NEW DELHI – India's NITI Aayog has introduced two pivotal platforms designed to significantly boost the adoption of electric trucks across the nation. The Platform for Aggregating Clean Transport (PACT) and the Zero Emission Truck (ZET) Marketplace were unveiled at the fifth e-FAST India Summit 2026 on Monday by NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba.
These initiatives target critical barriers to electric truck adoption, including fragmented demand, high financing costs, and insufficient charging infrastructure. The overarching goal is to transition electric freight from isolated pilot projects to widespread commercial deployment.
Tackling Core Challenges in Electric Freight
The electrification of India's freight sector is gaining momentum, with electric freight vehicle deployments increasing more than fourfold from 201 in FY2025 to 826 in FY2026. Currently, over 3,000 electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks are estimated to be operational in the country. However, heavy electric truck adoption remains in its nascent stages, with only around 800 heavy-duty electric trucks sold in 2025. Despite this, heavy trucks, which constitute just 3-4% of India’s vehicle fleet, contribute over a third of the transport sector’s carbon emissions, and approximately 70% of the country's freight moves by road.
Mr. Gauba emphasized that the next phase of India’s electric mobility transition demands a sharpened focus on demand aggregation, innovative financing solutions, and coordinated corridor planning.
PACT: Aggregating Demand and Connecting Stakeholders
The Platform for Aggregating Clean Transport (PACT) is engineered to unite key players in the electric freight ecosystem. This includes shippers, logistics service providers, truck manufacturers, financiers, and charge-point operators. By aggregating freight demand across identified corridors, PACT aims to provide manufacturers and charging companies with clearer visibility into future demand, while also helping financiers assess the commercial viability of electric trucking ventures. The platform will also be instrumental in identifying optimal freight corridors for scaled electric truck deployment.
ZET Marketplace: Fostering Connections and Partnerships
Complementing PACT, the Zero Emission Truck (ZET) Marketplace will serve as a vital hub connecting electric truck manufacturers with logistics companies, charge-point operators, financiers, and technology providers. This platform will enable participants to showcase products, identify commercial opportunities, and forge partnerships centered on zero-emission freight projects.
Addressing Financing Hurdles
High financing costs remain a significant obstacle for commercial electric vehicles, largely due to uncertainties surrounding residual values, battery life, and resale markets. Mr. Gauba advocated for the implementation of blended finance mechanisms and leasing models. These approaches could potentially reduce the cost of capital for electric trucks, bringing it closer to that of conventional diesel vehicles.
MoRTH Secretary V Umashankar highlighted that greater transparency in battery health could also alleviate some of these concerns. Advanced battery-health monitoring systems could enhance resale values, mitigate financing risks, and incentivize further investment in electric trucks. For fleet operators, the economic viability of electric trucking hinges on various factors beyond initial vehicle cost, including utilization rates, charging infrastructure availability, financing terms, and freight demand.
These new platforms are part of the government's broader strategy to cultivate a robust electric mobility ecosystem, building on initiatives such as production-linked incentive schemes for automobiles and advanced chemistry cells, and investments by oil marketing companies.