• By 2035, the number of heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs) will rise by 27%.
• Except in a few states and union territories, such as Delhi and Puducherry, the majority of PM2.5 emissions come from trucks.
• Super-emitters constitute only 23% of the fleet, but they contribute to 62% of PM2.5 emissions.
• Targeting super-emitters can reduce HCV emissions by ~60%.
• Implementing low-emission zones can reduce HCV emissions by 15%–30%, but it is still in a pilot phase in India.
• Mandatory scrapping of old HCVs can reduce emissions by 44% by 2035. To replace nearly 85,000 vehicles, ~28,000 crores worth of infrastructure would be needed.
• Retrofitting can result in an immediate reduction in emissions. The estimated cost is INR 1.3 thousand crores for retrofitting ~3 lakh vehicles.
• Switching to EVs or cleaner alternative fuels can reduce emissions, but the high cost and a lack of infrastructure are the barriers. Cleaning up about 70,000 vehicles would require INR 100 thousand crores.
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