Ashok Leyland has extended its corporate social responsibility programme – ‘Road to School’ – in partnership with Hinduja Leyland Finance to 352 schools in Erode, Salem and Dharmapuri districts of Tamil Nadu. 

By doing so the commercial major aims to improve the primary and middle school education in government schools in these three districts. It also aims to bring about social equality among the school students in the remote villages through the programme, which would reach over 1,700 schools and benefit 2,00,000 students in more than six states across the country.

In Ammapettai of Erode district, the collector there, Thiru Raja Gopal Sunkara inaugurated a new ‘Road to School’ programme. A similar programme in Konganapuram and Magudanchavadi blocks of Salem district was inaugurated by the collector there, Dr Brinda. 

The launch of expansion of Road to School programme in Palacode, Dharmapuri district was inaugurated by the collector there, Smt Santhi. 

Speaking regarding the new ‘Road to School’ programme developments, N V Balachandar, Consultant CSR and Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland, mentioned, "Ashok Leyland has proudly nurtured this initiative, witnessing its remarkable growth over time. For us, 'Road to School' is far more than just a CSR program; it represents a company-wide commitment to driving real, meaningful change in the lives of students. We firmly believe in the transformative power of education and its lasting impact on individuals. With the inclusion of schools in Erode, Salem, and Dharmapuri into our 'Road to School' family, we are thrilled to expand our impact and contribute to building our country’s future.”

“The programme has over the years has created a huge impact in the remote rural schools which has enabled children to improve not only in learning levels but important aspects such as life skills, sports and art, thereby improving their ability to be competitive. The programme's uniqueness is the social development initiatives that we do in these villages align with the sustainable development goals. The 'Road to School' is a programme beyond education and in the true sense focusses on holistic development,” he added. 

Road to School (RTS), Ashok Leyland's leading CSR initiative in collaboration with Learning Links Foundation, strives to bridge educational disparities among students in rural and underserved areas attending government schools across India. The Road to School Program envisions fostering holistic development and promoting inclusive education as a means of social empowerment. It supports both academic and co-curricular growth, encompassing health, hygiene, physical and emotional well-being, and sports. RTS program is aligned with the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals on improving the quality of education, scholastic and co-scholastic development including sports, and art education, and promoting good health and well-being amongst underserved children from government schools.

The Road to School program has made significant strides in improving educational infrastructure across Tamil Nadu. With this, Ashok Leyland Limited and Hinduja Leyland Finance Limited have extended their support to 352 primary and middle government schools across Dharmapuri, Erode, and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu. These schools are in blocks identified by the State government as educationally disadvantaged or in need of targeted interventions. This initiative aims to enhance the educational quality and holistic development of over 20,000 children enrolled in these institutions.

Since its inception in 2015 in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu, the program has expanded remarkably. Today, it reaches over 1,700 schools and benefits 2,00,000 students in more than six states across the country.

Ashok Leyland is steadfast in its mission to impact 1 million students, ensuring every child in India has access to quality education. With a commitment to nurturing this vision, the company aims to make a lasting difference in the educational landscape in India.

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Eicher Trucks and Buses, a business unit of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), has partnered Pickkup, a leading tech-enabled logistics provider, for the phased deployment of 100 Eicher Pro X EV small trucks across India.

The EVs are deployed across the operations of Pickkup serving retail distributors, e-commerce, FMCG and perishable deliveries. This partnership marks a significant step toward advancing clean logistics and sustainable urban mobility, enabling faster adoption of zero-emission solutions in high-demand applications.

Pickkup, operates 100 percent electric four-wheeler fleet under an asset-light model. The Eicher Pro X EV, designed and manufactured in India at VECV’s Industry 4.0-enabled Bhopal plant, combines best-in-class range, larger cargo capacity, and CCS2 fast-charging compatibility. It is supported by Eicher’s Uptime Centre and the My Eicher connected platform to provide predictive diagnostics, real-time support and maximum vehicle availability.

Abhishek Chaudhary, SVP, Small Commercial Vehicles, Eicher Trucks and Buses, said, “This partnership with Pickkup is a significant step in our journey to support customers with future-ready mobility solutions. The phased deployment of Eicher small electric trucks demonstrates not only the confidence in Eicher’s pedigree but also the growing readiness of logistics operators to integrate EVs into their fleet. The Eicher Pro X has been co-created with customers to address real operational needs of delivering environmental and economic sustainability—making them an ideal solution for modern logistics.”

