Montra Electric: First OEM to Partner with Government NHEV Program

Montra Electric eHCV, a subsidiary of the Murugappa Group's TI Clean Mobility division, has signed a strategic agreement with the Government of India's National Highway for Electric Vehicles initiative (NHEV). The company became the first electric truck original equipment manufacturer in India to work with Ease of Doing Business, the piloting agency for NHEV.

The partnership will deploy over 1,000 electric trucks across key sectors and routes in India. The goal is to make electric freight operations commercially viable by creating frameworks for faster decision-making for fleet operators and customers.

Montra Electric eHCV will use blended climate financing and pre-agreed commercial terms to support large-scale deployment. The company will work with NHEV stakeholders to test Connected Commercial Vehicle protocols for integration with future charging and energy networks.

Live pilot programs will begin on high-volume freight routes under NHEV's Tech Trial IV. These pilots will test trucks under real operating conditions and provide data for fleet operators across India.

Abhijeet Sinha, National Program Director of Ease of Doing Business and NHEV and Principal Advisor for SEPC at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that the collaboration will facilitate technical and commercial aspects for accelerated deployment.He added that the partnership includes empanelling the OEM in the Connected Commercial Vehicle Protocol of the Indian Electric Highways and enabling an Intelligent Transport Management System.

The agreement also provides access to AHEM blended climate financing for funding truck deployment.

Jalaj Gupta, Managing Director of Montra Electric, said that the partnership represents a shift from intent to execution, aiming to lower adoption barriers and make electric trucking a practical and profitable choice for transporters and customers nationwide.

Montra Electric operates under the Murugappa Group, a 125-year-old conglomerate with annual revenues of INR 90,178 crore. Its portfolio includes India's first 55-ton electric truck trailer RHINO, the country’s first electric tractor E-27 and last mile delivery and passenger mobility solutions.

The agreement marks a step toward sustainable freight transportation and wider adoption of electric commercial vehicles in India.

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