'Nayi Soch Ki Sawaari' Paves the Way For Eco-Friendly Trucking in Delhi

“Nayi Soch ki Sawaari” is an initiative by Purpose to generate awareness about electric trucks amongst the trucking community. The trucking community of India is the thread that connects the country.

In India, MHDVs (medium and heavy-duty vehicles) constitute just 2% of all road vehicles but account for over 45% of all road emissions. In Delhi, where vehicular pollution has reached a crisis point, Delhi’s Transport and Environment Minister Kailash Gahlot stated in October 2023 that Electric Vehicles Policy 2.0 would target commercial vehicles to address the issue while hoping for all vehicles to become electric by 2030. The same year, the nation’s capital registered a total of 6,57,312 vehicles out of which 73,610 were electric.

For grassroots stakeholders like Naseeb Singh (36), a truck driver who plies the Haryana-UP- Delhi route, this discussion about green technologies and transport decarbonisation takes time to be relatable. For drivers and others in his trucking community, the well-being of their family and community, the effect of pollution on their health, comfort of driving, ease of maintenance, and cost efficiency take priority.

‘Nayi Soch Ki Sawaari’ an initiative to generate awareness about electric trucks amongst people like Singh and his peers is seeding the ground for bigger conversations by addressing their immediate concerns.

There have been considerable conversations concerning how India’s energy security strategy can be an ‘energy-independent’ nation by 2047 through various strategies including EVs.

The International Council on Clean Transportation has especially focused on the role Heavy Duty Trucks (HDTs) can play in this aspirational transition to a more sustainable energy ecosystem and warned that without further policy intervention, HDT emissions may quadruple by 2070 in India. For Singh, these national policy matters may not be of immediate urgency; however, he fully recognizes the positive impact that electric mobility can bring.

Naseeb Singh, now better informed, says, “Electric vehicles signify a positive change. That is why many brands are coming forward to launch new electric vehicles. One of the benefits is that drivers of electric vehicles will hopefully be able to earn a stable, better salary as they will not need to resort to extensive cost-cutting measures while driving diesel vehicles. Electric trucks are comfortable for the driver too as the trucks are easier to drive.

“They are better for the environment as they serve as a defence against environmental pollution. These trucks will also provide considerable relief to owners by replacing costly non-renewable fuels like diesel with renewable and affordable energy.”

Naseeb is among nearly 2,000 truck drivers, across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chandigarh, who are beginning to discuss electric mobility as an interesting concept that they want to know more about.

In Delhi NCR, nearly 200 participants from the trucking community gathered at locations like the ICD Container Depot in Tughlakabad, Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, and areas surrounding logistics hubs that witness brisk truck movement, ‘Nayi Soch Ki Sawaari’ with support from Child Survival India is providing drivers with insights into the advantages of electric trucks through a variety of tools and events, including live discussions, art competitions, and life-sized version of board games.

The initiative also includes ‘EV OK Please,’ a YouTube channel serving as an educational hub, offering in-depth insights into electric mobility for the trucking community.

Kritica Mahajan, Manager, “Nayi Soch Ki Sawaari” elaborates on how the initiative is also trying to understand the challenges related to the usage of such vehicles from the ground up. “There is limited information about electric trucks right now in India’s road freight industry. We aim to understand the core issues that drivers and fleet owners face on a day-to-day basis rather than forcing upon them a perspective they are not yet ready for. We aim to spark conversations and encourage people to ask questions about this technology. It is only when their questions are answered, that they will feel equipped to make informed decisions towards an energy transition in the future,” she shares.

The initiative has received support from local transport associations and logistics providers, and many more awareness sessions will be held across Delhi in the coming months. Similar events have been organised in Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan.

About Nayi Soch Ki Sawaari:

“Nayi Soch ki Sawaari” is an initiative by Purpose to generate awareness about electric trucks amongst the trucking community. The trucking community of India is the thread that connects the country.

“Nayi Soch Ki Sawaari” is taking this evolution beyond the decision-makers to the end user. The initiative aims to highlight the potential impact that transformation of the sector can lead to, especially for the drivers, helpers, mechanics, and other important stakeholders in the system that keep it running.