Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has achieved record sales and revenue performance in CY 2023. 

In 2023 the manufacturer’s domestic truck and bus sales grew by 39 percent and revenue grew by 21 percent over 2022. DICV’s bus volumes doubled in 2023, growing 107 percent over 2022. Its cumulative sales (including domestic and export) from January to December in 2023 grew by 13 percent whereas its parts business grew by more than 21 percent over 2022. 

In January 2023, DICV transitioned its entire BharatBenz truck and bus portfolio to comply with OBD-II regulations with a focus on reducing total cost of ownership, increasing the productivity of its trucks and offering industry-leading service intervals in India.

The record performance in 2023 was driven by multiple initiatives that DICV undertook. Last year, the company met its annual target by establishing 350 sales and service locations across India. Manufacturing operations were streamlined and made cost effective by introducing many digitalization initiatives such as automated workforce planning and predictive maintenance using data, and many other initiatives that are in the phase of completion. On the sustainability front, nearly 85 percent of DICV’s manufacturing operations are run on renewable energy and nearly 90 percent of its plant functions on upcycled water, reducing over 27,000 tonnes of carbon footprint. 

The proposition that BharatBenz customers benefit from are industry-leading longer service intervals, best-in-industry manufacturer’s warranty, 48-hour service / repair uptime through its ‘Rakshana’ initiative and fuel efficiency improvements. These and many more factors contribute to the excellent total cost of ownership that BharatBenz commercial vehicles deliver cumulatively.

DICV is also ready to launch all its MY24 BharatBenz heavy-duty trucks in the coming months. The first to be launched will be the all-new BharatBenz Rigid range, followed by trucks with the newly-introduced Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) and the all-new Construction and Mining truck heavy-duty range.

Rigid Heavy-duty range- Scheduled for market launch in April 2024, the Rigid heavy-duty range will be available in the following configurations: 2826R (6x2), 3526R (8x2), 3832R (8x2), 4232R (10x2) and 4832R (10x2). These trucks will be powered by an all-new 6.7-litre, common-rail BS6 Stage two BharatBenz engine designed to deliver better acceleration, class-leading peak torque, better durability and drivability than before resulting in fewer gear changes. It will also prove to have unmatched reliability in Indian conditions. The new rigid range of trucks will also offer bitumen, bulker, Petroleum Oil & Lubricants (POL) payload applications, widening the range of its customer base with its improved layout and ‘cigar type’ After Treatment System (ATS). 

Construction and Mining heavy-duty range- The BharatBenz construction and mining heavy-duty trucks have been completely re-engineered for superior functionality and comes with many segment-first features. Offered in 2828C and 3532C configurations, they are optimized to suit surface transport construction applications and terrains, have a high-power engine, class-leading torque, a higher yield strength chassis, new service-free wheel hubs, new axles, all-new suspension with higher ground clearance, rear shock absorbers and hill-hold assist as standard fitment. 

12-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) introduced- BharatBenz trucks will be offered with the proven and world’s best 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) variants for the first time in its tractor trailer and mining MY24 models. To be offered in 4032TT, 5532TT, 3532CM and 2832CM for long haul and mining applications, the new AMT, which has served over 500,000 trucks globally, ensures a jerk-free transmission of power to the wheels with reduced shifting time, improves reliability, reduces the need for overhaul and can be operated with a convenient steering column shift stick, thereby enhancing driver comfort.

The high value proposition that BharatBenz customers benefit from are industry-leading longer service intervals, best-in-industry manufacturer’s warranty, 48-hour service / repair uptime through its ‘Rakshana’ initiative and fuel efficiency improvements. These and many more factors contribute to the excellent total cost of ownership that BharatBenz commercial vehicles deliver cumulatively.

 “Having set new benchmarks in the industry, gained a large customer base in the construction and mining space and with a progressive tractor trailer portfolio in the last decade, we felt that we should go back to the drawing board to revamp everything that our heavy-duty trucks had under their skin and offer customers something new in 2024. So, the MY24 BharatBenz range is more superior than ever with respect to total cost of ownership, technology, reliability, safety, comfort and serviceability. With our new trucks we are ready to intensify our presence in the construction and mining space with tippers that are far superior to their predecessors. We are soon launching an all-new Rigid heavy-duty range that will offer best-in-class fuel efficiency, power, torque, safety, reliability and service benefits. We are introducing the world’s best 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission in our portfolio will deliver an effortless driving experience and class-leading fuel efficiency like it has done in approximately 500,000 of our trucks around the world,” said Sreeram Venkateswaran, President and Chief Business Officer (domestic sales and customer service), DICV

“Our best-ever sales and financial growth, since inception, was spearheaded by excellent demand for our tipper and tractor trailer product lines which grew 53 percent and 79 percent respectively compared to CY2022. A slew of strategic initiatives that we undertook in 2023 also helped us take informed decisions on costs, tackle headwinds effectively and sharpen our focus on key areas of our business. We have started CY2024 with great confidence and with an ever-stronger product portfolio, engineered and packaged to drive business growth to new heights in 2024. Our aim was to challenge ourselves and up the game on total cost of ownership, uptime and reliability, all of which our customers will benefit from with our new MY24 heavy-duty truck portfolio. These trucks reflect our highly evolved product development capabilities, which are being put to good use for creation of new products to help answer future mobility requirements,” commented Satyakam Arya – Managing Director and CEO, DICV.

