Ashok Leyland has delivered an LNG powered haulage truck –AVTR 1922 – to Mahanagar Gas Limited in Hosur (Tamil Nadu) marking yet another significant development in sustainable mobility in India. 

The LNG powertrain of the truck was developed in-house and is BS VI Stage II compliant. The truck, the AVTR 1922 is based on the modular AVTR platform and shares a high degree of commonality with Ashok Leyland's existing diesel truck range.  The result of this is an amount of familiarity in terms of ease of service.   

Stating that Ashok Leyland’s steadfast commitment revolves around the dynamic needs of customers in the ever-evolving world of sustainable transportation, Sanjeev Kumar, President – MHCV, Ashok Leyland, mentioned that innovations in alternate energy space will not only provide eco-conscious solutions, it will also ensure long term profitability for our esteemed customers. 

Of the opinion that a local supply chain must gear up for progress in the field of alternative fuels, Dheeraj Hinduja, Executive Chairman, Ashok Leyland, referred to the strong performance of the company in the second quarter of FY2023-24.

Emphasising that the robust all-round performance of Ashok Leyland during the respective quarter exemplifies its technological and cost leadership, he expressed, “While International business globally is challenged owing to the conflicts across the globe, we are intensifying our expansion strategy in our focus markets of Middle East, Africa and Asia. The Company continues to build its capabilities in alternative energy and shall be soon coming up with some exciting products and solutions.”

Confident that the rest of the two quarters of the FY2023-24 will bring further growth on the back of strong macroeconomic factors, Hinduja informed that their MHCV, ICV and bus segments have recorded good performance. 

For Q2 FY2023-24, Ashok Leyland has reported revenues of INR 96.38 billion vis-a-vis INR 82.66 billion in Q2 FY2022-23, marking a growth of 17 percent. Profit After Tax (PAT) of INR 5.61 billion for the quarter grew 181 percent over same period last year.

The CV maker’s domestic MHCV volume at 29,947 units grew by 18 percent as compared to the Q2 FY2022-23 volume. LCV volumes during Q2 FY2023-24 were 16998 units – almost the same as Q2 FY2022-23 (17,040 numbers). Export volumes for the quarter (MHCV & LCV) were 2901 units, four-per cent higher despite socio-political challenges across the globe.

Witnessing good movement in the MHCV space, Ashok Leyland saw a significant increase in its bus market share making us the Number 1 bus manufacturer in India.

EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation) for Q2 FY2023-24 was INR 10.80 billion (11.2 percent) as compared to INR 5.37 billion (6.5 percent) in Q2 FY2022-23. Net Debt at the end of the quarter stood at INR 11.39 billion with a Debt Equity at 0.1 time.

All other businesses of Ashok Leyland posted good growth in the current quarter.  The company expanded its MHCV range by launching new products in tipper, tractor and MAV categories. The focus on expansion of distribution network continued with further addition of 47 touch points in the quarter – especially in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country.

The Board of Directors of Ashok Leyland in their meeting held today, have approved an investment of INR 12.00 billion in Switch Mobility as equity through its holding company Optare PLC, UK.  The funds infused will be used for capital expenditure, R&D and meeting operational requirements both in UK and India. The funds will be infused over the next few months after necessary statutory approvals in one or more tranches.

Switch Group of Companies (Switch Mobility Ltd - UK and Switch Mobility Automotive Ltd- India) house the Electric Mobility initiative of Ashok Leyland with a focus on e-buses and e-LCVs. 

Over the last few years, Switch India has had major success in garnering orders from State Transport Undertakings. As on date Switch in India and UK has over 800 buses plying successfully and has an order book of over 1200 buses. 

Switch India had a successful launch of India’s only Double Decker e-Bus last year. In September 2023, the Ashok Leyland subsidiary launched its state-of-the-art e-LCVs. The company has signed MoUs of over 13000 vehicles for its much-awaited e-LCVs which it will start delivering from the fourth quarter of the current fiscal.

