Greenline Expands LNG Fleet as India Seeks Diesel Alternatives

Growing anxiety over energy security and heavy reliance on imported crude is driving India's logistics sector toward liquefied natural gas. The country's four million diesel trucks handle roughly 70 percent of freight movement, making road transport one of the biggest contributors to oil imports. Greenline Mobility is capitalizing on this shift by scaling up its LNG operations. The company currently manages over 1,000 LNG trucks along key corridors and has started introducing electric vehicles for shorter hauls. Its expansion target is ambitious: 10,000 clean vehicles within a few years. LNG offers a compelling middle ground. Trucks can travel up to 1,200 kilometers on one fill, achieve 40 percent lower emissions than diesel, and maintain high operational efficiency. These attributes make LNG especially attractive for long-distance freight where battery range remains a limitation. Supporting infrastructure is expanding rapidly. Greenline's subsidiary Ultra Gas and Energy runs seven LNG stations and intends to build a network of 100 integrated hubs offering LNG refueling, EV charging, and battery swapping. This infrastructure push aligns with government plans to roll out more than one billion dollars in incentives for clean commercial vehicles. Analysts project that converting 10 percent of the diesel fleet to LNG could reduce annual foreign exchange outflows by around three billion dollars. Industry voices are calling for targeted policies, including toll rebates, streamlined permits for refueling stations, GST benefits, and carbon credit mechanisms, to speed up the transition. While full electrification faces hurdles of cost and infrastructure, LNG provides an immediate, scalable solution that supports both economic and environmental goals in India's freight sector.