The efforts by India to adopt clean and sustainable forms of transport have received a huge boost due to GreenLine’s planned investment of ₹1,500 crores in the next three years for increasing their LNG truck business in India.

As stated in a press release issued by Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the company plans to expand its fleet of LNG trucks to around 10,000 trucks, in addition to the development of an extended network of LNG fuelling stations along key freight corridors. This would go on to further boost the country’s green logistics network.

According to a news agency report, GreenLine at present has approximately 1,000 trucks that run on LNG and electricity used for various industries including steel, cement, mining, FMCGs, chemical, and express cargo. With the intention of expanding the business, GreenLine has planned to increase its number of LNG stations from 7 stations to 50 stations in two years’ time.

According to Greenline CEO Madhur Taneja, “Fuel costs could be slashed to 20 percent using trucks powered by liquefied natural gas as the technology will improve miles per gallon compared to diesel trucks.” The official also mentioned that “LNG vehicles give out around 25 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions, 85 percent less nitrogen oxide emissions, and 95 percent lesser particulate matter emission than diesel vehicles.”

The firm believes that by just swapping 10 per cent of India’s diesel-fueled trucking capacity for those fueled by natural gas, India could save around $5 to $6 billion per year in foreign exchange, thus reducing the import of diesel. In FY 2025-26, India utilised around 94.7 million tons of diesel.

This growth happens during a period when India is gradually shifting its focus toward ensuring energy security and adopting greener sources of fuel for transport purposes. LNG is regarded as the most practical transitional fuel for long-distance cargo transport. This is because electrification is difficult owing to payload and range issues.

GreenLine also pointed out that its LNG powered trucks could cover distances of up to 1,200 km using one fill, and up to 2,400 km using two tanks, thereby tackling any issues with long distance transport. Moreover, GreenLine pointed out that LNG trucks have an added advantage in terms of being able to carry heavier payloads than diesel trucks.

Experts from the industry are of the opinion that infrastructure for LNG and advanced freight solutions may be crucial in de-carbonising the transport sector of India, which is considered one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions in India. Growth in the usage of LNG as a source of energy for transport is likely to contribute to this effort significantly.