VE Commercial Vehicles (A Volvo Group and Eicher Motors joint venture) unveiled a range of future-ready mobility solutions from the Eicher and Volvo brands, at Auto Expo 2023 today. Under the banner of VECV’s vision of smart sustainability, the company showcased its expanded EV and natural gas portfolio. Also on show are a range of alternative fuel prototypes, building on VECV’s leadership in driving modernisation in bus and truck transport in India and the developing world, the company claims.

The Eicher brand unveiled India's longest 13.5m electric intercity coach and the Eicher Pro 2049 electric 4.9 T GVW truck. Built on Eicher’s proven EV platform, the Eicher Pro 2049 electric 4.9 T GVW truck is specifically developed for economical and clean last-mile applications, VE Commercial Vehicles states. Also on display is the Eicher Pro 8055 LNG/CNG truck, designed specifically for meeting needs for clean transport in long-haul applications. While managing longer range on LNG, the Eicher Pro 8055 is capable of transitioning to use CNG fuel by the simple turn of a switch, well suited to leverage the rapidly expanding CNG distributor network.

Volvo Trucks showcased the Volvo FM LNG 420 4X2 Tractor, which is undergoing extensive trials with leading e-commerce operators in long-haul hub-to-hub operations. The Volvo LNG solution is based on the unique diesel-cycle technology that provides 15-20 percent improvement in fuel economy over petrol or Otto-cycle technologies, states the company.

Volvo Buses presented its state-of-the-art 15m Volvo 9600 luxury coach. Built on the Volvo 9600 platform, the coach offers first-class luxury seating for an exclusive travel experience, as per the bus manufacturing company.

VECV also showcased prototype Eicher Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck and Hydrogen ICE technology engine at the Auto Expo 2023, claims the company. These next-gen technologies are aligned with the Government of India’s Green Hydrogen Mission and offer a promising path to zero tail-pipe emissions.

According to VE Commercial Vehicles, all Eicher and Volvo trucks and buses are supported with a wide variety of support solutions. Enabled by the industry-first 100 percent connected fleet and state-of-the-art uptime centre, these app-based smart support solutions ensure higher productivity and efficiency or trucks, buses, drivers and fleet managers, further reducing their collective carbon footprint.

Speaking on the occasion, Vinod Aggarwal, Managing Director and CEO, VECV, said, “As a successful Volvo Group and Eicher Motors JV, VECV was the first to build and introduce modern BS VI technology in India. Eicher and Volvo trucks and buses are backed by our 100 percent connected ecosystem, which helps deliver on our promise of productivity and uptime for our customers. The electrification of the CV industry has already started with buses, and we believe that a range of alternative fuels, including LNG, ethanol and hydrogen, are essential to lead decarbonisation of the CV industry. Under the banner of smart sustainability, VECV is well poised to harness this opportunity and play a transformative role for the Indian CV industry.”

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.