Govt rushes to find demand for e-trucks

At the end of the first year, there has been no progress on e-trucks, and the government is yet to notify the localization norms

- Manas Pimpalkhare

The ministry of heavy industries has identified ports, steel, cement and logistics as sectors to generate demand for electric trucks (e-trucks) under the PM E-Drive scheme after turning up empty-handed in the first half of the scheme, according to two officials aware of the development.

The ₹500 crore, two-year scheme for e-trucks is set to end in fiscal year 2026 (FY26).

At the end of the first year, there has been no progress on e-trucks, and the government is yet to notify the localization norms for these zero-emission vehicles at a time when the industry has asked for 18 months to comply.

Ports have multiple use cases for electric trucks, including the movement of cargo within the port facility. Similarly, the cement, steel and logistics sectors rely on trucks for the movement of cargo across the country.