In the SCV category, the CNG-powered Super Carry faces competition from the Mahindra Supro and Jeeto, and the CNG version of the market leader Tata Ace. In the pick-up category above it, it is vehicles like the CNGpowered Mahindra Bolero which are finding good acceptance as an alternative fuel CV. Above the pick-up category, which is termed as the LCV segment, there are offerings like the Eicher Pro 2049 CNG, Tata 407 CNG and Tata 709 CNG which are finding acceptance as alternative fuel CVs in the wake of the rising diesel prices. With small, light and intermediate commercial vehicles turning unattractive due to the significant rise in fuel prices, transporters are looking at alternative fuel vehicles powered by LNG and electricity other than CNG to keep costs under control. An industry source mentioned that gaspowered small commercial vehicles have come to account for 40 percent of the total commercial vehicles sales in FY2020-21 as compared to under 10 percent in FY2018-19. He informed that a typical LCV (from sub-one tonne to 7.5-tonne GVW) consumes roughly 1,150 litres of diesel by running about 8,000 km per month, the cost of which is approximately INR 112,000 with a litre of diesel costing about INR 98 per litre in Mumbai. The CNG, in comparison, provides a fair reduction in cost of about 45 to 50 percent as CNG costs approximately INR 52 per kg in Mumbai, he explained. 
 

CNG As An Alternative
Supporting the shift to CNG by commercial operators is the technological advancement. Factory fitted CNG kits on BS VI vehicles are offering better performance, efficiency and reliability. They are presenting peace of mind to the transporter as they get AMC on the entire vehicle and don’t have to worry about the warranty getting void. Sensing a rising level of restlessness among their customers, commercial vehicle manufacturers revisited their CNG strategy. With escalating fuel price, they chalked out plans to develop CNG variants at certain tonnage points. The government announcement to expand CNG network also helped. The fly in the ointment being the geographical bias concerning CNG prices (CNG is cheaper in Delhi NCR than Mumbai or Pune), commercial vehicle manufacturers seem to have tuned their strategies accordingly. With Delhi NCR region toping in CNG vehicle sales, there are regions in the West and South that are lagging for the want of network and in terms of the respective fuel prices. With CNG-powered commercial vehicles in the 3.5-tonne and 15-tonne categories showing good demand, the comment by Vinod Aggarwal, Managing Director and CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles Limited (VECV), that he expects the share (of CNG vehicles) to hover around 25 to 30 percent assumes importance. VECV has the highly successful Eicher Pro 2049 with 5-tonne GVW. It has other CNG-powered BS VI compliant commercial vehicles too in the 5-tonne to 16-tonne space – on the truck side as well as the bus side.
 

Apart from the CNG-powered Jeeto and Supro, Mahindra & Mahindra too is said to be working on rolling out CNG variants of its LCV and ICV range. Shyam Maller, former Executive Vice President – Marketing, Sales and Aftermarket, VECV, and a commercial vehicle industry veteran in India, averred that the significant escalation in the price of diesel vehicles (between 10 to 12 percent in the 5- to 15-tonne category) during the BS VI transition also made them unattractive. The fuel price rise further added to the sentiment. Putting the price escalation in the range of 8 to 17 percent approximately, depending on the segment the vehicle is in, Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors, reasoned that this was caused by an increase in the technology content. Regarding the shift to alternative fuel CVs, he informed that the recent diesel price has increased customer focus on the total cost of ownership (TCO). Central to the operation of a commercial vehicle, the cost of urea dosing in vehicles above certain tonnage point has also altered the TCO. With Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR), the fluid dynamics of BS VI emission complaint commercial vehicles has changed. Add the fluid costs to a series of vehicle price hikes in the last eight months, and the TCO equation concerning diesel-powered commercial vehicles has begun to look unattractive.

Of the opinion that transporters have been under pressure since the rising diesel prices have impacted overall profitability and compelled a rise in freight rates, Wagh mentioned, “As the most significant variable, diesel price, depending on the segment and application, may account for 40-58 percent of the TCO. In percentage terms, it has increased by an estimated 10 percent.” Maller stated that the diesel price is accounting for over 60 percent of the TCO and leading transporters to look at either highly efficient BS VI emission complaint commercial vehicle or the one that is powered by an alternative fuel. In an interview to a leading newspaper, Shamsher Diwan, Vice President, ICRA, is known to have said that the (CNG vehicle) trend in terms of increasing penetration of electric commercial vehicles will play out in the mid-term in the wake of the rising diesel prices and restrictions on polluting vehicles. 

