The National Highways for Electric Vehicles or NHEV has launched its third Tech Trial Run as part of the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) program, focusing on converting key highways in Tamil Nadu into electric highways (e-highways). This ambitious trial will cover a 332-kilometer stretch between Chennai and Trichy and aims to test a range of zero-emission vehicles, including electric, hydrogen-powered, and freight vehicles.
While earlier trials focused primarily on electric SUVs and buses, this new phase expands the scope to include commercial trucks and logistics vehicles, reflecting a comprehensive approach toward zero-emission transportation solutions.
The trial officially commenced with a flag-off ceremony at the Chennai Trade Centre, attended by Dr. P. Alarmelmangai, IAS – Executive Director of Guidance Tamil Nadu, as well as officials from the Government of Tamil Nadu, Guidance TN, Startup TN, Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC), and several industry partners.
This collaboration between government agencies and private sector stakeholders underscores Tamil Nadu’s commitment to advancing electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and sustainable mobility. One of the primary objectives of the trial is to assess the performance, reliability, and overall cost-efficiency of zero-emission trucks and freight vehicles.
A key focus will be comparing their cost efficiency to traditional diesel-powered vehicles. Additionally, the trial will evaluate the total cost of ownership for electric fleets, which includes initial investments, operational costs, and long-term savings. Another significant component of the assessment is determining the investment recovery period for businesses adopting these zero-emission vehicles.
Moreover, the trial will study the financial requirements for upgrading highway infrastructure to support the electrification of major routes. Abhijeet Sinha, Program Director of NHEV, emphasized that this trial builds on the learnings from previous tests that involved electric SUVs and buses.
By expanding the trial to freight and logistics vehicles, the project aims to gather more comprehensive data on how electric vehicles (EVs) can serve different transportation sectors. This data will also contribute to planning for the larger goal of developing a 5500-kilometer e-highway network across India.
The trial will focus on five major routes in Tamil Nadu, namely: Chennai to Trichy, Trichy to Madurai, Coimbatore to Ulundurpet, Kishnagiri to Madurai, and Madurai to Kanyakumari. During the trial, extensive data will be collected to identify the most efficient locations for charging stations, the optimal frequency for these stations along the routes, and the overall costs of establishing this critical infrastructure.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to lower India’s logistics costs from 14% of GDP to 9%, a key factor in making India more competitive globally. Tamil Nadu is expected to serve as a pioneering model for other states in their efforts to shift toward zero-emission logistics. Insights gathered from previous NHEV trials conducted in cities like Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra have already provided valuable information for shaping the future of electric transportation in India.
