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India's EV Future: Not So Electric? TERI Study Reveals CNG's Enduring Role Until 2050
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Firstpost•01-10-2026, 06:10
India's EV Future: Not So Electric? TERI Study Reveals CNG's Enduring Role Until 2050
- •A new TERI study suggests India's road transport transition will involve a mix of EVs, CNG, and LNG, not a single dominant fuel.
- •The study assessed various fuels across six vehicle categories, concluding that no single fuel is a universal replacement for existing mobility choices.
- •EVs are projected to dominate two-wheelers and three-wheelers long-term, while CNG will remain relevant for private cars and commercial vehicles.
- •LNG is identified as increasingly important for long-haul heavy-duty vehicles, with battery electric vehicles having a more limited role in this segment.
- •TERI found that CNG generally shows the lowest overall environmental burden under the current Indian electricity mix, and EV environmental performance depends on electricity generation and battery manufacturing.
Key Questions Answered
The TERI study indicates that India's road transport transition will rely on a mix of electric vehicles, CNG, and LNG rather than a single dominant fuel.
Heavy-duty vehicles face constraints such as payload, range, charging time, and battery weight for electric options, making LNG increasingly relevant for long-haul applications while CNG supports regional freight.
While electrification can reduce direct dependence on imported crude oil and LNG, it introduces a new external dependence on critical battery minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite.