In its earnings call for the first quarter of FY2021-22, Tata Motors mentioned that an improvement in CNG infrastructure had ensured that CNG vehicles are limited to certain pockets in the country. With transporter profitability under pressure, it should not surprise commercial vehicle manufacturers to accelerate work on variants as well as new product-lines in the CNG and EV space. While Wagh revealed that they are continuously working to improve the fuel efficiency of their products, which has helped in partially offsetting the impact of fuel inflation for the customers, Gopal Mahadevan, Director and CFO, Ashok Leyland, said in a recent interaction with Motoring Trends that they are applying thrust on CNG vehicles in the LCV and ICV segments.

Petrol As An alternative
 Launching the petrol version of its SCV Ace in July 2021, Tata Motors stressed on it being the most affordable petrol commercial vehicle in its class. With a GVW of over 1.5-tonne, the vehicle, powered by a 30 hp (22 kW) 694 cc engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission, is priced at INR 400,000. Aimed at last-mile delivery applications much like the petrol version of the Maruti Suzuki Super Carry, it is claimed to have the lowest EMI of INR 7,500 per month. With petrol retailing at roughly INR 108 per litre in Mumbai, the case of petrol Ace or Super Carry is supported by their driveability, refinement and lower maintenance cost over their diesel counterpart. 

Capable of catering to segments like logistics, distribution of fruits, vegetables and agricultural products, beverages and bottles, FMCG and FMCD goods, e-commerce, parcel and courier, furniture, packed LPG cylinders, dairy, pharmaceuticals and food products, perishable ‘refrigerated’ goods and waste management, vehicles like the Ace petrol, according to Wagh, have emerged as an alternative fuel option in the SCV segment. Of the opinion that an improvement in overall fluid efficiency during BS VI transitions along with several features and value enhancement has helped lower the TCO of petrol commercial vehicles, Wagh remarked, “These factors are also helping to achieve faster turnaround and payback.” In addition to the advantage of good pick-up and driveability, faster turnaround time and lower maintenance costs, he stressed on the Ace petrol’s acquisition cost, which is 16 percent lower than that of its diesel counterpart. Mahadevan acknowledged that they are seeing petrol CVs emerging at low tonnage (one to 1.5-tonne) points.
 

LNG as an alternative 
As a low polluting alternative to CNG, LNG could soon become a fuel of choice in long-haul commercial vehicles. Receiving a push from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which has outlined a USD 60 billion investment to create gas infrastructure in the country till 2024, LNG is expected to rise in terms of energy mix from the current 6 percent to 15 percent by 2030, according to Maller. As per a study, the liquefied gaseous fuel could be used by at least 10 percent of the 10 million truckers in India. Likely to cost 30 to 40 percent cheaper than fossil fuels, LNG could open up a big retro-fitment market for commercial vehicles as well. It could give rise to an industry manufacturing cryogenic cylinders among other LNG system components. Suitable to power heavy construction and mining equipment like 100-tonne class dump trucks and large excavators as well, LNG as an alternative fuel offers an advantage of higher energy density as compared to CNG. In the case of trucks or buses, the LNG-powered ones could do 600 to 800 km on a full tank.
 

Drawing attention to an investment earmarked in the region of INR 100 billion over the next three years to create LNG infrastructure for long-haul commercial vehicles, Maller averred, “The setting up of 1,000 LNG stations is planned. Of these, some 150 such fuel stations are expected to come up on the golden quadrilateral at an interval of 200 km.” “The first LNG station among those earmarked has already been set up at Nagpur in July 2021,” he added. Retailing LNG at INR 62 per kg, the pump is claimed to be operated by the Indian Oil Corporation. The Indian oil marketing major has obtained several licences in recent years for the building of such facilities. GAIL (India) is also in talks with ExxonMobil and Mitsui, which could potentially partner as LNG suppliers as well as financiers for the initial lot of LNG trucks that would run in India. Stressing on the fact that a CNG ICV-class of trucks could today do Mumbai to Bangalore or vice versa with ease, courtesy the strategically located CNG pumps, an industry source informed that LNG vehicles could manage longer intervals between refills. They could match the range of diesel, he added.
 

Electricity as an alternative 
As per the Phase II of Fame II scheme, it is the electric three-wheelers that are poised to benefit the most as commercial vehicles. Overlook the fragmented nature of the business, and there is a big market for last-mile transportation in terms of shared mobility that is opening up. Attracting the participation of organised players like Mahindra Electric and Piaggio India, and regional players like Hykon and KAL, electricity as an alternative fuel is coming of age. Powering passenger and cargo three-wheelers, it is also driving a shift at the level of buses. Trucks are expected to follow. Promising lower overall TCO despite the higher initial acquisition cost, electricity as an alternative fuel is growing on the premise of reaching parity with fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the next half a decade as battery prices fall. 

