Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group and the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, has opened a new dealership for light commercial vehicles (LCVs) in Siliguri, West Bengal. With this new facility, which happens to be the fifth LCV dealership in West Bengal, the company now has a robust LCV distribution network with more than 800 touchpoints.

Located at Eastern Bypass Road, SBM Warehouse, Eastern Bypass, Bhaktinagar, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, the new dealership will be managed by channel partner Happie Trucking. The main workshop facility (service and spares) is also strategically located at Debgram, Ware House, Thakur Nagar, New Jalpaiguri, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. Equipped with advanced tools, quick service bays and sophisticated infrastructure, the facility is all set to ensure superior customer experience.

Viplav Shah, Head – LCV Business, Ashok Leyland, said, “We are excited to further strengthen our presence in this region. West Bengal and Eastern India, at large, have been a key market for us. We have always recognised the potential this region has, and we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead in this geography. We have been working on creating a strong foothold in the region, and the new dealership in Siliguri will bolster our presence in this geography. The overwhelming success of our ‘DOST Range’ and now the ‘BADA DOST’ can be attributed to the robustness of our products and the extensive reach of our network. All our products have been receiving great responses from our customers, thanks to their best-in-class mileage and class-leading performance, backed by extensive sales and aftersales support. We are extremely proud that our track record of service retention levels is exemplary, with close to 70 percent of our customers returning to our dealer workshops even after the warranty period. We, as always, would remain committed to maintaining and even enhancing the level of customer service and satisfaction. This new dealership is being opened to further strengthen our reach, in line with our commitment.”

Maruti Suzuki India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has upgraded its popular offering the Super Carry with Electronic Stability Program (ESP) function.

The Super Carry now has seven advanced safety features such as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) to prevent wheel lock-up, Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) to optimise braking across varying loads, Engine Drag Control (EDC) prevents wheel slip during sudden deceleration, Traction Control System (TCS) to provide grip on slippery surfaces, Rollover Prevention steps, Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) and ESP that provides stability around sharp turns.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “At Maruti Suzuki, we are committed to deliver vehicles that empower businesses with power, efficiency, safety, and reliability. The introduction of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) in the Super Carry underscores our commitment to innovation and customer safety. Trusted for its power, comfort, low maintenance, and profitability, the Super Carry continues to be the ideal partner for our commercial customers. We thank them for their trust and look forward to driving their success together.”

The Super Carry SCV comes with Maruti Suzuki’s 1.2L K-Series Dual Jet, Dual VVT engine and five-speed manual transmission.

The commercial vehicle industry witnessed a decline of 1 percent in overall sales for February 2025.

A total of 79,883 units were sold last month across segments as compared to 80,954 units for the same period last year.

The country’s largest CV maker Tata Motors reported a 8 percent decline in overall sales, with SCV Cargo and Pickup segment witnessing the sharpest drop (-20 percent YoY). The ILMCV Trucks segment, however, showed growth at 11 percent.

Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 4 percent increase in total sales, driven by a 9 percent rise in LCV (2T-3.5T) and a 23 percent jump in LCV >3.5T & M&HCV. However, the LCV < 2T segment dropped 21 percent.

Ashok Leyland experienced modest growth (2 percent overall), with M&HCV Trucks (+1 percent) and LCV (+5 percent) offsetting the M&HCV Bus decline (-5 percent).

Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles grew 6 percent YoY, indicating steady demand.

The slight market decline was led by weaker small commercial vehicle (SCV) and passenger carrier demand, affecting Tata Motors significantly. However, medium & heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) trucks and LCVs in the 2T-3.5T range showed resilience, benefiting Mahindra & Mahindra and Ashok Leyland.

While challenges remain in certain segments, sustained growth in the LCV and HCV categories suggests stable demand in core logistics and transportation sectors.

Representational image: IEA

JCBL, a leading bus bodybuilder, has delivered 106 custom-designed staff buses to Mahindra & Mahindra in a record time of three months.

The buses feature 17-inch-wide seats, driver’s cabin partition, digital LED route displays, USB charging points and fans on each seat row. A TV and a six-speaker music system are also incorporated to provide entertainment on the go.

In terms of safety, the buses are equipped with pneumatic passenger door with safety sensor, seatbelts, CCTV cameras with a 30-day recording capacity, panic switches, anti-rust treatment and a Fire Detection and Alarm System (FDAS).

Dinesh Dua, Business Head, JCBL, said, “This project is a testament to our commitment to delivering high-quality, safe, and innovative mobility solutions. Completing one of India’s largest single-customer staff bus orders within just three months reflects our dedication to excellence and customer satisfaction.”

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, has announced that the company has reached a significant milestone in its sustainability journey by utilising 100 percent renewable power at its Oragadam production facility.

A major component of this strategy is the installation of a renewable power-generation plant with a peak capacity of 4,300 kW, powered by 15,000 solar panels, which offsets approximately 4,000 tonnes of CO₂e emissions annually, contributing to 17 percent of the renewable power generated in-house. This achievement highlights DICV’s commitment to environmental protection and represents a significant step, as the company has successfully reduced its Scope 2 emissions ahead of the original end-2025 target. A total of 22,970 tonnes of CO₂e are offset through the sourcing of renewable power, demonstrating DICV’s decarbonisation efforts.

Satyakam Arya, Managing Director & CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said, “We have made significant strides in positioning DICV as a leader in sustainable manufacturing and we are proud to achieve 100 percent renewable power utilisation at our Oragadam facility. This milestone, achieved ahead of target, demonstrates our commitment to decarbonising operations. Since 2018, we have focused on building the infrastructure to increase our reliance on renewable power and now we have reached 100 percent renewable power utilisation under Scope 2 emissions. Supportive state and central policies, such as green power purchases through various energy sources available under regulatory framework, played a vital role in this accomplishment.”