Kerala To Host India's First State-Led Electric Truck Corridor Under PM E-DRIVE

Kerala is laying the groundwork to become the first Indian state to operationalise an electric truck corridor, aligning its freight electrification plans with the central government’s PM E-DRIVE scheme, state officials said on Tuesday.

The proposed corridor will run along National Highway 66 (NH-66), a key freight artery that carries a significant share of Kerala’s port-linked and industrial cargo. The initiative is being led by the Kerala State Electricity Board Ltd (KSEBL), the state’s designated nodal agency for PM E-DRIVE, in collaboration with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

The state hosted a high-level workshop bringing together senior government officials, utilities, electric vehicle manufacturers, logistics companies and technical experts to coordinate actions needed to accelerate electric freight adoption.

Allocation of Rs 2,000 crore

PM E-DRIVE, which has an allocation of Rs 2,000 crore, aims to support the rollout of charging infrastructure for electric trucks (e-trucks) and buses along major national and state highways.

At the event, Kerala’s Minister for Electricity, K. Krishnankutty, launched a dedicated web portal developed by KSEBL to facilitate implementation of the PM E-DRIVE scheme on privately owned land under Category C. The portal allows eligible charge point operators to upload details of suitable land parcels, enabling faster aggregation and submission of proposals to the Ministry of Heavy Industries for approval.

“To meaningfully reduce pollution from freight movement, it is essential to accelerate the electrification of medium and heavy commercial vehicles,” Krishnankutty said. “PM E-DRIVE provides a timely opportunity to deploy the charging infrastructure needed to support this transition.”

Among the firsts 

Kerala was among the first states to aggregate land parcels and submit proposals to the Ministry of Heavy Industries under PM E-DRIVE, even before the formal designation of a nodal agency, officials said.

The state has more than 300,000 electric vehicles registered, accounting for over 10% of new vehicle sales, among the highest penetration rates in India. Officials said this existing ecosystem provides a foundation for scaling electric freight.

Medium To Heavy-Duty Electric Trucks.

Minhaj Alam, chairman and managing director of KSEBL, said the utility’s focus would be on building a “reliable, scalable and user-friendly” charging network for medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks.

Additional Chief Secretary (Power) Puneet Kumar said state submissions under PM E-DRIVE would prioritise high-capacity charging configurations of 120 kW and 240 kW to support long-haul freight operations.

NH-66 is expected to see rising freight volumes due to the expansion of Vizhinjam port and growing coastal industrial activity. State officials said electrifying freight along the corridor could help curb emissions, lower operating costs for industries and improve air quality in densely populated districts.

Medium- and heavy-duty trucks are among the largest contributors to road transport emissions in India. Officials said Kerala’s corridor-based approach could serve as a model for electric freight deployment nationally.