COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDIA DECEMBER 2020 by Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd

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Volume 15 Issue 3 â&#x20AC;˘ December 2020

exclusive Driving the Tata Prima LX 2825.TK BSVI

Managing ELVs n Pickrr eyes B2B logistics n An ambulance apart

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STRAIGHT DRIVE

“Strong and steady growth for CVs looks still some time away”.

gricultural mechanisation is enabling farmers knocking on the doors of New Delhi to use tractors to set aside the barricades as well as trucks placed as obstacles. Shown on various television medias, the agitation comes at a time when the country is experiencing a surge in agricultural output. As a key contributor to the nation’s GDP, the agitation clearly indicates that all is not well with the rural economy. Not yet. And, certainly not for a country that is striving to come out of the Covid shadow after ranking second after the US in case numbers. Considering the booming tractor sales, a trend that many would wish crossed over the CV segments as well, real and strong growth as far as the CV industry is concerned seems still some time away. This despite some CV manufacturers registering positive growth in November 2020. With India entering real recession, strong and steady growth for CVs looks still some time away indeed. When strong and steady growth will present itself, the nature of CVs would have changed significantly, and also that of those who operate them. Bhushan Mhapralkar b.mhapralkar@nextgenpublishing.net

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what's inside Cover story 18

Driving the Tata Prima LX 2825.TK BSVI The Tata Prima LX 2825.TK makes an effective heavy-duty tipper.

05 Straight Drive Bhushan Mhapralkar 08 Letters 10 CV News Meru’s partnership with InterMiles n Volvo SDLG excavator n JCB dual-fuel CNG backhoe loader n BKT’S giant EarthMax SR 468 n Vijayawada procures Tata CVs n AbhiBus microapp n ETO Motors commences deliveries? n DICV global capability centre; new BB touchpoints n Conti Urban HA3 n M&M ‘K2’ n Infraprime Logistics to roll out more e-trucks? n

n n n n

Optare is now ‘Switch Mobility’ NMPML diesel buses BEST to acquire 100 doubledecker buses? TSRTC to increase fleet?

We welcome feedback, bouquets and brickbats on how this magazine is shaping up. Write to us at cvonline@nextgenpublishing.net or visit us on www.commercialvehicle.in

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

R YOUICE VO

December 2020 VRS scheme for ALL workers? Twenty-six new e-buses in Mumbai? n CV tax waiver in Goa? n New highways n Apollo XT-100HD n MAN TGX is International Truck of the Year n n

An ambulance apart

Supporting school bus operators

DC Design has stretched the boundary of imagination when it comes to ambulances in its recent project.

Daimler India is supporting its school bus customers to help them tide over the current crises.

44 Managing ELVs With the talk of scrappage policy, the End-Of-Life (ELV) journey of an automobile is once again under the spotlight. 50

ACMA 60th Annual Convention The 60th annual convention of ACMA focused on what the future had to offer for the auto components manufacturers.

54 Nikola Refuse Truck Nikola has developed a battery-electric refuse collection truck for Republic Services. 58 Hitchhiking on an Isuzu

e-Bus challenges

The Covid pandemic could turn the tide in favour of electric buses post addressing some of the foremost challenges, including those that pertain to the operating environment.

Pickrr eyes B2B logistics

In a bid to bridge logistic service gaps, virtual logistics provider Pickrr has transitioned from B2C to B2B segments.

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Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

Letters Commercial Vehicle Magazine

Electrification of buses

he story on electrification of buses in November 2020 issue of CV magazine provided a good insight on e-buses. As a resident of Delhi-NCR, I could relate to the e-buses in operation in the region and the bad air that we breathe. e-buses, to me, hold a good promise as an alternative to conventional buses that emit pollutants. The e-buses however also bring to mind questions about their reliability and cost to the environment. Whether the electricity that they run on comes from a good, non-polluting source. Whether the materials they are made of, or the electronics and battery that they use, have been accounted for environmentally. If the materials the e-buses are made of are recyclable. The familiarity of conventional buses would have by now revealed their cost on the environment through much research and development. In the case of electric vehicles, such knowledge may take time. The familiarity of the technology, the composition of the materials, etc., would take an amount of time and effort. The faster the familiarity is gained the better it would be to assess whether electric vehicles really make a case for saving the environment from degrading further. Manjiri Kohli, Delhi

CV industry decline

he article on SIAM Annual Convention provided a good idea about the current state of the auto industry in India, and the challenges it is facing. The insights shared by the industry leaders highlighted the challenges the sector is facing. Their insights also highlighted the need to work together by various factions, including the Government. It is necessary that academia is given its due too. In advanced markets, the auto industry is known to have gained from its close cooperation with academia in research and development. In technology and knowledge as a whole. It is a known fact that the manufacturing sector has achieved much from working with academia in terms of technology, innovation, development and various other factors. It is about time, an environment of research and innovation is given top preference in India in a way where the industry, government and academia effectively work together for the betterment of society and mankind. Such a push would best underline the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative than any other. Vilas Shinde, Pune

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News Meru’s Volvo SDLG excavator partnership V with InterMiles

adio taxi company, Meru Mobility Tech Pvt. Ltd., has announced partnership with InterMiles, a new digital currency format that offers leading loyalty and rewards programmes. Indicating the rising trend of radio taxi operators and even the other operators in the people mobility space to embrace cashless payment systems and processes in a pandemic situation, Meru Mobility is expected to profit from higher ridership. Under the partnership with InterMiles, the members of InterMiles are eligible to avail multiple Meru services like airport transfers, car rentals and point-to-point transfers at the click of a button on the InterMiles platform. The partnership will also enable the Intermiles members to earn 10 miles on every Rs.100 spent on top of the base fare. They could also avail a special offer of 50 per cent off for their first ever booking.

olvo Group has introduced an SDLG excavator after receiving a good response for its SDLG wheel loaders and motor graders in India. Keen to replicate its position as a world leader in wheel loaders, the company has introduced the 13-tonne E6135Fi crawler model as a reliable and affordable machine. It is powered by a DDE Deutz engine and an advanced hydraulic system. It is designed to offer operator comfort when he would spend seven to eight hours in the cab. Fitted with AC as standard, the joysticks and controls of the excavator are laid out

ergonomically. Offering superior visibility, the machine has a longer maintenance interval of 250 to 500 hours. It is fitted with a colour LCD screen in the cab that notifies operators on the health and movements of the machine for preventative maintenance. This helps achieve higher uptime and lower TCO.

JCB dual-fuel CNG backhoe loader J

CB India has launched a dual-fuel CNG backhoe loader. The backhoe loader is based on the popular 3DX model platform and has been tested and validated in various operating conditions. Making JCB India the first company to offer a dual-fuel CNG backhoe loader, the machine uses Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition(HCCI) technology. Leading to a substantial drop in particulate or CO2 emissions, the backhoe loader is made at JCB India’s Ballabgarh plant. Designed and developed keeping in

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

mind the unavailability of CNG in remote areas, the backhoe loader, also capable of running on diesel simultaneously, is fitted with JCB’s advanced telematics technology, JCB LiveLink.

news

BKT’S giant EarthMax SR 468 B

alkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) has unveiled a giant EARTHMAX SR 468 tyre for rigid dump trucks. Available in 40.00 R 57 size, the tyre is equipped with an ‘all steel structure’ and offers greater resistance to casing damage or injury. Featuring special tread design, the tyre is made of a compound which is created to limit the heat generated. The E4 depth of the tread provides extreme resistance in highly challenging conditions. Made at the company’s modern Bhuj plant, the tyre adds to the wide range of off-highway and premium tipper tyres that the company provides. An aftermarket player largely, BKT has a good amount of its tyre production being exported to markets the world over.

Vijayawada procures Tata CVs T

he Vijayawada Municipal Corporation(VMC) has procured 25 Tata Ace CNG vehicles as part of its mission to use clean-fuel vehicles. The vehicles will be deployed for door-todoor waste collection in Vijayawada city and are equipped with a geo-positioning system, and a public announcement system. Having wet and dry compartments as part of their three-cubic meter closed-box tipper superstructure, the vehicles are fitted with a close-circuit camera system to ensure their efficient use. Expected to be effective and quick in terms of waste collection and disposal as well as the ability to manoeuvre through narrow alleys and lanes, the vehicles are powered by a two-cylinder 700 cc engine.

