On May 3, 2023, a Shippers Roundtable with Smart Freight Centre and WRI India, was organised to discuss the opportunities and challenges of driving freight electrification in India. The event brought together stakeholders from the government, industry, and academia to collaborate and accelerate the transition towards sustainable logistics. The discussions revealed that scalable pilots are crucial for establishing stakeholder confidence and addressing on-ground challenges in freight electrification. Vehicles with 3 to 10-tonne payload capacities, operating within 120-200 km trip lengths, emerged as prime candidates for electrification. A just transition through equitable financial solutions, implementation of clean freight programs, industry-wide commitments, categorisation of alternative fuels, and capacity building were identified as key drivers for sustainable logistics and the successful transition to freight electrification in India.
“Several enablers can help shippers accelerate freight transport decarbonisation in India such as committing to the long-term relation with carriers, reshaping customer behaviour, collaborating with peer shippers, establishing supply-chain emission transparency, and responding to market demands early”, said Narayankumar Sreekumar, Associate Director–Electric Mobility, Shakti.
