The transport department will soon start a study to examine the feasibility of converting government trucks to electric vehicles to reduce pollution levels in Delhi, officials said on Friday. The study, to be conducted by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), will begin next week, with recommendations due within months.
Explaining the thinking behind the study, Amit Bhatt, ICCT Managing Director (India), told PTI, “We are trying to see if we can electrify government trucks like waste disposal trucks, water tankers, gardening trucks. In order to do that , we’ll see their energy consumption so that in the future when they’re powered on, we’ll know what kind of batteries they need and what charging infrastructure they need.”
Trucks generate a lot of emissions and need to be electrified, Bhatt said. “We have identified data collection methods and will start research soon,” he added. As part of the study, the vehicle will be fitted with an on-board device that will capture data related to its mobility characteristics and energy consumption at various stages, he said.
“The data will be simulated on our software and will look at how much benefit its electrification will bring. As battery cost is a major factor, there will be an assessment of how big batteries are needed. Charging infrastructure will also be needed. We will be in 10-15 Install these devices in the vehicle,” he said.
Bhatt said it was important to limit emissions from the 50,000 to 70,000 trucks that enter Delhi every day. Most cities are encouraging electric vehicles in the two- and three-wheeler segment, but electrification of trucks isn’t happening anywhere yet, he said.
First published date: April 15, 2023 at 19:12 PM CST
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