For buyers eyeing a switch to electric heavy haul, the headline is a cue that the industry is moving beyond the diesel myth. Paradeep Parivahan, known for its battery‑integrated chassis, has just landed a 10‑year contract with JSW Group to deploy 100 of its trucks on the 600‑km Nandyal‑Vijayanagar corridor. The deal will move 125,000 tonnes of clinker and slag each month, a figure that dwarfs most individual fleet contracts in the country.
You’d think the competition would heat up. TML, Mahindra, and a few start‑ups have been lining up bids for similar gigs, but none have secured a contract that size yet. This puts Paradeep a step ahead, and buyers of heavy haul EVs will start scrutinizing its battery chemistry, payload capability, and charging infrastructure.
Policy‑wise, the deal sits on top of the 2023 EV policy that grants duty exemptions on batteries for commercial vehicles, and the 2024 amendment that reduces GST for EVs carrying heavy cargo. That means the cost of ownership for each truck could be lower than a comparable diesel counterpart, a factor that will weigh heavily on the decision board.
Delivery timelines remain hush‑hush, but the 10‑year window signals a phased rollout. Sources say the first batch could hit the road by late 2027, with the rest following in 2028‑29.
What will keep the market on its toes is how the fleet performs under real‑world conditions—especially on the steep gradients of the Nandyal–Vijayanagar route. If the trucks manage to keep downtime low and charging times short, they could set a new benchmark for zero‑emission bulk transport.