AbhiBus microapp

bhiBus has introduced a micro-app on Google Pay’s ‘SPOT’ section. Enabling customers from across the country to book bus tickets on Google Pay, the microapp avoids the pain of shuffling from one app to another. Expected to open up an inventory of more than 2,500 bus operators providing customers with the chance to choose from over 1,00,000 routes pan-India at the most competitive price and offer, the micro-app is designed and developed to enhance customer experience.

ETO Motors commences deliveries? E

TO Motors Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Keto Motors Pvt. Ltd., has commenced deliveries of its e-cargo three-wheeler, the ‘Bulke’, a high-speed (L5 category) vehicle, claim sources. They mention that 300 units of the vehicle will be deployed at Bigbasket over the next six months beginning with Hyderabad. Made at a plant in Jadcherla, Hyderabad, the e-cargo three-wheeler, inform sources, runs on lithium-ion batteries that provide a range of up to 120 km on a single charge. They add that the vehicle, available with a driver seat belt, adjustable bucket-seats, ABS panels and an aluminium chassis, is robust and durable. It is laced with regenerative braking technology and offers a load carrying capacity of over 500 kgs. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

News

DICV global capability centre; new BB touchpoints

aimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) announced the opening of its new global capability centre spread over an area of 20000 sq. ft. at RMZ Milennia Park, Chennai, to meet the growing demand for shared services. It is manned by around 165 employees and would export a wide range of end-to-end solutions, including low-cost automation, digital innovations and R&D services. The CV major has also opened 10 new BharatBenz (BB) touchpoints as part of its strategy to focus on tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Elevating the vehicle servicing capacity of the company to 13000 units a year, these touchpoints realise a dealer network that could service over 40,000 BharatBenz vehicles a month. Leading to over 40 new mechanical bays, skilled

manpower, equipment, inventory and addition of around three lakh sq. ft. workshop space, the 10 new touchpoints are located on leading national and state highways along the golden quadrilateral.

Conti Urban HA3 M&M ‘K2’

ontinental has introduced Conti Urban HA3 tyre especially for urban and electric buses. It is available with a higher load index of 156/150J, and capable of bearing the greater weight of e-buses. Also capable of carrying up to eightmetric tonnes per axle, the tyre is designed and developed to offer good ride quality and high mileage on year-round service. Offered in a single tyre configuration of 315/60 R22.5, the tyre can handle new requirements imposed by the various charging technologies and heavy batteries. A result of Continental’s extensive experience in collaboration with commercial vehicle manufacturers and municipal bus operators, it is capable of transmitting higher torque to the drive axle for rapid acceleration. With a high-strength casing and a robust tread strip (with a high proportion of natural rubber), the tyre is more resistant to chips and cuts, cracks and bulges. Its reinforced sidewalls enable it to withstand constant curb contacts.

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

ahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) has introduced a new tractor series called ‘K2’. Developed through close collaboration between the engineering teams from Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery, Japan, and Mahindra Research Valley, India, the ‘K2’ series involves products across four new tractor platforms -- sub-compact, compact, smallutility and large-utility. These encompass 37 models with various hp. Developed for domestic and international markets, they are lightweight in construction, and backed by incremental investments of Rs.100 crore at the company’s modern Zaheerabad facility where they are being built.

news

Infraprime Logistics to roll out more e-trucks?

onstruction logistics startup, Infraprime Logistics is set to roll out 1000 heavy-duty e-trucks post the successful run of its 55-MT e-truck models, claim sources. Drawing attention to the company’s operation of 12 e-trucks on the Delhi-Jaipur highway with the

help of two charging stations it has setup, they mention that the

Optare is now ‘Switch Mobility’

company, established in 2019, will roll out e-trucks that realise up to 60 per cent savings in the operating cost as compared to conventional diesel trucks. Air-conditioned and backed by a 600,000 km warranty, the e-trucks, inform sources, have 23 per cent gradeability.

NMPML diesel buses T

shok Leyland’s UK subsidiary, Optare has changed its name to ‘Switch Mobility’. The change of name is in-line with the company’s strategic vision to take to electric and green mobility; to pursue clear growth opportunities in the global LCV and bus EV market, which is projected to grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of more than 25 per cent. The change of name is also said to be in-line with expanding the company’s market reach in new markets, including India. More than 150 EV buses built by the company are being operated in Europe, a majority of them in the UK. The company was recently named OEM of the Year (Bus/Commercial Vehicle) at the prestigious 2020 EVIEs Awards.

he Nashik Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd.(NMPML), it is said, will soon run 26-seater diesel buses between Nashik and Ozar airport. Aiming to start the service from January, 2021 after its initial plan of running the buses from April 2020 got derailed due to pandemic, Nashik Municipal Corporation(NMC), has decided to ply a batch of 50 buses on selected routes especially between the city to the airport in the initial run. Nashik airport is located around 25 km away from the city. NMC has already deployed two agencies as per the sources, who will look after this service and they have procured 250 buses (200 CNG and 50 diesel). NMC will be paying these agencies on kilometre basis for their services. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

News

BEST to acquire 100 double- VRS scheme decker buses? he Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) is all set to procure 100 modern double-decker buses, claim sources. They mention that BEST, in this regard, has put out tenders. Seeking doubledecker buses that are powered by BSVI diesel engines and feature dual pneumatically closing doors, two staircases, CCTVs, AMT, electronic destination display and a communication system for the driver and both the conductors (one on each deck), sources inform, BEST is looking at installing these

The image is for representative purpose only.

buses in place the of the 120 ageing double-deckers that would be scrapped. The seating capacity of the new buses is expected to be 70 passengers.

The image is for representative purpose only.

TSRTC to increase fleet?

he Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) will increase its fleet by 50 per cent to enable more passengers to travel to Hyderabad and back, claim sources. They inform that TSRTC is currently operating only 25 per cent of its fleet due to the pandemic. They also mention that TSRTC resumed its operations after a long gap of six

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

months due to the pandemic. The decision to increase the fleet is said to have been taken by the Telangana chief minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao after a review meeting. The points discussed during the review meeting are claimed to be the heavy losses incurred by TSRTC due to fall in bus occupancy and fall in demand for cargo services among others.

for ALL workers? A

shok Leyland Ltd. (ALL) has announced a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for its employees for the second time in the past two years, claim sources. They mention that the scheme is valid for all the permanent employees across all the offices and factories of the CV major. Implemented to create a more cost-effective and efficient organisational structure, the scheme, as per the sources, was approved by the board of directors of the company as per its BSE filing. Claimed to have been put in place partly in response to the many requests from employees for early retirement, the scheme is said to be applicable to employees completing at least nine months tenure. It is also said to be structured such that an employee with a five years tenure would be given one month salary for five months. For those who have worked for more than five years, half a monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salary for their service term would be provided. Employee preferring separation under an Employee Separation Scheme (ESS) will be eligible for a lump sum compensation. Executives will also be eligible for several terminal benefits under this scheme.

news

Twenty-six new e-buses in Mumbai?

he Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has received 26 electric buses out of the 300 sponsored under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) scheme, claim sources. They mention that the e-buses are already registered at the RTO office and would soon start operating. Sources further inform that these buses are fitted with modern amenities and will offer a noise-free and zero tailpipe emission ride.

CV tax waiver in Goa? T

he Goa State Government has decided to reduce road tax by 50 per cent on CVs in the state during FY2020-21, claim sources. They state that the decision in this regard has been taken post witnessing severe downturn in the CV industry during the pandemic. Stressing that half of the road tax for CVs has been waived off till March 31, 2021, sources inform that the cabinet took the decision after considering the request made by many public transport associations. They add that the associations conveyed to the government that their members are not in a position to pay the full annual road tax as their vehicles did not operate during the pandemic.

New highways

he minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, recently laid the foundation stone for 16 national highway projects in Uttar Pradesh (UP) accounting for a distance of 500 km and worth Rs.7,477 crore. Urging the UP Government to exempt all toll plaza agreements from stamp duty, the union minister is known to express that land acquisition for developing national highways in India has been a major problem. He is also known to have averred that over 3,700 km of national highways worth Rs.42,000 crores have been added in the last six years in UP alone. While new roads worth Rupees-two lakh crore are expected to come up in the next three years in UP, around 11,380 km of national highways and roads worth Rs.1.3 lakh crores are under construction in the state. The construction of 2,900 km long national highway worth Rs.65,000 crore is expected to complete in UP by the end of current year.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

News

Apollo XT-100HD A

pollo Tyres has launched XT100HD tyre for CVs. It is designed specifically to carry more load and offer better mileage. Having a heavy-duty casing and employing high strength nylon fabric thus, the tyre is made from heat ageing resistant compound. It uses cavity technology, which ensures low tyre temperature through efficient heat dissipation.