With corporates and e-commerce players looking at reducing their carbon footprint, electric commercial vehicles are already enticing interest in terms of cargo carriage at certain tonnage points. On the passenger carrier side, it is the buses that are rising in numbers across the country, courtesy a governmental push and a favourable PPP operating model. If the rollout of 40 Ashok Leyland e-buses at Chandigarh would highlight this, some 93 Tata Starbus e-buses are operating in Kolkata. Mahadevan averred, “We are watching EVs catch up at the local point of use on the encouragement of the government. It is more on the bus side, but trucks will soon catch up.” Maller remarked, “As of April 2021, over 1,100 electric buses are on the roads out of the nearly 5,595 buses. The FAME II with an outlay of INR 100 billion for a period of three years commencing from 1 April 2019 is set to incentivise demand creation for xEVs in the country. This phase aims to generate demand by way of supporting 7,000 electric buses, 500,000 three-wheelers, 55,000 four-wheeler passenger cars and 1 million two-wheelers.”
 

ssues concerning vehicle cost (including TCO), battery life and range, charging infrastructure, finance availability and impact on payload are some of the challenges that will have to be addressed. A reasonably well-thought through estimate is that EV growth as far as commercial vehicles are involved, will be bottom-up. It will begin with SCVs and move up the tonnage points, said Maller. He added that this will be backed by fiscal incentives and governed by falling battery prices. The feasibility of battery electric vehicles for commercial use, explained Maller, is expected to elevate only after the battery pack cost per kWh goes down. A good threshold would be about USD 100.
 

Considering the amount of distance to be covered, new experiments concerning electric vehicles in Europe are opening up new electrification possibilities. An agreement between truck majors Volvo-Daimler-Traton (the Group that owns Scania and MAN) leading to a collective investment of Euro 500 million to install and operate at least 1,700 high-performance green energy charging points close to highways as well as at logistic and destination points within five years from the establishment of the JV is one of them. The objective of the JV is to deliver CO2-neutral transport solutions to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

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The UK's cherished classic car community can finally breathe a collective sigh of relief. The decisive action by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the Autumn Budget to maintain the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) exemption for vehicles over 40 years old has ended a prolonged period of uncertainty, securing a stable future for this vital sector. Mark Roper, Managing Director of Hagerty UK, welcomed this clarity, noting that the confirmed freeze on fuel duty further solidifies a supportive environment for owners. He underscores that this is a significant win for the GBP-7.3-billion industry that supports over 100,000 jobs and contributes GBP 3 billion annually to the UK economy, all while championing an inherently sustainable form of motoring.

This perspective on sustainability is reinforced by Dale Keller, CEO of the Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance (HCVA), who affirms that the tax exemption logically aligns with environmental objectives. Classic vehicles, preserved as moving heritage, have a negligible lifecycle carbon footprint compared to new manufacturing and are driven infrequently. The original principle of the exemption remains valid, as applying a modern tax to these rarely used assets would be inequitable.

Alongside the VED news, the Chancellor confirmed the continuation of the MOT exemption for classic cars, though this will remain under review. On this point, Roper of Hagerty UK strikes a note of caution, observing that many within the industry advocate for an annual roadworthiness check. He notes that a great number of responsible classic owners voluntarily submit their vehicles for an MOT each year, valuing the independent assurance of safety and mechanical integrity it provides.

For Hagerty UK, as a specialist insurer deeply embedded in this world, the government’s affirmation is a powerful endorsement of the sector's cultural and economic value. Through its vibrant Clubhouse at Bicester Heritage and unique events like RADwood, Hagerty is actively fostering this passionate community. Similarly, the HCVA continues its mission to protect and promote the diverse ecosystem of specialists, restorers and businesses that form the backbone of this multi-billion-pound industry, ensuring its legacy for generations to come.

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Mahindra Racing has solidified its long-term future in electric motorsport by confirming its manufacturer commitment to the GEN4 era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, starting in 2026/27. This announcement, made during the unveiling of its new M12Electro race car in India, extends a relationship that began in 2013 when Mahindra stood as both a founding team and the first OEM to join the all-electric series.

