What India's 1,200 Km E-Highway On Delhi-Mumbai Expressway Could Look Like

India is looking to construct a separate 'e-highway' on the 1,250-kilometre-long Delhi-Mumbai expressway where trucks and buses can run at a speed of 120 kph, Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari said in Lok Sabha last week, and is estimated to bring logistics cost down by 70 per cent.

Although the minister was quick to clarify that the final decision is yet to be made, he noted that Siemens has already used the e-highway technology to build a similar corridor in Germany. And this gives us a glimpse into what the e-highway on Delhi-Mumbai expressway may look like.

Siemens

Similar to German eHighway system for trucks

In May 2019, Germany tested a new electrified eHighway for trucks on a ten-kilometre-long stretch of the autobahn near the city of Frankfurt. Developed by German industrial company Siemens, the system comes in the form of cables suspended over the existing highway that specially-equipped trucks can use to draw power for an electric motor--similar to how electric trains operate--and even recharge their batteries on the go.

The test trucks are fitted with batteries and conductor rods called pantographs added to the top of the cabin. They need to travel at speeds of up to 90 kmph to make a successful connection with 670-Volt direct-current cables.

Siemens

When they're connected they draw power from electricity alone. And since they have a hybrid system, the trucks can switch back to diesel-powered internal combustion once they leave the electrified stretch. Sensors detect when the overhead wires are available.

Siemens also noted that if a driver were to swerve to the left or right while connected to the cables it would not detach; but if there ever was an accident, the cables would shut down automatically.

e-Highway system is good for environment

Siemens argues that the technology can be integrated and operated within the existing road infrastructure without significant effort, thereby making it a practical way to reduce emissions and energy consumption in places where railways aren't feasible.

It combines the efficiency of electrified railroads with the flexibility of trucks, thus causing a sharp reduction in emissions of CO2 and nitrogen oxides.

Slashing carbon emissions from transportation including freight is a key part of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

BCCL

Siemens says the technology will save a 40-ton truck 20,000 euros (?17 lakh) over 100,000 km on fuel costs using their system on top of the emissions reduction from electrifying freight vehicles.

Notably, Siemens is also testing the eHighway technology in the US and Sweden--although, on a smaller scale.

India¡¯s other eHighway projects

Last year in October, the government invited proposals for installation of charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) on major highways and expressways under the second phase of the ¡®Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles (FAME)¡¯ programme.

It received a staggering 106 proposals to set up about 7,000 EV charging stations across the country, but the government sanctioned only 2,877 out of which around 600 charging stations were set up by the public entities until October, 2020.

File Photo

In July 2019, Advance Services for Social and Administrative Reforms' (ASSAR)--a private firm backed by the central government--claimed to convert the 500-km expressway along the Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra highways into electric corridors with facilities for charging electric vehicles by March 2020.

The trial run of electric vehicles for the Delhi-Agra e-Corridor was conducted for a month ending on December 25 last year and that along the Delhi-Jaipur route will commence in 10 days on April 10, 2021.

A total of 90,000 vehicles are expected to run annually on these corridors, allowing users to avail technical help or backup from 20 charging stations.