With increased durability, the tyre comes with a casing that is durable and can be retreaded without compromising the quality. Made of treads that are reinforced with other compounds and high tread rubber mass to improve mileage, the tyre is claimed to have been designed by using the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in-house Modular Matrix Tread (MMT) technology.

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news

MAN TGX is International Truck of the Year

AN’s new TGX range has been elected International Truck of the Year 2021 by a jury of 24 commercial vehicle editors and senior journalists, representing 24 major trucking magazines from throughout Europe. The prestigious award was handed to Andreas Tostmann, Chief Executive Officer, MAN Truck & Bus, during a virtual ceremony that took place at MAN’s headquarters in Munich, Germany. With a winning score of 155 votes, the German truck manufacturer’s flagship fought off the strong challenge posed by Volvo Trucks’ new FH range. Succeeding the new Mercedes-Benz Actros, which was judged as the International Truck of the Year (IToY) 2020, the MAN TGX range was chosen as per the the International Truck of the Year rules, which include the presentation of the award to the truck introduced into the market in the previous

12 months, and which has made the greatest contribution to road transport efficiency. Apart from being launched in the previous 12 months, several important criteria like technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental footprint and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) are considered. In the case of the MAN TGX range, the truck scored on the count of retaining a strong family feeling while representing a big step forward in terms of comfort, safety, fuel efficiency, connectivity, advanced service portfolio and human-machine interface. The extended test drives carried out last February in Bilbao, Spain, and more recently, between Germany and Austria in July, the IToY jury members (CV Magazine represents India at the consortium) appreciated the improved cab aerodynamics, which together with the D26 and

D38 EuroVI d engines, optimised drive axle and GPS-assisted cruise control, are certain to contribute to a reduction in fuel consumption. The jury was also impressed by the human-machine interface of the new truck range consisting of an easy-to-read, fully-digital colour instrument cluster, the turn-andpress control system (SmartSelect) of the secondary display and the multifunction steering wheel. Helping the truck score over others was the wide array of assistance and safety systems, aimed at reducing the driver’s workload in every operating condition and at improving traffic safety. Expressed Gianenrico Griffini, Chairman, International Truck of the Year, that the MAN TGX range was selected because of it delivering a future-oriented heavy-duty truck range that is capable of answering today’s and tomorrow’s transport needs.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

Cover Story

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Cover Story

Driving the Tata Prima LX 2825.TK BSVI The Tata Prima LX 2825.TK makes an effective heavy-duty tipper. Bhushan Mhapralkar

t is a normal working weekday in Pune. The traffic on the by-pass is in full swing. The adjoining service roads are also quite full. There is a curious mix of two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger vehicles and CVs on the roads. A part of these is a bright yellow Tata Prima LX 2825.TK heavy-duty tipper with a GVW of 28-tonnes. Tracing its origin to the ambitious ‘World Truck Platform’, which involved a large collaborative effort with the participation of Tata Daewoo among others from the Group, it is drawing attention for its size and looks. Marking an arrival of a modern heavy-duty truck range a decade ago roughly, the Prima looked like it was way ahead of its time. What with the market happy lapping up trucks (including Tata’s own legacy range) with a lower initial acquisition cost. Heading into a market seized of the initial

purchase price, the Prima found itself in a quagmire almost. What a waste! Correcting itself quickly, the Prima range shed features. It trimmed itself to meet market expectations, the LX suffix bringing it up to speed. Yet it still struggled to find many takers. Those who understood its potential took it. The larger audience however still weighed on the legacy range. All this changed with regulations and economic changes over the past few years. Operators were compelled to look beyond the initial acquisition cost. Finding its way to a construction site to dispose off its load, the only other CV that could draw attention is a yellow 6x BharatBenz 2825CM. It however quickly changes the route and heads down a different road. If the form of Prima makes it a modern machine, gets heads to turn, there is definitely more to it than

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

cover story

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

cover story

just that. There is a form, but also function. There’s aesthetics; there’s safety, security, reliability, efficiency, value and more. Easy to manoeuvre despite its seemingly large form and dimensions (it needs to be seen in flesh), the Prima 2825. TK is making a positive first impression. Its modern cab layout is making it appear drivercentric. As a value machine, the heavy-duty tipper is looking robust and modern. It is making

good progress on a crowded road. Contributing to a good ride is the truck’s four-point suspended cab. It is helping soak up a good deal of road surface irregularities thus. It is underlining the driver-centric approach from behind the wheel by displaying good ergonomics and visibility. Helping good visibility is the ample glass area and the well-placed rear-view mirrors. There is a blind spot mirror located at the top centre

of the windshield. Comfort and convenience With comfort and convenience a part of the ‘Power of Six’ strategy by Tata Motors for this truck, a positive first impression is had as the construction site draws close. Fitted with a 16 cu. m. superstructure and Hyva hydraulics, the truck is displaying good tractability. It is pointing at its ability to perform. Amid the environs of a spacious,

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

cover story

well-conceived and well-built cabin, the heavy-duty tipper is beginning to hint at the other factors of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Power of Sixâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, like lower TCO, choice, connectivity and peace of mind. If the sturdy rear-view mirror placed at the centre and above the windscreen is coming handy in tricky traffic situations involving bikers and other local traffic (and helping eliminate a blind spot), the Prima

2825.TK is turning out to be an interesting machine. Its higher seating position is a boon. In front of the driver is a seemingly large dia. modern steering wheel. Behind it, a new digital instrument cluster with a large speedometer and tachometer dials and an LCD readout for fuel efficiency, DEF level and else. The contouring of the driver and co-passenger seat ensuring good body support to make driving long hours fatigue free, the heavy-duty tipper, with a 6x4 axle combination, is already succeeding in conveying the fact

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

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that it is the CV major’s flagship offering. The headrests of the seats, by the way, are integrated. As part of the larger and wider Prima heavy-duty truck range, the Prima LX 2825.TK comes with air-conditioning as standard. With the windows rolled up (the driver side window can take some effort to roll up when driving), it is easy to converse. Displaying good refinement levels, the heavyduty tipper rides on 20-inch dia. wheels. While the cabin is four-

point suspended, the driver’s seat is not. But then the ride quality is good by the standards of a truck. The ‘T’ in the name standing out for radial tyres, 2825.TK is engineered such that it would spend more time on-road than off the road. It is engineered to carry load over a longer distance. A distance, for example, of 120 kms from Pune to Navi Mumbai, ferrying crushed stones for a road project. A hard-working machine the heavy-duty tipper is coming across. It is also a machine that would get little sympathy in return for its capabilities or the nature of work it does. Equipped with features like real-time fuel efficiency coaching that indicates the fuel efficiency had on the instrument cluster (we are doing a poor 2.2kmpl given the traffic and speed), the Prima 2825.TK is continuing to impress with its ability to perform. Technology and value Equipped with a Fleet Edge telematics suite that is in-line with the changing expectations of the Indian CV market, which is now beyond the mere prospect of track and trace,

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

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the heavy-duty tipper, powered by a 250 hp 6.7-litre Cummins ISBe BSVI diesel engine, is also hinting at the rise in electronics onboard through its digital instrument cluster that is also quite attractive to look at. A BSVI machine, the truck is about the transition from BSIV and beyond, It is about technology and efficiency. It is about aggregates and an ability to meet the application-need of the customer. A modern and impressive machine that it is turning out to be, the Prima 2825.TK is also adding to the knowledge about what the value truck generation is really going to look like. Having seen a host of changes to make it better, efficient and agile, the heavy-duty machine is doing good speeds as the traffic has eased up a bit It is, in the process, telling a story about how Tata Motors went about achieving a fine balance between performance and

