Electric Mobility Needs More Than E-Buses: Kolkata Conclave
- By Gaurav Nandi
- May 23, 2025
India’s electric mobility transition is entering a decisive phase with public transportation emerging as the flagship for decarbonisation. At the 4th East and Northeast Energy Conclave held in Kolkata, A.K. Saxena, Senior Director at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), laid out an ambitious yet structured roadmap for how electric vehicles—particularly electric buses—can catalyse a cleaner, more inclusive transport future for India’s eastern and northeastern regions.
The event, organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, brought together policymakers, energy sector leaders and infrastructure experts to deliberate on regional energy transition strategies. Saxena’s keynote address stood out for its clarity on India’s electric mobility outlook, emphasising that public transport electrification must lead the charge.
Data-driven rollout in Kolkata
TERI’s work with the West Bengal Transport Corporation served as a case in point. The state aims to deploy 1,200 electric buses in Kolkata and Saxena revealed how technology and granular data are at the heart of this transformation. “We carried out a comprehensive traffic survey using GIS mapping and drone analytics to understand routes, congestion points and energy demand,” Saxena said. The insights helped identify optimal locations for EV charging infrastructure across the city.
The approach reflects a broader shift in India’s energy planning—from top-down mandates to data-driven micro-planning. Saxena emphasised that charging infrastructure is not just about installation but about siting, access, demand forecasting and grid-readiness. “The efficiency of public EV fleets hinges on planning that is grounded in real-world usage patterns,” he noted.
National push
In tandem with regional projects, the event also marked the launch of a new EV web portal and a short film on decarbonising public transport, both developed by TERI. These tools aim to enhance public awareness, empower local governments and standardise best practices.
Saxena pointed to TERI’s development of the e-Amrit portal for NITI Aayog—a national dashboard for EV adoption—as another example of institutional capacity-building in the e-mobility space. The platform offers guidance on EV incentives, vehicle types, charging options and ecosystem partners. “Digital platforms like e-Amrit can help streamline decision-making for city planners, fleet operators and even individual consumers,” Saxena added.
Broader energy transition
But Saxena was clear that electric mobility cannot be addressed in isolation, it must be integrated into a larger energy transition framework. He pointed out that e-mobility needs to be powered by clean, renewable energy and not simply displace tailpipe emissions with upstream fossil fuel usage.
“India must ensure that new incremental energy demand from EVs is met through renewables plus storage, not coal,” he said. TERI’s own roadmap recommends phasing out inefficient coal plants and meeting new demand growth through clean sources, particularly solar, wind and hydro.
Battery storage and pumped hydro have been prioritised as key enablers, especially for regions with variable renewables and peak demand mismatches. Saxena cited examples such as the Purulia and Turga pumped storage plants in West Bengal and Aparindavati in Odisha as vital to integrating e-mobility sustainably.
Coordinated ecosystem
One of Saxena’s boldest proposals was the formation of an East and Northeast Energy Transition Council. This cross-state platform would allow for better coordination between utilities, transport agencies and regulators. He argued that states like Odisha, Bihar, Assam and West Bengal can benefit from collaborative planning, especially on issues like charging infrastructure interoperability, storage strategy and renewable energy synergies.
He also floated the idea of setting up solar parks and EV charging corridors specifically tailored for intercity public transport routes. “Kolkata to Bhubaneswar or Guwahati to Shillong could become future-ready with fast-charging lanes,” Saxena said.
On the urban distribution front, Saxena advocated for the creation of distribution system operators (DSOs), specialised agencies tasked with managing decentralised energy flows including bi-directional EV charging, rooftop solar integration and grid balancing. “With vehicle-to-grid technologies on the horizon, the distribution system can no longer be passive,” he asserted.
Inclusive transition
Saxena closed his remarks with a reminder that India’s energy transition must be socially just and inclusive. Electrification of transport must not leave behind regions dependent on fossil fuels or traditional automotive sectors.
“Coal mining communities and internal combustion engine industries must be given retraining opportunities, livelihood alternatives and transition finance,” he said. Public transport electrification, he argued, presents an opportunity not only to cut emissions but to create green jobs, especially in battery servicing, EV manufacturing and smart infrastructure installation.
He acknowledged that the economics of EVs, especially in public fleets, may not yet be universally favourable. “But if we keep waiting for perfect conditions, the transition will remain academic,” Saxena said. “At some point, bold decisions have to be made.”
As India eyes near-universal e-mobility by 2040, Saxena’s remarks offered a realistic yet optimistic roadmap. The push to decarbonise public transport backed by smart tools, local data and clean energy is not just about vehicles. It is about shaping cities that are cleaner, healthier and more equitable for the future.
And in the alleys and arteries of Kolkata, India’s next mobility revolution may already be taking shape.
GreenLine To Deploy LNG Fleet For Dabur India’s Logistics Operations
- By MT Bureau
- July 22, 2026
GreenLine Mobility Solutions Ltd., an Essar venture and the sole Indian operator of LNG and electric-powered heavy commercial trucks for green logistics, has entered into a partnership with Dabur India Ltd., a major FMCG player. The agreement focuses on integrating LNG-powered trucks into Dabur’s logistics network to advance supply chain sustainability.
