essential role in overcoming identified barriers. Additionally, policy-level recommendations are offered to support the mitigation of existing barriers and promote the widespread adoption of EMHDT’s.
Keywords: Electric Medium and Heavy Duty Truck, Total Cost of Ownership, Business Models, Policy.