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

efficiency among various other factors. With the Cummins ISBe BSVI powerplant at the core, the CV major paid attention to retaining or increasing the efficiency of the truck. This, despite a significant shift in fluid dynamics. The injection bar pressure was hiked. With an SCR exhaust after-treatment system on-board, a flatter torque curve in the 1000 rpm and 1700 rpm range was had. This led to better tract-ability and reduction in the frequency to change cogs. Shifting to a higher set of gear – the nine-speed manual transmission has a ‘gate’ which separates the lower set of four gears including the crawler with the higher set of gears, the Prima 2825.TK has the construction site in view. It is not very far from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Equipped with three drive modes – ‘Light’. ‘Medium’ and ‘Heavy’, which typically mean fuel saving when returning empty, at partial load or when moving with full-

load, the heavy-duty tipper is now very near to the construction site where it is supposed to dispose off its load. Engineered to further enhance fuel-efficiency, the three drive modes are yet another indication of how the rise in electronics on-board is making a difference. The modes also underline the premise of a value truck that is capable of providing a lower TCO in a highly competitive environment. Fitted with a single reduction live axle at the rear, the Prima 2825.TK, in terms of aggregate choice, could be had with a 14 cu. m. Hardbox body too. It could be had in a 2825.K model version with nylon tyres. This heavy-duty tipper version is aimed at higher off-road work than tarmac travel, which this truck with radial tyres is good at. Featuring a bogie suspension at the rear, the Prima LX 2825.TK is thus a part of a larger plot that is well-envisaged to understand as well as address the various needs of the tipper

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operators. To provide him an ability to almost configure his truck on his own almost. Productivity and profits Enhancing the value equation of its flagship offer, Tata Motors, with its Prima range of tippers is building at formidable challenge that could get fleets to look beyond initial acquisition cost and on to the entire cost of operation. A hardy machine the Prima 2825.TK is turning out to be as it gets off the road and rolls down the earthen road of the construction site. Equipped

with an engine brake that is activated by turning one of the two steering column stalks, the heavy-duty tipper is about to end its assignment. The next assignment would be waiting for it as a matter of fact. As a machine meant to do business thus, the heavy-duty tipper is about the use of technology to increase productivity and profits. The 2825.TK looks promising on this front. It seems to be better positioned with features like engine brake that works to reduce the load on the pneumatic braking system of

the truck and extend its service life as well as elevate operational safety. The braking system of the 6x4 machine has also been revised. The ‘S’ cams have been suitably strengthened to hold better under heavy usage. Changes have been made to the material composition of the ‘S’ cams too. Deftly carrying itself on the narrow rough road inside the construction site, the Prima 2825.TK is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre, thanks in part to the visibility had from the ample glass area and the placement of the mirrors.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

cover story

Fitted with a vertical exhaust to ensure that it does not blow loose earth from the road underneath and clog vital components, reducing their service life in the process, the Prima 2825.TK, with a wheelbase of 3950 mm and a lightweight fuel tank of 300-litres, is priced at Rs.45 lakhs. It features a day cab, and is equipped with a smart hill hold assist feature too. This feature ensures that the truck does not roll back when starting

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

on an incline. Making way for less experienced drivers to get behind the wheel, the ‘hill hold assist’ function keeps the brakes engaged for a few moments that it would take the driver to shift his foot from the brake to the accelerator. It is done by making changes to the ‘electronics’ part of the ABS-equipped braking system. Elevating safety, the ‘hill hold assist’ function is of particular importance from the point of view of shortage of

drivers. From the point of view of shortage of experienced drivers. It is the functions like these that make the Prima 2825.TK look promising. With the load disposed off, and the tipping body down to its ‘normal’ position, the heavy-duty tipper is set for another trip, this time a bit longer and of more value. Life of a tipper, it is clear, is not easy. The good part is, it is made better and perhaps rewarding by modern, value-oriented machines like this one is.

Special report

For representative purpose only

An ambulance apart

DC Design has stretched the boundary of imagination when it comes to ambulances in its recent project.

ith an estimated population of 1,385,123,108, it is tough to imagine the complexities that make the healthcare industry in India for what it is. It is burgeoning, and has a part of it, an estimated 30,000 ambulances. Such numbers are enough to spell out the shortage of ambulances and the steep rates they command. The Covid pandemic aggravating the situation, there is a clear need for more ambulances; better ambulances. It is in the wake

Bhushan Mhapralkar of this call, that the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading automotive design and customising firm, DC Design, took to building ambulances that would stretch the boundary of imagination. It took to building some 16 such units at its Chinchwad facility on the Mercedes-Benz V-Class (Vito) platform for a big corporate entity. Exceeding the ambulance standards the government has put in place, the company, according to its founder, Dilip Chhabria, succeeded in marrying aesthetics with functionality. Stressing on how the Covid

pandemic exposed the lack of well-equipped ambulances as the weakest link in the healthcare industry in India, he mentioned that there are scores of ultra-luxury hospitals for the HNIs, but very few fully equipped and ultra-competent vehicles to cater to the patient in his hour of need. Lapping up the opportunity when a big corporate inquired, DC Design put to use its hard-earned knowledge and resources for the project. In the automotive customisation business for Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Special report

the last 27 years, DC Design started work on the project in February 2020. However, various clearances and other issues meant that the project saw the light of day only in July. For the firm that has done 800 unique ground up projects till date, this project meant a lot. For a firm that has done 5500 vehicles, according to

Commercial Vehicle October 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Chhabria, the project made of the most prestigious for various reasons. First, it was linked to a big corporate. The other was the challenge it posed when compared to the projects that DC Design has done until now. Stating that his firm is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest custom house given the sheer number of projects executed,

Chhabria expressed that the brief given to them elevated this project far beyond the various ambulance projects they have done thus far. Touching on diverse automotive projects ranging from a microcar to a luxury home on the longest multi-axle luxury coach found in India, or a 40 feet tractor-trailer, he said that the ultra-luxury

special report ambulance project gave his firm an opportunity to once again do what it does best. To combine acute functionality desired of a vehicle of such a nature with the highest order of aesthetics. It doesn’t take long to find this out after looking at what DC Design has done. The well laid out, furnished and equipped ultra-luxury ambulance interior is clearly aimed at an HNI to be his saviour in the hour of crisis. Aesthetics and functionality Featuring a long list of equipment like an intelligent transport ventilator, defibrillator, syringe pump, power stretcher, suction unit, oxygen cylinder, flow meters, spine board, etc., the ultra-luxury ambulances are replete with some very unique amenities that may seem passe at first, but make an integral part of the aesthetics and functionality equation. The dimmer switch panel for example. Flaunting a beige interior that is complementing of the van’s luxury three-pointed star status, the other amenities like power fold-down doctor’s seat, a proprietary rolling shutter storage and a day-glow sky lighting mechanism built into the roof section above the stretcher extend the boundaries of imagination when it comes to an ambulance indeed. Averred Chhabria, “The layouts were dictated by expatriate doctors having over 500 years of work experience cumulatively.” “The inputs by expatriate doctors added to the goal of creating an outstanding product that would also deliver on the requirement of speed, safety and comfort,” he added. With the stretcher located to the right side of the vehicle compartment, on Commercial Vehicle October 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Special report

the left is a seat that could accommodate the patient’s family members. It is designed such that there is ample space of storage underneath, and is well-ventilated. A well-designed ventilation grille takes care of that. For a panel van like the luxurious Mercedes-Bens V-Class (Vito), the ambulance that DC Design has built marks a curious case of incorporating the demands to accommodate various medical equipment, facilitate a fast travel, easy ingress and egress, provide space for the doctor to manoeuvre as well as attend to the patient, and provide an opportunity to scale it as per

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

special report

the need. This would certainly involve the service-ability of equipment, its scaling up and an attention towards passive safety, proper illumination and various other factors to eliminate any possibility of disparity or inconsistency. Said Chhabria, “Our research for this project got us to dig into the knowledge and experience that we have gained over the last three decades almost.” “We combined our research by benchmarking our efforts with some of the best and most well-equipped ambulances the world over,” he added. As a first responder the role of an ambulance has been well defined and underlined since the advent of the Covid

pandemic. What the pandemic has done in fact is brushed away from any lethargy surrounding the standards and ways of building ambulances. These are largely centred around the transport of a patient under investigation, cleaning and disinfection, EMS guidelines, etc. Stating that they have been exceeding all CMVR codes in their projects, Chhabria averred that this project once again tested their extreme capabilities and the ability to meet the expectations of the customers across the world. Technology and versatility Revealing that the choice of

special report the V-Class as the vehicle of choice was its manoeuvrability. Powered by a 160 hp, 2.2-litre diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission and measuring 5370 mm in length, 1928 mm in width and 1880 mm in height, the vehicle features some of the most advanced active and passive safety technologies. A fine piece of automotive engineering, it made the mark with the client, according to Chhabria, given its abilities to make a versatile first (or early) responder machine. Consulting expatriate doctors and leading equipment suppliers, DC Design focused on building an ultra-high quality, fully equipped ICU on wheels. It, remarked Chhabria, incorporated utmost reliability, speed, space and safety as the key factors. Inspired by

the possibility of creating a product where with only some rare exceptions, form and aesthetics are married, a rare possibility indeed, the firm took four months to execute the project. It was volumebased and therefore subject to repeat-ability, service-ability and trace-ability. An estimated 30000 man-hours went into the design, development and execution of the 16 ultraluxury ambulances. This project, said Chhabria, taught us many new things that we would be putting to good use in our upcoming projects. “The project also taught us,” he added, “how ambulances should be as first responders and lifesavers rather than be rickety machines that merely rush patients to hospitals amid extremely challenging road conditions.”