“Electric Vehicles especially in buses and light trucks have a very bright future as Governments and private customers are driving the green agenda. We are very happy with the progress made by Switch, and we will continue to invest on building its capabilities. We are confident that Switch will grow further in the European markets with the launch in 2024 of our new E1 12 m bus developed specifically for the European market. Our portfolio of electric buses will cover value and premium segments meeting all price points for many global markets,” Hinduja commented. 

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Tata Motors, one of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers globally, has presented a portfolio of 11 products at an exhibition in South Africa.

The display includes a range of vehicle platforms and powertrain technologies, including electric vehicles and traditional internal combustion models, designed for international market applications.

Tata Motors displayed four zero-emission models developed for specific cargo and industrial duties, which include Tata Ace Pro EV, Tata Intra EV, Tata Ultra E.9 and Prima E28.K.

The display also featured next-generation intermediate trucks and mass mobility passenger buses – Intra V30 & V70, Azura 1918, Ultra Prime RE and long-distance buses, the LPO 1618 Magna (44-seater), LPO 1623 Nova (49-seater premium coach), and the LP 909 school and staff transport bus.

Tata Motors maintains a presence across 29 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with cumulative regional sales exceeding 340,000 commercial vehicles. The company provides a lineup of over 60 models supported by a network of more than 320 service touchpoints. To support its regional supply chain, the company utilises seven local assembly operations located in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Asif Shamim, Head of International Business, Tata Motors, said, “This showcase reflects our continued focus on developing relevant, application‑led mobility solutions for our international markets. The portfolio presented here demonstrates the range of platforms and technologies we are building across segments, including electric vehicles, tailored to different use cases and operating conditions. It also reflects the strength of the engineering and development capabilities behind these products, enabling us to deliver solutions that are practical, reliable and built to support customer productivity.”

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German technology company Bosch has announced a new joint venture with Brakes India (BIPL) and Wheels India (WIL), both companies of the TSF Group, to advance the development and manufacturing of air systems for commercial vehicles.

The partnership is structured as a 50:50 joint venture between Bosch and the TSF Group companies and is expected to begin operations by end-2026, pending regulatory approvals.

The joint venture will concentrate on the engineering, manufacturing and sales of electronically controlled and software-driven modules. The product portfolio will include systems for – air compression, air processing, air suspension and air parking brakes.

The entity will be headquartered in Chennai, with supply chain management integrated across Bosch, Brakes India and Wheels India.

Guruprasad Mudlapur, President, Bosch Group in India and MD, Bosch, said, “This joint venture is a decisive step to shape the future of advanced air systems. By integrating premier engineering and manufacturing prowess, we are co-creating state-of-the-art, intelligent modules that will empower our customers globally to build more advanced commercial vehicles.”

Sandeep Nelamangala, Joint MD, Bosch and President of Bosch Mobility India, said, “The commercial vehicle industry is at a pivotal moment, shifting from mechanical hardware to software-driven architecture. With air systems being an important portfolio extension, the planned joint venture enhances Bosch’s overall commercial vehicle motion management portfolio, strengthening its role in software-driven mobility.”

Sriram Viji, MD, Brakes India, said, “This milestone marks a step towards building a more integrated, system-level approach for OEMs in the commercial vehicle space. We bring our strengths as one of the leading suppliers of pneumatic braking systems. Through this joint venture, we will be able to offer air braking system parts for e-enabled future mobility to customers. We look forward to supporting the industry’s shift towards more advanced, electronically controlled and software-driven systems.”

Srivats Ram, Chairman & Managing Director of Wheels India, added, “Wheels India has been a pioneer in air suspension systems for buses in India for over three decades. Over this period, we have built strong relationships with both OEMs and end users through consistent product quality and service. We are pleased to collaborate with Bosch on this development initiative to advance electronic air suspension systems for the global customers.”

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The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), a leading automotive R&D organisation set up by the automotive industry with the Government of India, has launched a series of administrative and technical initiatives to support bus body builders navigating the national certification framework.

The updates are structured to lower compliance expenses, minimise paperwork and reduce the processing timeline for vehicle type approval.