The team's current trajectory underscores the significance of this pledge. Following a dramatic 18-month transformation under CEO and Team Principal Frederic Bertrand, Mahindra Racing has evolved from a backmarker into a consistent front-runner. This resurgence was powered by the redesigned M11Electro, in which drivers Nyck de Vries and Edoardo Mortara collectively secured five podium finishes in Season 11, catapulting the squad to a stellar fourth place in the world championship. The newly launched M12Electro is the intended vehicle to maintain this status as a top-five contender and a regular threat for podium positions in the forthcoming season.

The technical landscape for GEN4 promises to further electrify the sport. The next-generation cars will boast a peak race power of 450 kw, with a potent 600 kw available in ATTACK MODE to empower aggressive overtaking. Enhanced strategic possibilities will come from a race energy capacity of up to 55 kWh and a remarkable 700 kw of regenerative braking. In a continued commitment to sustainability, the GEN4 chassis will be produced from 100 percent recyclable materials and will feature two distinct aerodynamic configurations – high-downforce for qualifying and low-downforce for races – to optimise performance.

Mahindra's ambition is to leverage this new regulatory chapter to build on its renewed momentum, chase incremental gains and establish itself as a confirmed championship contender against elite manufacturers like Porsche and Jaguar. This competitive platform also serves a broader purpose, aligning with the Mahindra Group’s sustainability initiatives. The team, the first in Formula E to earn the FIA’s Three-Star Sustainability Accreditation, has embarked on its ‘Planet Positive’ programme. This initiative is dedicated to driving positive impact in communities and economies, accelerating climate solutions and using the intersection of sport and technology as a catalyst for a better future.

R Velusamy, Chairman, Mahindra Racing, said, "Mahindra Racing has always been a symbol of our commitment to the Race to Road journey – where cutting-edge innovation on the track directly shapes the clean, intelligent and high-performance mobility solutions we deliver to customers. Formula E is a powerful platform for innovating new technology, giving us the ability to experiment, learn and advance electric powertrain efficiency, sustainable materials and software intelligence. As we step into the GEN4 era, our ambition only grows stronger. Continuing this journey till 2030 is a testament to our belief in the sport, in electrification and in India’s role in leading global sustainable mobility. We are proud to champion this future, and GEN4 represents an exciting new chapter for Mahindra Racing and the Mahindra Group.”

Frederic Bertrand, Team Principal, Mahindra Racing, said, “I’m delighted to share this announcement that Mahindra Racing will remain in Formula E as a manufacturer for the GEN4 era. As a team, we have been on a fantastic journey over the past two seasons. What we have built and achieved as a group has been exceptional, and with this announcement, we now have the platform to keep growing and developing and achieve even greater success in the future. None of this would be possible without our colleagues across the Mahindra Group. They have bought into the project and the vision, and we will keep working hard to not only make India proud but also showcase exactly why it has the potential to be a major player on the world stage in the automotive and technology industries. Their enthusiasm to ‘Scream Electric’ is hugely inspiring to the whole team, and we will continue to represent them with pride in this next exciting chapter of our Formula E story in the coming years.”

Jeff Dodds, CEO, Formula E, said, “We’re thrilled to confirm Mahindra’s long-term commitment to the GEN4 era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. As one of our founding teams, Mahindra has been with us since the very beginning, consistently championing electric racing and innovation. Their bold vision for sustainable mobility and continued investment in advanced EV technology perfectly align with Formula E’s mission. Mahindra’s enduring presence not only strengthens our position in a key market but also reinforces Formula E’s role as a global platform for driving positive change. We’re excited to see what they’ll achieve in this next chapter of performance and progress.”

Marek Nawarecki, Senior Circuit Sport Director, FIA, said, “Following the GEN4 reveal and the really positive sentiment reported, we are pleased to announce Mahindra as the sixth manufacturer to commit to Formula E’s GEN4 era. This is testament to the relevance of the road map we are implementing in Formula E for OEMs. GEN4 underscores just how far the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has come since 2014 and we are looking forward to continuing this journey with Mahindra as one of the founding teams and partners.”

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Mumbai-headquartered conglomerate Mahindra Group has unveiled an ambitious long-term roadmap across its core mobility and equipment businesses, detailing plans for accelerated growth in the automotive, farm equipment, commercial vehicle and last-mile mobility segments.

The strategy, presented at its Investor Day 2025, underscores the Group’s intent to leverage India’s expanding economy while deepening global market participation.

Mahindra expects its consolidated automotive business to grow 8x between FY2020 and FY2030, driven primarily by a stronger push in sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and light commercial vehicles (LCVs).

The company aims to become the world’s fastest-growing SUV brand. Its product strategy is rooted in new-age platforms such as INGLO and NU_IQ, enhanced digital architecture under MAIA and Adrenox, and continued investment in safety and performance.