For representative purpose only

Mercedes-Benz A-Class van for an ultra-luxury ambulance as the basis was of the client, Chhabria explained that they did not do any change to the exterior. “The exterior remains incognito,” he quipped, stressing on the fact that the client demanded it. Highlighting once again that it was the prospect of marrying aesthetics and functionality that was at the centre of the effort, Chhabria said that his company designed and executed the project such that the important task of reaching the hospital in the shortest time was in no way interfered with. “The foremost task we took to was to ensure that this ambulance did what it was meant to, and in the best manner possible,” he added. Concentrating on the ability to save a precious life, and possess the capability to wade through gridlocked traffic, what marked

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

In focus

Supporting school bus operators Daimler India is supporting its school bus customers to help them tide over the current crises. Deepti Thore

he school bus market in India is estimated to be 60000 units per annum and roughly accounts for 20 per cent of the global market. Against the backdrop of an estimated three-lakh schools in the country, the school bus market has been growing for the last couple of years because of the strong government

push for regularisation and standardisation. Demand has been ranging from simple 10 or 15-seater elementary type of buses to low-floor, airconditioned buses. Subject to the safety and security of children. School buses are governed by comprehensive safety guidelines and regulations, which include school bus design parameters,

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

driver training and monitoring programmes and laws on student protection, all of which have made school buses the safest vehicles on road. Look beyond school buses being the safest vehicles on roads, and the Covid induced lockdown put the brakes on school buses, starting June 2020. The new school

in focus

season failing to take off, the segment has witnessed some unprecedented challenges that threaten to weaken its health and stability. Against such a backdrop, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) is currently working on various measures to support its school customers. These include extended warranty and financial solutions. Hoping that schools will soon re-open even though in a phased manner, the company is working with its school bus customers to ensure they are able to sustain and find other avenues of income. Contributing around 40-50 per cent of the total volume since its market launch in 2016, BharatBenz school buses are said to ensure that its operators earn good profit by the virtue of their lower TCO. Expressed Karl-Alexander Seidel, CEO and Head of Daimler Bus India, that the school bus transportation industry has been evolving in India. Acknowledging that the respective industry is facing some unprecedented challenges due to the Covid

pandemic, he mentioned that they have been working with their customers to help them sustain and tide over the challenges. Pointing out that they have been concentrating on ways to improve safety, Seidel averred that they have been leveraging technology to ensure that the BharatBenz school buses make a strong business case for its operators and a safer and dependable school transport means for the school children. “We have always pro-actively innovated to improve the performance of our school buses on all fronts,” he added. Of the opinion that schools will have to rethink

the logistics of ferrying students safely to school and back home once they re-start, Seidel said that norms like social distancing and other health safety measures would push the demand for school buses. Pro-actively deploying various safety measures in its school buses like the printing of ‘School Bus’ on the back and front of the vehicles, and the inclusion of a first-aid box and a fire extinguisher, DICV has been very particular about meeting the regulations as well as going beyond to ensure the safety and comfort of school

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

In focus

children. Providing space for school bags in the hat rack, the company, according to Seidel, has meticulously designed its school buses with parabolic suspension system and integrated finetuned shock absorbers and anti-roll bars. “Every seat in a BharatBenz school bus is a cocoon of comfort, designed to give a comfortable ride to school and back home,” he stated. Explaining that their school buses are also fitted with ABS and child-friendly interiors that include fire-retardant plastics and fabrics, Seidel averred that the vehicles are also equipped with smoke detectors, fire alarm, stop switches and more. Built on rigid chassis frames, which

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

have the best-in-class sevenmm thickness integrated with alligator type cross members, according to Seidel, the BharatBenz school buses are equipped with factory supplied regulatory devices like AIS 140 and Reverse Park Alert Systems (RPAS). Offering a combination of engine brake, electronic exhaust brake and CAN-based electromagnetic retarder with five-stage operation, the BharatBenz school buses are designed to have a sturdy framework with high grade tubular structure. Having the best in industry rollover angle of 44 degrees and lower centre of

Karl-Alexander Seidel, CEO and Head of Daimler Bus India.

gravity for enhanced safety, the school buses, said Seidel, have been fitted with antislip silicon embedded vinyl flooring and easily accessible emergency doors. Recording 11 per cent rise in domestic sales and 56 per cent increase in exports, DICV, according to Seidel, has adopted a ‘Ride Unconditionally and enjoy the aliveness in you’ strategy. As a part of this strategy, the CV maker is thus offering buses with world-class comfort, highest safety standards and maximum stability. It is highlighting the fact that the same buses that it offers in the domestic market are also exported. “The FUSO-branded nine-tonne fully built school and staff buses are exported to the UAE market, in addition to the nine and 16-tonne bus chassis which are exported to markets like Africa, Latin

in focus

America, the Middle East, and SouthEast Asia,” said Seidel. He mentioned that their focus on innovation has got them many new customers. Wellequipped with advanced facilities and features like air-conditioning and on-board entertainment, the BharatBenz school buses, said Seidel, also possess high-quality engines and transmissions, and advanced aggregates such as air suspension. Pointing at the BSVI technology and advanced telematics solution, ‘BusConnect’, Seidel stated that every new technology that they develop have the operator and the enduser at the core of it. Seidel

mentioned that ‘Proserv’, for example, is an interface that enables our customers to connect with us via an app for a problem they face regarding the vehicle. “This app. enables the customers to carry out more than 60 transactions on their smartphones,” he added. Stressing on having over 190 service touchpoints across the country, Seidel said that the ‘Bus Care’ program DICV started in July 2020 is designed to help its customers to re-start their operations. It includes a free service campaign with driver training on COVID-19 preventive measures and entails the distribution of personal hygiene kits, thermometers

and disinfectant sprayers. “The program has already been executed for over 1400 buses and 1900 drivers in 75 locations,” he added. Of the opinion that initiatives like ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ have given a strong push to the automotive and the auto component industry to reduce dependence on imports, Seidel said that his company, from the very inception, has been having a strong impetus on localisation. Stating that it would take a long time to develop local manufacturing processes that tackle challenges like cost, quality and capacity, DICV, he averred, has cultivated around 400 suppliers in India and achieved a localisation level of 80-90 per cent with the aim to increase it further in a phased manner. Stating that they are advocating a well-formulated scrappage policy that takes a longterm view on sustainability, Seidel explained that there are approximately 28 million vehicles that are over 10 year’s old running on Indian roads, causing an excess of pollution. “Pollution will continue to increase at an unacceptable rate until older vehicles are taken off the road,” he opined.

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Smart transport

e-Bus challenges The image is used for representative purpose only.

