Tata Motors has launched a new avatar of its Yodha pick-up truck called the Yodha 2.0 along with two new variants of Intra forward-control pick-up trucks called the Intra V20 bi-fuel and Intra V50. 

Witnessing an increase in the payload from 1700 kg to 2-tonnes, the Yodha 2.0 has seen extensive mechanical revision. The 2.2-litre diesel engine – that produces 250 Nm of peak torque – has been tweaked to provide better drive-ability and efficient operation. 

Claimed to offer the highest grade-ability of 30 percent in its category which has the Mahindra Bolero Pik-up range and the Isuzu D-Max pick-up truck range, the Tata Yodha 2.0 includes variants of 1200, 1500 and 1700 kg rated payload capacity as well. 

Available with front independent suspension as well as a leaf spring set up all-round, the Yodha 2.0 is aimed at urban and rural application-ability. It is priced at INR one-million ex-showroom for the HVAC version. The crew cab version is priced at INR 1,074,000 ex-showroom for the EX-variant with AC. 

Stating that the light commercial vehicle segment is six-times of the medium and heavy commercial vehicles but in India the ratio is still less than three, Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors, expressed, “There is significant room for growth in this segment and would be fuelled by rapid urbanisation, e-commerce, rising consumption and the rise of hub and spoke transportation model.” Explaining that pick-up trucks play a specific role in the first and last mile space due to their versatility, durability and wide range of application-ability, Wagh averred, “The Tata Intra that we launched in 2019 has crossed sales of 1-lakh units by becoming the fastest in its segment to do so.” "Tata Motors has always set the standards for commercial vehicles in India as a market leader," he added. 

Along with the Yodha 2.0, Tata Motors has also launched a bi-fuel – CNG and petrol – version of the Intra pick-up truck called the V20 and a flagship version called the V50. The V50 is powered by a 1.5-litre diesel engine that does a peak torque of 22 Nm. It has an ability to offer the highest rated payload of 1500kg and has a load body measuring 2960 mm in length – the longest in its segment. It is priced at INR 867,000 ex-showroom. 

The bi-fuel V20 is powered by 1.2-litre engine with a peak torque of 106 Nm. With a maximum range of 700 km, the vehicle has a payload capacity of 1000 kg. 

On the side-line of the launch, Wagh also announced that the company has delivered close to 1000 pick-up trucks of the new line-up on the day of the launch. 

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Jindal Stainless, a leading manufacturer of stainless steel, has deployed 10 electric trucks for finished goods transportation, initiating a green logistics programme to reduce transport emissions.

The electric trucks will operate on transport corridors connecting the company's manufacturing facility in Jajpur with distribution hubs in Kharagpur and Kolkata.

The deployment expands Jindal Stainless' adoption of alternative-fuel transport solutions across its regional supply chain. The company currently operates 80 Liquefied Natural Gas trucks to move finished products from its Jajpur and Hisar plants to western India, alongside Compressed Natural Gas vehicles for import cargo transit between Dhamra and Jajpur. In addition, 60 CNG buses provide employee transportation at its primary manufacturing facilities.

Abhyuday Jindal, MD, Jindal Stainless, said, "We believe that responsible manufacturing must extend beyond our plants to the entire value chain, including the way we transport our products. The deployment of electric trucks marks an important milestone in our efforts to decarbonise logistics and integrate lower-emission transportation solutions into our operations. Our approach is focused on adopting practical, scalable solutions that reduce our environmental footprint while maintaining operational efficiency. We will continue to advance such initiatives as part of our commitment to ESG goals."

The combined alternative fuel logistics fleet facilitates the transport of 8,000 to 10,000 tonnes of cargo per month. Based on projected monthly dispatches covering approximately 240,000 kilometres, the mix of electric, LNG and CNG transport options is estimated to reduce logistics emissions by 71 tonnes of carbon dioxide per month, representing a 26 percent reduction compared to conventional diesel haulage.

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JCB India, a leading construction equipment manufacturer in the country, has inaugurated a 3S dealership facility in Ranchi, operated by Premsons Motor Udyog. The integrated centre will provide sales, service and spare parts support across 15 districts of Jharkhand.

