Switching Amritsar’s diesel-powered door-to-door waste collection fleet to electric vehicles (EVs) could reduce fuel costs by as much as 70% and cut carbon emissions by 64%, according to a new study released by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). The independent assessment highlights that electrifying about 200 waste collection vehicles could save the city INR 50–70 lakh annually while preventing roughly 16,000 kg of PM2.5 pollution each year.
The study says Amritsar’s short, fixed routes and relatively low speeds make EVs particularly well suited for municipal services. Vehicles could be charged overnight at existing depots without altering current collection routes, making the transition both practical and cost-effective.
Punjab is currently the only Indian state to prioritise EVs in waste collection through targeted incentives in its electric vehicle policy. Amritsar has already demonstrated leadership in clean transport by replacing diesel auto-rickshaws with electric ones under the RAAHI scheme.
“With the Swachh Bharat Mission improving sanitation, there is a clear opportunity to align waste collection with clean mobility,” said Dr Himani Jain, Senior Programme Lead at CEEW. “Despite higher upfront costs, EVs offer significant lifetime savings, especially when assessed per tonne of waste collected.”
Amritsar’s fleet currently consumes more than 3.6 lakh litres of diesel each year, contributing to poor air quality and high urban emissions. According to CEEW, electric carts with a 300 kg payload are ideal for current 15–20 km daily routes, while 550 kg payload electric three-wheelers are better suited for longer routes of 50 km or more.
To scale this transition across Punjab, the study recommends a phased transition plan, expansion of charging infrastructure at municipal depots, and coordinated procurement across cities. The analysis also provides electrification scenarios for over 80,000 waste collection vehicles needed in Indian cities with populations above one lakh.