The Covid pandemic could turn the tide in favour of electric buses post addressing some of the foremost challenges, including those that pertain to the operating environment.

he Covid pandemic has completely altered the outlook for buses. It has almost overhauled any outlook that held truth before its onset, and could set the road for buses that offer better value to the operators; enough to acquire them in the first place, and extend a sense of safety and stability to those who travel in them. An interesting part of the equation is, the higher preference electric buses could get in the Covid environment as the world anticipates a second wave and a third wave. If a vaccine

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Deepti Thore

would just save the world from the brink of successive virus breaks, it is buses that would play an important role in helping the return of sanity. Electric ones especially. So, as the CV industry

struggles to attract new bus buyers, a potential shift from public transportation to private transport is adding to the challenge no doubt. Therefore, a big challenge for bus operations would be to address challenges like overcrowding of buses and difficulty in maintaining social distancing. The other challenges include inadequate buses, longer waiting time and anxiety of travelling in a closed environment. If electric buses could help without increasing tailpipe emissions, they could also

smart transport help address issues like supply chain constraints by the virtue of them having less number of moving parts. Well! It isn’t as easy as it sounds. Supply chains can be extremely complex, and given the current geopolitical situations, a lot of critical components still continue to be imported despite big strides in local approaches. Despite the announcement of big-ticket schemes like ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, components like battery cells, motors and inverters continue to be imported. High torque motors especially. This is one challenge area where a joint effort by the industry and the government could yield the best and most speedy results. Some of the other technical challenges faced by e-buses

reduced battery cost, longer battery life, better thermal management and higher durability and reliability of various components and systems.

Gerald Ollivier, Lead Transport Specialist, Transport Global Practice, The World Bank.

being the vehicle range, cost, battery replacement cost, battery pack life and charging. There is also a big potential in terms of improving the viability of e-buses. This would include a lot of technological improvements in terms of battery, improving efficiency, integration and optimisation of each and every aggregate of buses to get a better life,

Indian environment For battery sizing, the Indian environment poses a big challenge. There are very high traffic conditions. The extent of congestion could be such that the normal average speed of vehicles could be very low. This would translate into a unique challenge for the operate-ability of an e-bus. A solution to which would lie in turning the situation to its advantage. As a tropical country, the temperatures in India during the days are often high and vary. In the evening, they fall,

The image is used for representative purpose only. Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Smart transport

Image courtesy : tata motors ltd.

making for a considerable change throughout the day. Thus, traffic, weather and air-conditioning usage are some of the most significant factors that influence energy consumption, and would make important parameters for an electric bus in terms of its range and battery sizing. Energy is majorly consumed for air-conditioning of a bus (26 per cent). It is an energy lost as it canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be recovered in terms of the kilometers a bus runs. In an electric bus, such a captive source of energy consumption or a source of parasitic energy loss matters quite a bit as it influences its range. So, getting the focus on the range of an e-bus, it is essential to see how such a bus could run on all routes and get charged during breaks. In India, authorities

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to be very comfortable with opportunity charging, which is claimed to be good for optimising the battery size. They instead seem comfortable with overnight charging, which poses a lot of challenges in terms of battery sizing and vehicle cost. Stray instances of e-buses being charged with the use of a diesel generator in the absence of a suitable grid network is yet another major challenge that needs to be worked on too, and on a priority basis. In India, there is a low supply of buses as compared to any international competitors. The sector seems to have been ignored somewhat since the advent of JNNURM in India. FAME I and II are the largest national level programs for increasing e-bus supplies

while JNNURM has been further engineered into AMRIT. Cities with well functioning transport systems globally have 100-200 buses per lakh people while most Indian cities are far below 50 buses per lakh people which is not up to the mark. In India, limited participation was observed in recent bids while many tenders were cancelled due to higher than expected bids. There are currently 8,30,000 buses in operation in India between the urban, intercity, public, private and other buses. To move from 8,30,000 in 2020 to 25 percent e-buses by 2030, the numbers are quite big in terms of investment that is required. It will cost Rupees-one crore to Rupees-two crore per bus and around 2-5 lakh buses would be required as e-buses by 2030.

smart transport Key drivers for EV investments To drive the investment in EVs, and especially e-buses certain drivers would need to be firmly put in place. These, according to Gerald Ollivier, Lead Transport Specialist, Transport Global Practice, The World Bank, include a thorough understanding of the core economics of e-bus operations. With BSVI norms coming into force, STUs are looking at managing the expenditure on charging cost, infrastructure cost and associated interest. They are looking to reduce the cost incurred in fuel and maintenance of the e-buses. With e-buses having the same TCO as BSVI AC bus, with the subsidy provided, the cost of e-buses has the potential to be less than the cost of running a BSVI AC bus. With many STUs and municipalities operating non AC buses, the equation gets complicated. The more

relevant comparison would need to be with non-AC BSVI buses which cost 30 per cent lower than e-buses despite the subsidy. When comparing AC e-bus and ICE bus it comes to lowered fuel and maintenance costs. As per the bids received for GCC for intra city or intercity buses under Fame II a substantial difference of 65 per cent between highest and lower bids across cities has been observed. It reflects the local position as well as the security of payment. Â Yet another driver apart from the thorough understanding of e-buses as per Ollivier is an in-depth understanding of the battery as a key component. Pointing at the research in battery technology, he mentioned that batteries could solely determine the viability of e-buses in the mid- and longterm, if not the short-term. Reduction in battery cost, he

averred, will be a key driver for faster adoption of EVs. Apart from an improvement in efficiency, it is the drop in battery costs that would be the most crucial. It would start shrinking the difference between ICE vehicles and electric ones. Stressing on the Indian Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to reduce import dependence and increase localisation of EV batteries through the phased manufacturing program (PMP), which is valid till 2024, Ollivier expressed that a move like this would incentivise companies to set up integrated battery and cell giga factories (battery production capacity upward of one gigawatt-hour) for manufacturing and assembling lithium batteries locally. Countries with gigafactories, such as China and South Korea, he added, are known to have battery costs that are around 20-30 per cent lower than the global average.

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Industry talk

All images are for representative purpose only.

Pickrr eyes B2B logistics

In a bid to bridge logistic service gaps, virtual logistics provider Pickrr has transitioned from B2C to B2B segments.

emand for online shopping spiked during the covid-19 induced lockdown. Even after the start of the unlockdown period the trend continues. As the public finds ways to transact safely and in a manner that involves the least contact, New Delhibased Pickrr Technologies Pvt. Ltd (Pickrr) is adapting itself to the change. In the process it is finding new opportunities to grow. One of them is to bridge the logistics gaps that exist in their business model as a virtual

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Deven Lad

Rhitiman Majumder, Co-Founder and CEO, Pickrr.

logistics provider. In view of the same, the company has transitioned from B2C to B2B. One of the first logistic courier aggregators to offer order processing, shipping, tracking, reverse logistics and other

related services, Pickrr is keen to earn itself the front runner advantage in the B2B space. Expressed Rhitiman Majumder, Co-Founder and CEO, Pickrr, that the B2C logistics space has evolved in the last couple of years. It is now the B2B space that is poised to witness a lot of improvements. Founded in 2015 by Ankit Kaushik, Gaurav Mangla, and Rhitiman Majumder, Pickrr is into ondemand logistics services. It is an end-to-end Software as a Service (SAAS) based logistics solutions provider. Helping

Industry talk

various brands with reverse logistics models for the last five years, the company has come to have a customer portfolio which comprises brands like Bosch Household Appliances, Lifecare, Bombay Shaving Company, Baidyanath Group, Qtrove, Nutrabay, and The Messy Corner. Serving large-scale businesses and SMEs, Pickrrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s active clients amount to over 2000 businesses. The company, according to Majumder, does 50000 plus orders a day. Bridging the gap With a clear focus on performance-driven logistics solutions for the B2C segments, the entry of Pickrr into the B2B segment spells not just a hunger for growth but also a quest to bridge the gaps in its business model. Especially against the shadow of Covid-19. Of the opinion that the Indian logistics industry is a mix of highly specialised tech-driven service

algorithm level. Offering order management, order-tracking and report generation on multiple parameters, Pickrr is working to bridge the technological gap that exists. Of the opinion that the technological gap has existed for quite some time, Pickrr, with a reach of 26000 pin codes in India, is striving to make a mark. Consisting of a 30 member team, the company, according to Majumder, is profitable. providers to local manually run logistics companies, Majumder is gunning for technology to give the business the necessary edge. Providing technology and API integration to end-to-end logistics services to online and offline sellers through its technology and service components, the company is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). This includes next-day delivery, hyperlocal delivery, bulk and full truck-load transportation facilities at the

Transition from B2C to B2B Recording a 100 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue, Pickrr is investing in technology to gather a front runner advantage in the B2B space. Posting a revenue of Rs.34 crore in FY2019-20, the company is confident of achieving all that it aims to achieve in the B2B segment. Building technology initially for the B2C segment (sellers and businesses), Pickrr, focusing on the B2B segment

