The Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI) announced the Prawaas 4.0 exhibition to be held from 29 – 31 August 2024 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).

Prawaas 4.0 is an effort towards multi-modal transportation, where it will carve the future of mobility. The conference will host expert talks, exhibit displays of latest technology in the sector and an award ceremony will recognize exceptional contributions and the talent within this industry. Poised to be an unparalleled convergence, bringing together over 100+ expert speakers, 200+ leading exhibitors, 1500+ industry delegates, and 6000+ bus and car operators, with an expected attendance of over 10,000 business visitors.

The theme of Prawaas 4.0 this year will be ‘Safe, Smart, and Sustainable Passenger Mobility’ and promises to bring together the entire spectrum of multimodal transport stakeholders. This includes manufacturers of buses and cars, fleet owners, as well as partners in metro and LEVs from all 36 States and Union Territories of India. In this edition of Prawaas, a significant emphasis will be placed on the school Bus segment, Tourism, Electric Vehicles (EV), and Metro systems.

The unveiling of the Prawaas 4.0 was graced by esteemed dignitaries such as Ramalinga Reddy, Minister for Transport and Muzrai, Government of Karnataka; Jagdeo Singh Khalsa, Chairman, BOCI, Prasanna Patwardhan, President, BOCI; Alah Baksh Afzal, General Secretary, BOCI; Harsh Kotak, Treasurer, BOCI and Jagdish Patankar, Executive Chairman, MM Activ, the Event Curators. 

Realizing the vision of "Viksit Bharat" by the Prime Minister, Prawaas 4.0 advocates for increased utilization of public transport. This promotes the reduction of road congestion while also conforming to sustainability objectives.

The associates for the event include Karnataka State Bus Owners Association, Karnataka State Tourism Private Transport Owners Association, Karnataka State Travel Operators Association, Karnataka Tourist Motor Cab Maxi Owners Welfare Association, Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners Association.

Tata Motors, Redbus, Eberspaecher Suetrak, Abhibus, VECV, Ashok Leyland, JBM, Repose, Bitla, Mahindra School Bus Division, Urjja Bus, MG Motor, Valeo, Trans ACNR, Valeo Motherson and more corporates are also expected to participate.

“In the past three years, Prawaas has united the Bus, Taxi, and Transport industry to address regulatory needs and system improvements. State and Central government support is vital for enhancing quality of life and industry growth. Our focus is on delivering top-notch tourism experiences, necessitating infrastructure improvements, safe roads, better accessibility, and reduced taxes. Nationwide, 380 million people travel by bus, with Karnataka alone hosting 120 million passengers in KSRTC buses. Prioritizing tourism development will drive growth in the transport sector. We have already boosted accessibility with the online All India Permit Service and reduced parking fees at the Kalasipalyam bus stop. We will back the entire ecosystem, aiming to generate Rs 500 crores annually. Let's stand together to ensure the event's success,” said Shri Ramalinga Reddy, Minster for Transport and Muzrai, Government of Karnataka.

"In the bustling streets of Bangalore, a city thriving with transportation innovation, we stand at a pivotal juncture, recalling Darwin's enduring wisdom: adaptability is paramount for survival. The growing demand for accessible public transport is evident, given the surge in personal vehicles and infrastructure costs. Presently, private businesses own 92 percent of buses in India, while 85 percent of the populace relies solely on public transit. This underscores the urgent need to reconsider public transport, bridge the gap between private and public transit, and reform taxes to incentivize bus usage. Every step towards a brighter future showcases our shared commitment and collective foresight," said Prasanna Patwardhan, President, BOCI.

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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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