India Unveils Top 10 Highway Corridors to Accelerate Zero-Emission Trucking

India has taken a pivotal step in decarbonising its freight sector with the release of the report “India’s Priority Corridors for Zero-Emission Trucking” on 9th May 2025. Unveiled by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, the report provides a blueprint for transforming the country’s long-haul freight movement through electric, zero-emission trucks (ZETs). The announcement marks a significant milestone in India’s mission to build a cleaner, more sustainable transport ecosystem aligned with its climate, energy, and economic goals.

Developed Through Collaboration and Data-Driven Research

The report was prepared by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, with support from the Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET) at IIT Madras, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), and pManifold as knowledge partners. This strategic collaboration ensured a comprehensive, multi-dimensional analysis based on both hard data and industry insight.

The launch event featured a presentation by Akshima Ghate, Managing Director, Rocky Mountain Institute, and was attended by several senior dignitaries, including Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary; Dr. Karthick Athmanathan, PSA Fellow; Dr. Preeti Banzal and Dr. Rakesh Kaur, Advisers at the Office of the PSA; and Prof. Shankar Ram from CoEZET, IIT Madras. Their presence underscored the critical importance of the report in guiding India’s path to zero-emission freight.

Identifying the Top 10 Priority Corridors

The crux of the report lies in its three-phase corridor selection methodology, which meticulously narrowed down an initial list of 230 national corridors to just ten high-impact routes. These were selected based on an extensive assessment of toll data, supply and demand dynamics, industrial activity patterns, energy infrastructure readiness, corridor length relative to battery ranges, and availability of ancillary services such as rest stops and logistics support.

The process included:

• Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of traffic volumes and freight density.

• Stakeholder consultations with government, industry, and logistics players.

• Field research and ground-truthing to validate commercial and technical feasibility.

These corridors are now identified as the most strategic and investment-ready routes to deploy early ZET projects and build supporting infrastructure such as electric charging stations and battery swapping facilities.

A Turning Point for Clean Freight in India

According to the report, long-haul trucking contributes to nearly 40% of fuel consumption and transport-related emissions in India. This presents a critical challenge—and opportunity—for intervention. Zero-emission trucks offer a pathway to decarbonise this high-impact segment, reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels, curb urban and rural air pollution, and enhance supply chain resilience.

Prof. Sood noted during the launch that targeting these specific corridors will not only support environmental objectives but also help build India's global competitiveness in green logistics and clean technology manufacturing.

Policy Alignment and Investment Readiness

The report's findings have far-reaching implications for both policy direction and private sector investment. They are expected to inform:

• Charging and energy infrastructure planning

• Public-private partnerships (PPPs) in ZET deployment

• Regulatory mechanisms and incentive structures

• Logistics park and battery logistics investment

Importantly, the corridor prioritisation aligns with and complements the PM E-DRIVE scheme, launched in 2024 by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. With a total outlay of ₹500 crore, the scheme is designed to incentivise zero-emission transport solutions across the country.

Enabling Atmanirbhar Bharat Through Clean Transport

As India moves towards its Atmanirbhar Bharat vision of self-reliant and sustainable development, the report stands out as a data-driven roadmap to transition its logistics backbone into a green powerhouse. It enables strategic action at both central and state levels, fostering partnerships between logistics operators, OEMs, state utilities, and financiers.

By laying the groundwork for a national ZET infrastructure network, this initiative not only addresses environmental concerns but also promises economic returns through fuel savings, job creation, and industrial growth in electric mobility sectors.

Access to Full Report

The full report, including maps, corridor profiles, and recommendations, is publicly accessible on the Office of the PSA website here: 👉 India’s Priority Corridors for Zero Emission Trucking – Full Report (PDF)