Henkel India has flagged off India’s first mid-haul re-powered electric truck operations in collaboration with a logistics partner and an electric vehicle retrofitting solutions provider. The pilot introduces re-powered electric trucks on two routes linking key industrial centres, Chennai to Pune and Pune to Halol.
These electric trucks, converted from internal combustion platforms, are now powered by a fully electric drivetrain that offers a range of 250 km per charge and can carry up to eight tonnes of cargo. Though the distance between these cities exceeds the current single-charge capacity, the operation is likely designed with charging stops or battery swaps in mind, offering a practical testbed for real-world logistics needs.
While electric trucks have been used in last-mile delivery and light commercial operations, the significance of this pilot lies in its mid-haul focus. The Chennai–Pune round trip, for instance, saves around 1212 kg of greenhouse gas emissions per trip. This showcases the emissions-cutting potential of electric freight, especially in a sector where heavy diesel use has long been the norm. If scaled, such solutions could reduce emissions significantly in India’s broader industrial supply chain.
This approach also highlights a possible direction for India's freight sector, retrofitting existing trucks rather than relying solely on new electric vehicle production. For a country with a vast inventory of ageing but serviceable commercial vehicles, repowering could offer a cost-effective and quicker path to reducing transport emissions. While this pilot is small in scale, it presents a use case that could be picked up by other companies seeking to meet sustainability goals within limited operational budgets.
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