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Industry talk

Image courtesy: delhivery

is leveraging its technological expertise to carve out a niche for itself. How is it doing so is something that Majumder did not reveal. What he did instead is point at an ambition to carve out a niche. Of the opinion that the developments in the B2B space has been considerable over the span of the last ten years, Majumder mentioned that their entry into the B2B segment was quite logical. If the availability of technological prowess made it easier, the company is leveraging its knowledge in fields like air express, surface express, fulfilment and warehousing, and reverse logistics, that it participates in. Providing performancedriven logistics solutions through their logistics partners, Pickrr, as an aggregator does not have a fleet of its own. It engages with various fleet operators in the country, therefore. This, according to Majumder, has enabled them to offer almost all the fleet options

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

to their clients. Leaving its logistics partners to handle the transportation part that they are good at, Pickrr has been particularly working with Delhivery and Rivigo for its B2B requirements, according to Majumder. Acting as a service provider to its clients in need of logistics solutions and to help them suggest the best option in terms of carriers, the company is handling the invoicing and communication for the clients. Working as an end-to-end e-commerce logistics company thus, Pickrr is witnessing a constant improvement in Turn Around Time (TAT) for the last one

year. This, according to Majumder, is because of the efficiency improvements small and big, and also because of the improvements in infrastructure. Tech-intensive -- right from order placement, logistics partner selection, order management, to order delivery, Pickrr is confident of growing in a post-Covid environment. Post-Covid Acknowledging that the Covid-19 pandemic has had an effect on their business, Majumder averred that demand was making a gradual return. â&#x20AC;&#x153;First to suffer when the pandemic

Industry talk broke out, the logistic industry has also been the first to get on the path to recovery,” he added. Stating that they have been working hard to remove the stops that got installed during the lockdown, Pickrr is striving to provide the best experience to customers as the ‘unlockdown’ period progresses. Explained Majumder, that they have been working hard to get their services to pre-covid levels despite challenges. Challenges, he said, continue to pose a hurdle. “We are however not deterred, and are working with our customers and channel partners to get them to resume their business with us,” remarked Majumder. Of the opinion that it is proving to be a bit challenging to convince clients and customers regarding the possible delays caused due to restrictions, he said that they have adopted a strategy to be even more proactive to build the confidence of all those that they deal with, or interact with. Informing customers of any possible movement restrictions, Pickrr, according to Majumder, is finding good success in solving logisticsrelated issues being faced by their clients and partners. Working on challenges like post ship services, warehousing, packaging, etc., Pickrr is confident that the logistics sector will post a quick improvement in a post Covid-19 environment. “The TATs will eventually decrease, and mark the return of the glory to the logistics sector,” signed off Majumder.

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Industry talk

Managing ELVs

With the talk of scrappage policy, the End-Of-Life (ELV) journey of an automobile is once again under the spotlight.

ndia is expected to reach a market size of 20 to 22 million ELVs by 2025 as per a report released by Kearney. This would amount to a business segment value between Rs.9400 crores and Rs.12,500 crores. With the scrappage policy expected to be announced soon, the generation of scrap through the ELV journey of automobiles is expected to reach 5.6 million tonnes per annum by 2025. Expected to have a major share of around 40 to 50 per cent are

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

All images are for representative purpose only.

Deepti Thore

commercial vehicles(CVs) in terms of market value simply because the content that goes in them is considerably more per vehicle when compared to a typical passenger car or a two-wheeler. CVs are also said to emit more on a per vehicle basis when compared to a private vehicle. And, despite there being a lot more twowheelers or three-wheelers as CVs often tend to stay on the road for more years on an average, emit more during their operating lifecycle and are perhaps more liable to

flouting emission and other norms. Putting CVs under the spotlight when compared to the private vehicles is their fairly significant contribution to the market size even though they amount to approximately six per cent of the vehicle parc, according to the analysis made by Kearney. Shovik Banerjee, Principal, Kearney informed that passenger vehicles acquire acquire the secondlargest share of around 10 to 30 per cent with about 12 per

Industry talk

(Left to Right) Shovik Banerjee, Principal, Kearney. Kaushik Madhavan, Vice President- Mobility Practice, Frost & Sullivan (F&S). Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM. Masaru Akaishi, Managing Director, Maruti Suzuki Toyotsu India (MSTI). Captain N S Mohan Ram VSM, I.N (Retd.), FNAE.

cent vehicle parc followed by three-wheelers which are about five per cent in terms of value as well as in terms of the number of units, and then two-wheelers with a share of 25-35 per cent in ELVs and vehicle parc of about 80 per cent. The value of that particular segment in terms of end of life vehicles is about 25 to 35. Understanding ELV As per the forecast provided by the Feedback consultancy to estimate the number of ELVs in future, around 28 million vehicles will be ELVs by 2030. These are vehicles produced from 2010 to 2015, the report said. While the number of vehicles reaching end-of-life is increasing exponentially with the help of world-class manufacturing and primitive scrapping systems, the urgent need is to evolve environmentally feasible, socially acceptable viable regimen of recycling of ELVs, expressed Captain N S Mohan Ram VSM, I.N (Retd.), FNAE. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Environmentally Sound Management of ELVs in Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; virtual lecture organised by SIAM highlighted the sustained utilisation of resources to replace the traditional linear economy. Deliberating on the effect of the scrappage policy that is expected, and how it would influence a change

at the OEM level, at the supplier level and various others including at the buyer and operator level, Shovik stated that ELV involves a journey that is challenging as well as rewarding in terms of minimising wastage and the associated ecological implications. Providing an overview of the economics of recycling of ELV in India which could be built in-line with the global trends, the session saw Kaushik Madhavan, Vice President- Mobility Practice, Frost & Sullivan (F&S) stressing on the need of guidelines and standards to be set up for incorporation of 3R model (Restore, Reuse and Recycle) within the auto industry which could include recycling of batteries. He also pointed at the global scenario that involves sharing of responsibility by the stakeholders (including

battery and vehicle manufacturers). Of the opinion that the steady shift towards ELVs in India has multiple implications for all the stakeholders in particular and the economy at large, Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM averred that recycling of ELVs is meant to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry. Emphasising on the generation of a carbon trail by manufactured products that continues all the way to their end-of-life and subsequent disposal, Menon explained that it is imperative that environmentally-sound management policies and regulations are put in place in advance to ensure ELVs leave a low carbon trail throughout their life cycle. Scrappage policy Drawing attention to a recent announcement by

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Industry talk

Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Information & Broadcasting, and Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Government of India, that the scrappage policy is ready and will be rolled out soon,Shovik Banerjee mentioned that a lot of work has gone into formulating the policy. The aim, he said was to provide financial incentive to the vehicle owners to get them to scrap outdated models and replace them with newer vehicles. Kearney worked on the draft by involving analytical modelling, impact assessment, policy drafting, incentive restructuring and cabinet note drafting. Stating that it was necessary to identify vehicle segments to focus upon from a pollution impact point of

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Information & Broadcasting, and Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Government of India.

view, Shovik Banerjee said that attention ought to be on what replacement norms should go in, what is the requirement in terms of ELV policy, how to operationalise in terms of money, complimentary policy to meet the need for incentives to decentralise use of old vehicles and a final implementation plan. Aiming to reduce vehicular pollution by phasing out older, polluting vehicles, the scrappage policy is also engineered to

drive the demand for the automotive segment through incentives to voluntarily replace them, remarked Shovik. An age-of-vehicle based mandatory scrapping will also be implemented as per the Motor Vehicle Act, he added. Stating that the policy, which has been in the works since 2016, would trigger the development of a structured scrapping ecosystem, Shovik expressed that an Authorised Vehicle Scrapping Facility (AVSF) programme would simplify the process of setting up scrapping facilities, guidelines for Environmentally Sound Facilities (ESF) for handling, processing and recycling ELVs. Scrap recycling value chain Stressing on revised guidelines issued last year to create

