The National Highways for Electric Vehicles (NHEV), an initiative by the Government of India, had launched its third tech trial run aimed at upgrading five of Tamil Nadu’s highways into electric highways. This project followed successful trials in Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra, which helped stakeholders plan the deployment and management of electric vehicles, including cars, buses, and SUVs. The third trial in Tamil Nadu would focus on five routes, namely Trichy to Chennai, Trichy to Madurai, Coimbatore to Ulundurpet, Krishnagiri to Madurai, and Madurai to Kanyakumari. For the first time, electric, hydrogen, and zero-emission freight vehicles were to be included, alongside the previously tested electric SUVs and buses.

It was stated that the data gathered would assist in identifying optimal locations for charging stations, their frequency, costs, and overall investment to upgrade these highways into e-highways. Abhijit Sinha, Programme Director at NHEV, had reportedly mentioned that this trial shifted the focus to ensuring that highway upgrades also included freight and logistics components. He had added that logistical aspects were being integrated to assess the deployment of electric, hydrogen, and zero-emission vehicles on the 5,500 km e-highway currently under upgrade.

Despite hydrogen and electric trucks having lower operating costs compared to diesel, they were not yet widely available for commercial use. This trial, as Sinha explained, was designed to collect real-time data to support their initial deployment, similar to previous e-mobility pilot projects for electric buses and SUVs under the Ease of Doing Business programme.

Tamil Nadu had been selected after a thorough evaluation of its potential contributions. Positioned to become a one-trillion-dollar economy, the state played a crucial role in India’s logistics sector, serving as a hub for automobiles, logistics, and trucking in southern India. It also housed numerous industries, including component suppliers, steel and cement manufacturers, and other manufacturing units. The project aimed to reduce India’s logistics costs from 14% to 9%, with Tamil Nadu’s progress in reducing trucking costs potentially serving as a model for other states. Sinha had emphasised the focus on decarbonising the trucking industry and transitioning to zero-emission freight vehicles.