Under the updated framework, ARAI has established a Support Cell to assist manufacturers with documentation and pre-application design verification. The association has also introduced a website containing regulatory guidelines and simplified data templates, such as standardised variant lists and checklists, to address Worst-Case Selection Criteria.

Applicants must follow a three-level compliance architecture that incorporates physical safety verifications and mandatory video inspections.

The system enforces the Bus Body Code, implemented under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), to standardise vehicle construction and safety metrics across the manufacturing sector. The rules require compliance with distinct Automotive Industry Standards (AIS):

• AIS 052 (Rev.1): Governs structural requirements and design safety for all buses with a seating capacity of 13 passengers plus the driver (13+D) and above, as mandated by GSR 159 (E).
• AIS 153: Sets safety criteria, fire protection rules, emergency exit locations, and passenger comfort standards for buses exceeding a 22-passenger capacity, excluding the driver (22+D).
• Specialised Standards: Includes AIS-119 (Rev.1) for sleeper coaches and AIS-063 for school buses.

The operational updates follow a regulatory directive issued by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH). Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) are restricted from registering new inter-city and sleeper buses until completed safety checklists are uploaded directly to the government’s VAHAN portal by manufacturers, body builders and inspecting officers.

Dr Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI, said, “ARAI has always been committed to empowering ecosystem stakeholders be it legacy corporations, start-ups or MSMEs. We want to assist the bus body builders in their certification process at all stages including development and testing before they apply for certification. This will ensure that safety remains our utmost priority and consequently a reliable transport system for the public is built in our country. To encourage widespread adoption of these services, we have also introduced substantially optimised pricing structures. We aim to make it easier, faster and cost-effective for all stakeholders to uphold the best standards of passenger safety. The type approval cost had been drastically reduced to INR 1.4 million + GST, which is about 50 percent reduction from a normal case. Additionally, time for type approval process can be fast forwarded to anywhere between 60 days – 90 days, depending upon the readiness of the applicant.”

The revision limits the baseline type approval fee to INR 1.4 million plus GST for applications containing up to 100 vehicle variants, while the processing window has been adjusted to run between 60 and 90 days depending on initial applicant documentation.

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German automotive major MAN Truck & Bus recently unveiled the MAN eTGM at the Transpotec Logitec trade fair in Milan, expanding its battery-electric vehicle line-up into the mid-range distribution segment.

The introduction of the 16-tonne truck establishes a uniform electric commercial vehicle portfolio ranging from 12 to 50 tonnes, bridging the gap between the lightweight eTGL and the heavy-duty eTGX and eTGS series.

The e-truck features a permissible gross weight of 16.01 tonnes (with a 16.5-tonne option) and a chassis payload capacity of approximately 10.6 tonnes. It is designed for urban and regional distribution, municipal use and construction transport, the e-truck also supports trailer operations up to a gross combination weight of 33 tonnes. Operating in the over 16-tonne category provides transport companies with road toll reductions in several European markets while assisting fleets in meeting EU CO2 emissions targets.

The eTGM utilises a modular battery-electric system derived from MAN’s heavy-duty truck platforms. It is powered by the MAN eCD210 electric drive, which produces 210 kW (285 hp) and a maximum torque of 800 Nm, paired with a MAN TipMatic 2 transmission. Operators can configure the vehicle with two to four battery packs, providing a total usable capacity of up to 320 kWh and a maximum operating range of 480 kilometres.

Friedrich Baumann, Member of the Executive Board for Sales & Customer Solutions at MAN Truck & Bus, said, "With the MAN eTGM, we are putting the ideal electric solution for inner-city and regional distribution transport on the road right now. It is the logical conclusion to our eTruck portfolio and makes MAN a true full-range supplier of battery-electric commercial vehicles."

For body assembly, the chassis includes optimised wheelbases, standardised interfaces and a mechanical power take-off shaft (mPTO) to allow the integration of conventional body designs without extensive modification. Alongside the eTGM premiere, MAN showcased its broader decarbonisation ecosystem at the trade fair, including the heavy-duty eTGX equipped with Megawatt Charging System (MCS) technology, charging consultancy services and digital fleet connectivity tools.

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