At present, Mahindra holds more than 26 percent revenue share in India’s SUV segment as of the first half of FY2026. Strong consumer traction for models including the Thar, XUV700, XUV3XO and the Born Electric (BE) series is expected to support the company’s international expansion to right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive markets across Europe, Australia, Africa and other regions.

Strengthening leadership in LCV segment

The LCV business, where Mahindra commands 54.1 percent volume share in vehicles under 3.5 tonnes (as of H1 FY2026), is set to be another pillar of growth. The product range has broadened through the Supro, MaXX and Veero platforms, including CNG and electric variants. The company is also preparing for wider adoption of lifestyle pickups, led by the upcoming Global Pik Up.

Mahindra’s LCV strategy emphasises best-in-class total cost of ownership, reduced downtime, enhanced comfort and technology integration, with the segment also targeted for eightfold revenue growth during the decade.

Farm business

Mahindra, the world’s largest tractor manufacturer by volume, has outlined plans for threefold revenue growth in its farm equipment division between FY2020 and FY2030.

The Indian tractor market has continued to shift towards higher horsepower models, particularly in the 40–50 HP range. Mahindra aims to consolidate share in this segment through newer platforms including Yuvo Tech+, Swaraj Protek and Next-Gen ranges. Improvements in crop profitability and a more favourable price environment for tractors are expected to support industry expansion.

Mechanisation levels in India remain uneven, with significant headroom in sowing, crop care and harvesting equipment. Mahindra is expanding its farm machinery portfolio while leveraging its extensive dealer network and manufacturing footprint. The division, already a business exceeding INR 10 billion, is poised for rapid scaling.

Mahindra continues to build presence in key global markets:

• Brazil: 8 percent share in the sub-120 HP category, and about 20 percent in sub-50 HP
• North America: more than 10 percent share in sub-20 HP; upcoming launches to deepen penetration
• ASEAN: early progress with about 4 percent share in pilot territories

Electrification, autonomy, precision agriculture and pay-per-use technology services form the next frontier for Mahindra’s farm business.

Targeting Top-Three Position in ILCVs

Following the acquisition of SML Isuzu, Mahindra is advancing a strategy to be among the top-three player in India’s intermediate and light commercial vehicle (ILCV) market. The domestic CV industry is projected to grow from approximately INR 15,000 billion in FY2025 to nearly INR 20,000 billion by FY2031, supported by infrastructure development, logistics modernisation and GST-driven reforms.

Mahindra aims to expand its presence in ILCVs, while pursuing a selective play in the heavy commercial vehicle category. The strategy benefits from combined advantages across product development, sourcing, aggregates, telematics and network coverage. The company expects up to sixfold revenue growth in its CV business during the decade.

Last-Mile Mobility

Mahindra Last Mile Mobility (MLM) is shaping an aggressive electrification-led growth plan, targeting sixfold revenue expansion and a cumulative one million electric vehicles on the road by 2031. EV sales climbed to 78,678 units in FY2025, led by the Treo series, which remains India’s top-selling electric three-wheeler.

The division has:

• Strengthened its engineering capabilities with a 400-member product development team
• Commissioned a new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Telangana
• Expanded production capacity two-fold
• Developed proprietary battery, motor and telematics systems

The product roadmap includes advanced electric three-wheelers and electric four-wheelers tailored for last-mile applications, along with plans to expand exports to more than ten markets. Mahindra’s EV fleet has cumulatively saved over 300 million litres of fuel and prevented more than 185 kilo tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Across all mobility segments, Mahindra’s plan is anchored in product leadership, technology integration, capital discipline and global expansion. A stronger focus on electrification, platform consolidation, digital interfaces, manufacturing efficiency and customer-centric service models is expected to underpin the Group’s growth trajectory.

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Chennai-based conglomerate Murugappa Group has announced the passing of Arunachalam Vellayan (1953–2025) following an illness.

Vellayan was the Chairman Emeritus of Coromandel International and the Former Chairman of the Murugappa Group. He is survived by his wife, Lalitha Vellayan, his sons, Arun Vellayan and Narayanan Vellayan, and his grandchildren.

The Former Chairman dedicated several decades to the Group, providing strategic direction across its businesses. His approach to value creation helped strengthen and expand the Group, contributing to its reputation as a respected conglomerate.

He served on the Boards of various Murugappa Group companies, including as Chairman of Coromandel International and EID Parry.

Outside the Group, he served on the Boards of entities such as Kanoria Chemicals & Industries, EXIM Bank and Indian Overseas Bank.

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