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.”

VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), recently hosted Jan Thesleff, the Ambassador of Sweden to India, at its manufacturing facilities in Pithampur. He was accompanied by Markus Lundgren, Counsellor and Head of Trade section, Embassy of Sweden and Sofia Hogman, Swedish Trade Commissioner, Business Sweden.

The CV maker states that its VE Powertrain plant is a successful symbol of India-Sweden collaboration. The facility leverages India’s skilled workforce and technical expertise while positioning VECV as a hub for development and manufacturing that meets global standards. Notably, VEPT has been producing Euro 6 (BS VI) compliant engines since 2013, supplying over 40 countries.

Jan Thesleff said, “Currently, more than 280 Swedish companies operate in India, contributing to sectors ranging from automobiles and communications to healthcare and defence, directly generating over 240,000 jobs. The Eicher-Volvo joint venture exemplifies the strategic benefits of this partnership by harnessing the strengths of Sweden and India and fostering mutual growth and technological advancement. I am thoroughly impressed by the advanced technology products and sustainable manufacturing processes I witnessed today at VECV. Their remarkable achievements epitomise the shared innovation, growth, and sustainable development that Sweden-India partnership continues to deliver for the benefit of both nations.”

Vinod Aggarwal, Managing Director & CEO, VECV, said, “We are honoured to welcome His Excellency Ambassador Jan Thesleff and the team from the Swedish Embassy to our Pithampur facility. Over the past 16 years, the VECV joint venture has not only driven the modernisation of India’s commercial vehicle sector but has also enabled Volvo Group to source world-class engines and components, made in India, for its global requirements. The success of this joint venture is rooted in the principles of trust, mutual respect, and win-win collaboration, combining Volvo Group's technology leadership with Eicher’s deep understanding of the Indian market. VECV looks forward to building on this success in the future”.

At present, the company sells CNG, LNG, electric and diesel trucks and buses in India under the Eicher and Volvo brands.

Manba Finance, a leading non-banking finance company (NBFC), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Piaggio Vehicles (PVPL), the wholly-owned subsidiary of the Piaggio Group, to provide tailored financing solutions to Piaggio three-wheeler customers.

As per the understanding, the partners are set to form a dedicated central coordination team to oversee the implementation. They will focus on key areas such as product structuring, interest rate optimisation, resource allocation, centralised communication, and training to ensure the efficient execution and monitoring of the tie-up.

The MoU was signed by Diego Graffi, CMD, Piaggio Vehicles and Monil Shah, CBO & Director, Manba Finance, in the presence of Amit Sagar, EVP of Sales and Retail Finance, and Nilesh Arya, Head of Retail Finance, Piaggio Vehicles.

The partners state that the collaboration comes as electric three-wheeler sales saw a record high of 65,700 units in October. With this electric three-wheelers are just 16,856 units away from surpassing the CY2023 total of 583,597 units.

“We are proud to collaborate with one of India’s leading three-wheeler manufacturers, a trusted brand among aspiring entrepreneurs across the country. This partnership strengthens our footprint in the three-wheeler segment while enabling us to provide seamless digital lending solutions to our customers," said Shah.

German automotive component supplier Mahle has bagged a new contract from MAN Truck & Bus to supply components for the hydrogen engine of its ‘MAN hTGX’ truck.

The hydrogen truck uses a direct-injection engine with 6 cylinders, 16.8-litre displacement, which produces 383 kW power. Mahle will supply the hydrogen power cell unit, consisting of piston, piston rings, piston pin and cylinder liner. It will also supply components to be used in the valve train.

Interestingly, MAN aims to build around 200 units of the hydrogen truck for selected markets from 2025.

Dr Roger Busch, member of the Mahle Management Committee and Head of Sales, said, “Mahle has successfully transferred its 100 years of expertise in engine components into the future. Our state-of-the-art pistons and other parts make the internal combustion engine fit for hydrogen and thus climate-neutral. Today, we are able to fulfil our customers’ expectations in terms of performance, efficiency and service life.”

The component supplier says it has successfully tested its engine components to meet the specific requirements of hydrogen operation.

The company claims that the Mahle hydrogen power cell unit, in particular the oil consumption of the motor and the so-called blow-by, i.e. the leakage of hydrogen gas into the crankcase, can be reduced to a minimum. This enables a robust and failure-free operation of the motor.

Mahle at present is working on around 30 hydrogen engine projects for customers in the on- and off-highway sector, with more series launches from its customers being planned in 2025.