Ankush Sharma, Founder & CEO, Pickkup, added, “Pickkup’s vision is to decarbonize logistics while ensuring operational efficiency at scale. The Eicher Pro X EV, with its offering and connected ecosystem, fits perfectly into our growth strategy. With Eicher’s partnership, we can expand faster, serve more customers. With this momentum, Pickkup is taking a leadership role in shaping future-ready, and sustainable logistics solutions for India.”

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Montra Electric M&HCV, part of the Murugappa Group, has announced a major milestone for its Rhino 5538EV heavy-duty electric trucks, which it claims has collectively travelled over 12 million kilometres on Indian roads in just two years. The fleet of 350 trucks has been primarily deployed in critical sectors like steel, cement and port logistics.

This achievement highlights the growing viability of electric heavy-duty transport in India. According to Montra Electric, the fleet has helped companies reduce an estimated 3.79 million tons of CO2 emissions since its launch.

Jalaj Gupta, MD, Montra Electric, said, "This milestone is a powerful validation of India's transition to clean mobility. With the Rhino 5538EV, we are proving that electric heavy transport isn’t a distant future, it’s already a reality on Indian roads."

The Rhino 5538EV trucks have maintained an uptime of over 98 percent, demonstrating their reliability in demanding industrial environments. The company shared that customers have reportedly placed repeat orders for the trucks, citing significant savings on fuel and maintenance costs. Montra Electric is providing 24x7 on-site service on its fleets to ensure maximum productivity.

The Rhino EV is powered by a 282 kWh LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery and a PMSM (Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor), delivering 380 horsepower and 2000 Nm of torque. The trucks support fast charging, which can bring the battery from 20 percent to 100 percent in just one hour. The company plans to expand its Rhino lineup to include a 4x2 tractor-trailer and a 6x4 tipper configuration.

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Pune-headquartered alternative fuel commercial vehicle manufacturer Blue Energy Motors has appointed Anand Mimani as CEO of its EV & New Energy Business.

Mimani will be responsible for the company’s focused vertical on integrated clean freight ecosystem. The automaker is working on accelerating expansion across electric heavy-duty vehicles, energy-as-a-service platforms and green corridor infrastructure.

He comes with over 26-years of experience in mobility, energy and clean tech. Till recently, he was the CEO of GreenLine Mobility Solutions, where he led the deployment of India’s largest fleet of LNG-pwoered trucks.

In his new role, Mimani will lead the EV & New Energy division’s business strategy, operations, product rollout and partner ecosystem — with a sharp focus on scaling zero-emission trucking solutions. He will report directly to Anirudh Bhuwalka, Founder & Managing Director, Blue Energy Motors, who continues to steer the company’s overall mission, strategic direction and group-level leadership.

Bhuwalka, said, “As we scale rapidly, it’s critical to bring in focused leadership for each of our high-growth verticals. Anand’s appointment as CEO of our EV and New Energy Business significantly strengthens our execution capacity in the electric mobility and infrastructure space, while advancing our broader vision for a zero-emission freight future.”

The Pune-based automaker is working on clean freight platform combining battery-electric, LNG and energy-as-a-service solutions under one integrated ecosystem. With EV and energy infrastructure representing a critical pillar of its scale-up, it is now strengthening leadership in this vertical to:

- Ramp up deployment of electric truck platforms

- Scale battery swap and charging hubs across key freight corridors

- Deepen partnerships with energy providers, logistics firms, and OEMs

Anand Mimani, said, “I’m excited to join Blue Energy at such a pivotal time. The opportunity to lead the EV & New Energy vertical – while working closely with Anirudh and the leadership team – is incredibly energising. Together, we aim to build a freight ecosystem that is clean, efficient, and future-proof.”

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David Hanna has been named Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK, effective 1 October 2025. He brings extensive two-decade automotive industry experience from both manufacturer and retail perspectives.

Hanna originally joined Volkswagen Group UK in 2014 and has since cultivated deep brand knowledge through significant roles within the Audi, Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles divisions, including Head of Network Sales at Volkswagen Passenger Cars UK. This strategic appointment marks a return to the light commercial vehicles sector for Hanna, where his proven leadership and historical involvement are expected to drive the brand's future growth and strengthen its market position.

Damien O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Volkswagen Group UK, said, “I am delighted to welcome David to the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group UK in his new role as Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.  I’m sure he will bring strong leadership and considerable experience to this important role.”

Hanna said, “Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is a fantastic brand with class-leading products and an incredible history. It also has one of the best team of retailers in the UK through its Van Centre Network. I’m excited to be able to lead the team in the UK, and am very much looking forward to working with them and the network again in order to continue the success of the brand.”

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