Episode 4: Truck electrification in logistics applications: Challenges and opportunities in India

Summary

The panel discussion delves into India's burgeoning electric vehicle market, focusing on the logistics sector's pivotal role in the transition to zero-emission trucking. Key industry players from IKEA, Tata Motors, and Venus Logistics share insights on electrification strategies, challenges, and the importance of collaboration between stakeholders. The conversation highlights the need for policy support, infrastructure development, and innovative financing to accelerate the adoption of electric trucks in India.

Takeaways

• 🚚 India is the world's third-largest automotive market with a rapidly growing logistics sector, which is a significant contributor to the country's GDP and is poised for further expansion with a focus on electric mobility.
• 🌏 The logistics sector in India is a major consumer of on-road fuel and a contributor to emissions, highlighting the need for sustainable solutions such as electric trucks to reduce environmental impact.
• 📈 The freight demand in India is expected to increase significantly by 2050, with a corresponding increase in the number of medium and heavy-duty vehicles (MSDs), emphasizing the urgency for electric vehicle adoption.
• 🔌 Charging infrastructure is identified as a critical enabler for the deployment of electric trucks, with a phased strategy proposed for its development along key corridors based on freight volumes and industry clustering.
• 🛣️ Corridor electrification is being prioritized to support scalable pilot deployments of electric trucks, leveraging both policy research and technical expertise to create a conducive environment for transition.
• 💡 The Indian government is supporting the transition to electric mobility through various national-level policies and schemes, such as the PM Gati Shakti Mission, which aims to improve connectivity and efficiency in logistics.
• 📊 A detailed segmentation of logistics applications has been conducted, identifying parcel FMC and market load as having the largest on-road fleet truck share, indicating potential areas for electric truck deployment.
• 🤝 Collaboration across stakeholders, including shippers, financiers, and policy makers, is deemed essential for the successful adoption of electric trucks, with each group playing a specific role in facilitating the transition.
• 💰 Financing is a key aspect for the adoption of electric trucks, with a focus on creating awareness and understanding among financial institutions about the long-term benefits and returns on investment.
• 🌱 Renewable energy sources, such as solar power, are being considered for charging infrastructure to ensure that the transition to electric trucks is environmentally sustainable and contributes to reducing carbon emissions.
• 📉 The upfront cost of electric trucks is currently higher than their diesel counterparts, but the total cost of ownership and operational savings are expected to make them economically viable in the long run.

Q & A

What is India's current position in the global automotive market?

India is the world's third-largest automotive market.

What percentage of the on-road fleet in India is medium and heavy-duty trucks (MSDs), and what percentage of on-road emissions do they contribute to?

MSDs comprise only 2% of the on-road fleet in India but are responsible for 45% of on-road emissions.

What is the current size of the logistics sector in India, and what percentage of India's GDP does it represent?

The logistics sector in India is valued at $25 billion, representing 14.4% of India's GDP.

What is the projected increase in freight demand by 2050, and how many times is the number of MSDs expected to increase by the same year?

Freight demand is projected to increase from 1.4 trillion in 2023 to 9.6 trillion T-kilometers by 2050, and the number of MSDs is expected to be four times the current number by 2050.

What are the policy-level supports provided by the Indian government to promote electric truck deployment?

Policy-level supports from the Indian government include the National Infrastructure Pipeline and National-level policies such as the PM Gati Shakti Mission scheme.

What are the three main aspects of focus for the electrification of the logistics sector in India?

The three main aspects of focus are corridor electrification, technical expertise through policy research, and the deployment of scalable pilots.

What is the significance of corridor electrification in the deployment of zero-emission trucks?

Corridor electrification is significant because charging is a critical enabler for zero-emission truck deployment, and it helps in identifying strategic locations for charging stations based on freight volumes and truck flow.

What are the key challenges identified for the deployment of zero-emission trucks in India?

