Govt Pushes Faster Adoption of Electric Buses and Trucks

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy chaired a high-level stakeholder consultation in New Delhi to discuss strategies for accelerating the adoption of electric buses and electric trucks across India. The meeting aimed to create a collaborative framework between the government and private sector to support the large-scale deployment of zero-emission heavy commercial vehicles.

The consultation brought together key stakeholders from the electric mobility ecosystem, including fleet operators, transport aggregators, leasing companies, and financial institutions. Senior officials such as Heavy Industries Secretary Kamran Rizvi and Additional Secretary Hanif Qureshi also participated in the discussions and gathered industry feedback on the future policy roadmap for the sector.

During the session, participants highlighted several operational challenges facing the commercial EV segment, including access to financing, the need for robust charging infrastructure, and the operational viability of electric fleets for long-distance and national freight transportation routes.

Addressing the stakeholders, Kumaraswamy stated that electric buses are set to become the backbone of India’s public transportation system, while electric trucks are expected to transform the country’s logistics and freight sectors. He emphasized that government policies must align with the real-world experiences of transport operators to ensure that the transition to electric mobility remains inclusive, practical, and commercially sustainable for the industry.