NHEV and Transvolt partner to deploy 1,000 electric trucks on World EV Day

In a landmark development for India’s electric mobility sector, National Highways for Electric Vehicles (NHEV) and Transvolt Mobility have joined hands to roll out 1,000 electric trucks across key freight routes of the country. The announcement, made on World EV Day 2025 in New Delhi, marks the successful culmination of a year-long technical and commercial trial that began in Chennai on World EV Day 2024.

The initiative is part of the Indian government’s broader push towards zero-emission surface transport under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme. Supported by Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), which has previously piloted e-cars and e-buses on Delhi-Agra and Delhi-Jaipur highways, this exercise marks the first large-scale commercial prototyping of electric trucks in India.

Financing backbone of deployment
A key enabler of this rollout has been the ₹500 crore blended climate finance instrument launched on August 1, 2025, to attract stakeholders and de-risk investments in electric trucking. Originally designed to support 720–810 trucks, the instrument eventually financed the deployment of 1,000 units. The effort was bolstered by a $20 million equity investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) into Transvolt Mobility and a $57 million viability gap funding (VGF) contribution to NHEV. Together, these commitments provided the financial stability needed to move from technical trials to commercial deployment.

Shift towards zero-emission freight
Electric trucks are among the largest contributors to carbon emissions in road-based freight. Their electrification has long been considered a difficult yet crucial step in India’s clean energy transition. With this deployment, Transvolt Mobility will operate the trucks across ports, mines, construction sites, and multimodal logistics hubs such as Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals (GCTs). The trucks will handle a diverse cargo mix, including cement, coal, steel, fertilisers, automobiles, foodgrains, and petroleum products.

Stakeholder confidence
Officials highlighted that this success reflects growing confidence among shippers, logistics operators, financers, and manufacturers. “This deployment, coming out of a comprehensive technical and commercial exercise, is extending Ease of Doing Business on both interoperability and climate financing fronts,” said Abhijeet Sinha, National Program Director, EoDB.

Shri Sudhendu J. Sinha, Advisor, NITI Aayog, added, “The overwhelming response from Zero Emission Trucking (ZET) stakeholders confirms that the policy trajectory is headed in the right direction.”

With government incentives ranging from ₹2.7–9.3 lakh per truck under PM E-DRIVE, and manufacturers working to reduce upfront costs from ₹1.25 crore to ₹90 lakh, the programme is expected to make electric trucking not only viable but also more cost-efficient than diesel fleets, cutting logistics costs by about 10%.

This milestone deployment sets the stage for accelerated nationwide adoption of heavy-duty electric vehicles, cementing India’s commitment to green freight mobility.