Key challenges include the initial high investment cost of electric trucks, the need for charging infrastructure, and the requirement for a phase strategy that considers freight volumes, duty cycles, and industry clustering.

How is the EAS platform contributing to the acceleration of zero-emission truck deployment in India?

The EAS platform is leveraging multiple ways and tools such as technology showcases, development of tools for identifying business cases, policy research, awareness creation, and deployment of scalable pilots.

What are the critical areas identified for the deployment of zero-emission trucks as per the report by the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor?

The report identified 14 critical areas for deployment, which include various types of charging technologies, R&D requirements, and the need for a policy roadmap to complement the technical roadmap.

What are the five policy buckets identified to facilitate the transition to zero-emission trucks in India?

The five policy buckets are incentivization (direct and indirect finance), regulations (amending existing regulations and mandates), infrastructure (assuring quality and quantity of power supply and land availability), business and financing tools (interest subvention or risk mitigation mechanisms), and stakeholder engagement (awareness and capacity building).

What is the current status of Ikea's commitment to electrification of their transportation fleet?

Ikea aims to reduce every transport by 70% by 2030 and achieve zero-emission transportation by 2040. They are focusing on electrification as the first choice, followed by hydrogen and biofuels as interim solutions.

How has the electrification of the middle mile and line haul evolved in the APAC region, particularly in China?

China stands out as the most developed market in the APAC region for electrification. There has been a push for electrification and pilots for many years, with carriers now pushing for more ambitious roadmaps and inspiring other shippers to join the journey.

What are the key learnings from Ikea's experience with electric trucks in China?

Key learnings include the importance of utilizing vehicles more efficiently, creating an ecosystem that includes intermodal solutions, and the need to support service providers in planning shipments better to balance the higher investment of EV trucks.

What is the role of Kalani Powertrains in the electrification of commercial vehicles in India?

Kalani Powertrains is focusing on addressing the segment of commercial vehicles ranging from 7 tons to 55 tons, with a specific focus on the 11 to 25-ton range, which constitutes a significant portion of the total volumes. They aim to bring cost-competitive battery electric trucks or range extenders to the Indian transportation industry.

What are the major misconceptions about electric trucks in the Indian market, and how is Kalani Powertrains addressing them?

One of the major misconceptions is whether electric trucks are viable and can match the performance of ICE vehicles. Kalani Powertrains is addressing this by conducting extensive mileage accumulation and customer demonstrations, providing data and insights to customers to build confidence in electric trucks.

What is the current status of Venus Logistics' adoption of electric trucks and their approach to sustainability?

Venus Logistics has focused on sustainable solutions by electrifying their warehouses with solar power and using electric vehicles for transportation. They have started with smaller carrying capacity vehicles within a smaller range and are collaborating with customers for long-term contracts.

What are the factors considered by Venus Logistics for installing charging infrastructure for electric trucks?

Factors considered include the strategic placement of charging points, the quality of energy, and the quality of service. They are also looking at renewable energy sources like solar power for charging their electric trucks.

How does the road infrastructure in India impact the efficiency of electric trucks?

The improved road infrastructure in India benefits electric trucks, as they are best operated in traffic congestion due to regenerative braking, which adds efficiency back to the vehicle.

What are the major factors to consider when installing charging infrastructure for trucks at a pan-India level?

Major factors include understanding energy requirements, strategic placement of charging points, and the use of renewable energy sources. It's also important to consider the variability in different freight corridors and the need for collaboration with end-users.

How does the financial ecosystem view the adoption of electric trucks, and what are the key considerations for financing?

The financial ecosystem is looking at the Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of electric trucks. If the payback period is lucrative and the IRR is favorable, banks and NBFCs are willing to fund electric vehicles.

What role can corporates and demand-side companies play in accelerating the transition to electric trucks?

Corporates and demand-side companies can collaborate to create confidence in the market, offer long-term contracts and security to service providers, and signal demand to the government for more subsidies and support for the industry.