GreenLine will supply its LNG fleet to handle long-haul freight for Dabur, aiming to cut emissions significantly without compromising on performance or dependability. This move aligns with Dabur’s internal goals for a lower-carbon operational framework and reflects a wider corporate trend in India toward embracing cleaner transport alternatives.
Currently, GreenLine manages over 1,000 LNG and electric vehicles on key freight routes, serving diverse sectors such as steel, cement, mining, FMCG and chemicals. The fleet has surpassed 100 million kilometres in cumulative travel, resulting in more than 27,000 tonnes of CO₂ reductions for its clients, reinforcing the company’s role in reshaping India’s road freight landscape.
Charles Devlin D’Costa, Vice President – Sales, GreenLine Mobility Solutions Ltd, said, "We are pleased to partner with Dabur India, one of India's most respected consumer goods companies, as it adopts greener road transportation solutions. It is encouraging to see more leading Indian companies making low-emission logistics an integral part of their business strategy. Every such partnership strengthens the momentum towards cleaner freight mobility, bringing us a step closer to transforming India's road logistics ecosystem. At GreenLine, we remain committed to enabling businesses across sectors to accelerate the transition to lower-emission transportation."
Samrat Sehgal, Global Director of Supply Chain, Dabur India, said, "Reducing the environmental footprint of our supply chain is an important part of Dabur India's sustainability roadmap. Our partnership with GreenLine enables us to integrate lower-emission transportation into our logistics operations while maintaining efficiency and reliability. We believe collaborations like these will play a key role in building a more sustainable and future-ready supply chain."
Euler Motors Partners Green Drive Mobility For Electrifying Logistic Services
- By MT Bureau
- July 22, 2026
Euler Motors has announced a collaboration with Green Drive Mobility to deploy four-wheeler electric cargo vehicles across mid-mile and last-mile operations. The partnership has deployed approximately 50 units, with plans to reach 500 units during the financial year across Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.
The deployment features Euler’s Storm LR and TURBO EV 1000 models, targeting a total of 1,000 electric cargo vehicles by 2028.
Vani Rikhy Mehra, VP – Sales, Euler Motors, said, “Our collaboration with Green Drive Mobility marks an important step in expanding the role of electric commercial vehicles in India’s logistics ecosystem. Green Drive Mobility is one of the country’s most respected multi-stack EV fleet operators, and we are pleased to support their growth journey with Euler’s purpose-built electric cargo vehicles. Their disciplined approach to fleet expansion and their diverse enterprise customer base align closely with Euler’s commitment to building products and a service ecosystem that enable fleet operators to transition to electric with confidence – improving uptime, lowering operating costs, and reducing emissions at scale.”
Sagar Subramani, COO, Green Drive Mobility, added, “Our collaboration with Euler Motors reinforces our strategy of building a reliable, scalable, and technology-led electric logistics platform powered by the best vehicles from leading OEMs. Euler’s products bring strong payload performance and proven reliability, and their API-led approach fits seamlessly into our operations. As demand for sustainable logistics continues to grow across sectors, this collaboration will help us deliver consistent uptime and operational efficiency to our enterprise customers, while accelerating the shift to zero-emission mobility across India.”
Simple Energy To Launch Its First Family E-Scooter On September 2
- By MT Bureau
- July 22, 2026
Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler maker Simple Energy is set to unveil its first family e-scooter on 2 September 2026, entering the country's mass-market segment.
The mass-market EV is set to follow the Simple One and the Simple Ultra models.
Simple Energy states that the in-house developed new model is part of its robust R&D capabilities spanning proprietary software, technologies and advanced engineering solutions.
The company is said to be the first Indian OEM to commercially manufacture heavy rare-earth-free electric motors.
Billion Electric Mobility Partners J K Cement For Electric Truck Deployment
- By MT Bureau
- July 22, 2026
Billion Electric Mobility has announced a partnership with J K Cement to deploy over 150 heavy-duty electric trucks during the financial year. The project has commenced with the deployment of 20 electric trucks from J K Cement's Muddapur plant in Karnataka, transporting cement to stockyards in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa.
At present, Billion Electric provides an electric freight platform that includes vehicles, charging infrastructure, fleet operations and route management. ChargeZone's charging network supports operations across corridors in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa, with locations including Nipani, Satara, Pune, Karad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Goa, Hubli and Davanagere.
Sanjeev Kulkarni, CEO, Billion Electric Mobility, said, "The decarbonisation of India's freight sector will be driven by enterprises that are willing to lead from the front. J K Cement's commitment demonstrates that heavy-duty electric mobility is no longer a future aspiration but a commercially viable reality. Through Billion Electric's integrated eMaaS platform, supported by ChargeZone's expanding high-speed charging network, we are enabling businesses to transition to electric freight with confidence while building the infrastructure backbone needed to scale zero-emission logistics across the country."
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