The new facility is spread across 18,000 square feet and houses a four-bay workshop, employing approximately 230 personnel. The site functions as the regional headquarters for the dealership network across districts including Ranchi, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Palamu and Hazaribagh. Operational infrastructure includes a LiveLink Command Centre to track telematics data, machine utilisation and service schedules, along with a rainwater harvesting system for resource management.

Deepak Shetty, CEO & MD, JCB India, said, "Jharkhand is playing an increasingly important role in India’s infrastructure, mining and industrial growth story, creating significant opportunities for the construction equipment sector. We are delighted to inaugurate this new state-of-the-art facility with Premsons Motor Udyog, a valued partner that has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to customers. This investment reinforces our long-term commitment to the state. It will enable us to further enhance customer engagement, service capabilities and support for Jharkhand’s continued development."

"We are delighted to strengthen our association with Premsons Motor Udyog. It is gratifying to see a family-owned business grow and succeed alongside JCB. This new facility reflects our shared commitment to delivering world-class products, service and support to customers. We look forward to building on this successful partnership and growing together in the years ahead," added Shetty.

The new outlet expands JCB India's dealer footprint across eastern region infrastructure, mining and industrial sectors.

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Energy in Motion Ltd has opened an electric heavy commercial vehicle complex in Talegaon, Pune, as part of a planned INR 10 billion investment in Maharashtra, with the first phase representing an investment of INR 5 billion.

The facility, located in Ambi village, brings together an electric heavy commercial vehicle assembly plant, a lithium-ion battery pack assembly factory and an independent battery testing laboratory. The company said the integrated complex has an initial capacity of 5,000 vehicles per shift per year.

The complex was inaugurated on 14 October by Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, in the presence of Sharadchandra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member, and Sunetra Ajit Pawar, the state’s Deputy Chief Minister.

Developed in just over a year after the signing of a memorandum of understanding, the Industry 4.0-enabled facility is expected to create more than 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, as well as opportunities in design, research and development, and information technology.

Energy in Motion is also developing a network of battery-swapping and charging stations along major highways, at ports and in industrial complexes. The company said its megawatt-scale hubs would be able to swap batteries in compatible vehicles in less than seven minutes and provide fast charging for vehicles equipped with the specified DC charging connector.

The company has technology partnerships with BAIC Foton Motor for electric heavy vehicles, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL) for batteries, and Shanghai Enneagon Energy Technology for robotic battery-swapping systems.

Narendra Murkumbi, Managing Director of Energy in Motion, said the facility had been built with support from the Maharashtra government, technology partners and project hosts RMK Spaces. He also credited the company’s manufacturing team, led by Mahesh Keskar.

Murkumbi said the company’s next priority was to develop a nationwide network of megawatt-scale charging and battery-swapping stations to support the shift from diesel to electric heavy goods transport.

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Volvo Buses India, a division of VE Commercial Vehicles, has secured an order for 200 Volvo 9600 coaches from the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The contract marks the single largest order received by Volvo Buses in India.

The order comprises 170 seating coaches and 30 sleeper coaches, intended to support intercity and interstate routes across the public transportation network in Maharashtra. The seating variant features a 51-seat layout equipped with calf support, while the sleeper variant provides berth arrangements for long-distance overnight travel. Manufactured at Volvo Buses India's facility in Hoskote, Karnataka, the 9600 series coaches integrate vehicle safety platforms, chassis engineering and passenger seating configurations for state transport operations.

Suresh Chettiar, Executive Vice-President of the Bus Division, VE Commercial Vehicles, said, "We sincerely thank the Transport Minister of Maharashtra, Pratap Sarnaik and Dr. Madhav Kusekar, IAS, Managing Director and Vice Chairman, MSRTC, for their continuing trust in Volvo buses. This landmark order reflects our shared commitment to elevating travel and making premium passenger experiences more accessible for the citizens of Maharashtra. We are proud to continue to partner with MSRTC to enhance the state’s public transportation network."

The fleet addition forms part of MSRTC's modernisation plan to upgrade intercity bus services and expand premium transit options across state-operated routes.

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