Wonder Cement and Montra Electric have announced the deployment of around 250 Rhino 5538 EV heavy-duty electric trucks, marking one of India’s largest electric truck deployments for industrial freight and the country’s longest commercial electric freight corridor.
The fleet will operate on the Nimbahera–Dahej Port and Nimbahera–Tuna Port routes, covering nearly 1,450 km across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The trucks will undertake fully loaded daily operations similar to conventional diesel fleets, demonstrating the viability of electric vehicles for long-haul freight movement.
Supporting the deployment is a dedicated charging network comprising 13 charging stations with 39 chargers, enabling uninterrupted operations within industrial logistics schedules.
The Montra Electric Rhino 5538 EV 4×2 tractor-trailer is designed for heavy-duty applications such as cement and steel transportation. The vehicle features a 282 kWh LFP battery, 280 kW peak power, 2,000 Nm torque and a tested range of up to 198 km per charge under real-world operating conditions. It is available in both fast-charging and battery-swap variants to minimise downtime.
Kiran Patil, Managing Director, Wonder Cement, said, “The deployment of around 250 electric trucks on a 1,450-km industrial corridor is a significant step towards decarbonising logistics. In partnership with Montra Electric, we are demonstrating that long-haul freight electrification is both operationally reliable and commercially viable while supporting India’s transition to a low-carbon future.”
Jalaj Gupta, Managing Director, Montra Electric (TI Clean Mobility Pvt. Ltd.), said, “This deployment shifts the conversation from whether electric trucks can handle long-haul freight to how quickly fleets can scale them. It reinforces our commitment to deploying around 250 electric heavy commercial vehicles across India’s key industrial corridors.”
At full deployment, the fleet is expected to reduce nearly 39,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, setting a new benchmark for sustainable freight movement in the cement sector.