Industry talk

uniform structured guidelines for environment-friendly scrapping and other policies or guidelines for plastic waste, battery waste, e-waste, steel scrap recycling and stronger inspection and certification mechanism, Shovik averred that this would help stimulate the setting up of an organised vehicle scrappage industry. Explaining that the scrap recycling value chain has three key elements -- collection and aggregation, dismantling and processing, and sales and consumption, Shovik expressed that various entities disposing vehicles would include bulk disposers like automotive manufacturers, public transport units, large fleet owners, small-medium disposers like taxi operators or small fleet owners and individual disposers like

individual vehicle owners. There would also be vehicles which are abandoned by the roadside, he added. Beyond this, informed Shovik, there could be other channels too. Channels like various auction routes, various automotive dealerships as well as auto workshops. Drawing attention to the Kearney report, Shovik Banerjee in his presentation pointed out that there are six major auto collection hubs in India with the Delhi NCR region having the biggest facility. This facility currently accounts for 35 per cent share of the total vehicles scrapped in the country, he added. In the case of dismantling and processing, Shovik stated that it is currently highly fragmented. Reshaping it into an organised trade

is a big opportunity that could be tapped, he added. Informing that most cities have vehicle dismantling hubs, Shovik averred that an organised trade would mean the following of scientific ways to de-pollute and dismantle. De-pollution, he said, involves removal of hazardous material like fluids and gases from the vehicle whereas dismantling involves removal of re-usable spares like seats, tyres, etc. The output of that essentially goes into refurbishment of vehicles or into remanufacturing, he quipped further. Explaining that sales and consumption constitutes the third key element, Shovik announced that what comes out of the scrappers and shredders would be lapped up by ferrous scrap

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Industry talk

buyers -- essentially steel manufacturers. In case of non-ferrous stuff, there would be auto parts recyclers, he quipped. On the subject of ELV challenges, Masaru Akaishi, Managing Director, Maruti Suzuki Toyotsu India (MSTI), said that their focus is on environment-friendly dismantling of vehicles. Informing that the company’s first plant at Noida is under construction and expected to go on stream next year, Akaishi averred, “The safety of workers is most important in the dismantling business.” “A safe working environment for workers is essential,” he added. Drawing attention to what the current ELV policies are, Mohan Ram, said that

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

there is a need for formal rules and regulations, standards, checklists, post shredder treatment. He pointed at the rate at which the production is increasing and its implication in terms of ELV as vehicles reach the age of 10 to 15 years. Overview of ELV recycling Of the opinion that focus is more on CVs in India for ELV, Captain N S Mohan Ram VSM, I.N (Retd.), averred that India has world-class production but sorely lacks in recycling infrastructure. He drew attention to the policies prepared by various agencies including CPCB, Delhi government, Steel Ministry and MoRTH. He also

stressed on standards like AIS129 defined for dismantling units, design for recycling and heavy metals by ARAI which are being engineered. Stating that there are major industries including the automobile and metal recycling industry setting up modern units, Mohan Ram said that the CPCB Guidelines provide a detailed study on informal industry, review of international practices, forecast of ELV numbers, stress extended producer responsibility, protect informal sector employment and hand holding the sector during change. Informing that the guidelines issued by the Delhi Government comply with the CPCB

Industry talk

guidelines and provide a license to operate from Delhi, Mohan Ram explained that a minimum non-residential area of 1000 sq. yards with CCTV cameras for surveillance and procedures to junk diesel vehicles over 10 years and petrol vehicles over 15 years is at the core of it. Pointing at the Steel Ministry’s scrappage policy, which focuses on ELVs steep scrap (referred to as heavy metals), Mohan Ram averred that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) guidelines focus on ELV recycling, including the provision to license a vehicle scrappage facility, to de-register and to carry out the necessary documentation process. Stating that AIS 129, covers not only ELVs but also deals with the design and building of new vehicles for recyclability in three parts -collection and dismantling of ELVs, heavy metal restriction and type of approval for Re-usability, Recyclability

and Recoverability (RRR), Mohan Ram mentioned that it follows the EC regulations and covers two-wheelers as well. “Such guidelines and policies ensure a viable recycling regime and provide a benchmark for compliance and checklists for inspections,” he added. Attracting attention to a topic of post shredder treatment, which is expensive yet essential, Mohan Ram said that it leaves Auto Shredder Residue (ASR)

20 per cent by weight and could be shared by 15 to 20 dismantling units. Announcing that shredding is viable after three-to-four years (by around 2026) and with just two more years before residue becomes an issue, Mohan Ram explained that there are a few crucial elements when it comes to the f ramewo rk for the deve l o pme nt of the e co syste m. G overnment gui dance and support o n busi ne ss vi ability are cruci al , he adde d.

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Event

ACMA 60th Annual Convention The 60th annual convention of ACMA focused on what the future had to offer for the auto components manufacturers.

n atmosphere of worry and some trepidation was apparent as the auto industry executives, government officials and ministers gathered at the 60th ACMA annual convention in Delhi recently. Coinciding with the rising Covid-positive people count, the event focused on what lay ahead for the auto components industry as it battled various disruptions, caused or amplified by the pandemic. With the ‘Shaping the new normal’ theme, the convention began by Deepak Jain, President, ACMA India and, Chairman and Managing Director, Lumax Industries, drawing attention to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative of the Indian Government. Announcing the launch of ACMA’s mobile application, he mentioned that the year has been a period of much resilience. Pointing at the disruptions, Jain called for the creation of a new paradigm in global quality, manufacturing excellence and sustained competitiveness to truly achieve self-reliance (Atmanirbharta). Highlighting the auto components industry’s ability to sustain as well as reinvent business strategies, Jain said that the Covid situation has once again underlined the need to work together.

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Deepti Thore and Deven Lad

Deepak Jain, President, ACMA India and, Chairman and Managing Director Lumax Industries.

Kenichi Ayukawa, President, SIAM India, and Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki.

Mentioned Kenichi Ayukawa, President, SIAM India, and Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki, that by working together, the industry would be able to maximise product development and achieve the desired success in terms of sales and localisation too. He stressed on quality and safety while explaining that localisation of components was important, and was the reduction in GST, the announcement of a scrappage policy and policies to help increase exports. On selfreliance, Ayukawa said that this would help attract investments in an atmosphere where businesses were relocating from China.

Director, Kotak Mahindra Group, pointed at the transition underway to electric and other fuel mediums. Highlighting the entire value chain of the automotive sector, he said that smooth working of the auto industry was necessary. Averred Pawan Munjal, Chairman, MD and CEO, Hero Motor Corporation, that it was necessary to achieve self-reliance in terms of engineering, innovation and R&D. Highlighting the need for logistics and infrastructure, Pawan Munjal averred that there was a need for a clear vision and policy towards investment in technology, quality upgradation and digitisation. He said that the government should play its part in facilitating regulatory approvals and in the improvement of logistics and infrastructure.

Moving with the times Stressing on the need to move with the times, Uday Kotak, Chairman and Managing

event This, he added, would go a long way in uplifting the competitiveness of Indian companies. Pointing at the recent pick-up in sales in the rural and semi-urban markets, Munjal said that this could be attributed to social distancing and limited availability of public transportation. “The preference for personal transportation has had an effect too,” he added. ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ Of the opinion that connecting, communicating and collaborating was crucial to build ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, Munjal said that to build next generation mobility solutions there is a need to ramp up the R&D, to create indigenous technology solutions and reduce import dependence. Explaining that the auto sector in India accounts for 7.1 per cent of India’s GDP and 39 per cent of the manufacturing sector, he averred that a strong representation of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision would help Indian companies to excel in the domestic as well as the export markets. Stating that the Indian auto industry imports 5.4 billion auto components like gearboxes, radiators, axles and steering wheels, of which one fourth the quantity is from China, Munjal remarked that to manufacture such parts locally should not be a problem when one considers the fact that 2.5 crore vehicles are sold every year in India. Drawing attention to the auto components industry’s dominance by small and medium enterprises that amount to roughly 70 per cent of the total industry

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, and MSMEs, Government of India.

volume, Kant called for the need to anticipate disruptions. Expressing that auto part prices will further reduce and the nature of work would change, Munjal said that transition to new technologies was inevitable. Underlining the opportunities in electric vehicle space, he drew attention to 5595 electric buses being sanctioned for 64 cities; the reduction in GST for such vehicles, and exemption from custom duties. Stressing on the need to develop parts for such vehicles locally, Munjal mentioned that the need was to focus on technology and resources and R&D. Referring to long term infrastructure spending, stable and long term regulations,

Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog.

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, and MSMEs, Government of India, informed that the scrappage policy would be soon announced. It would help revive demand, he said. To collaborate Stressing on the need to have good roads, Gadkari informed that his ministry was constructing roads worth over 30 kms per day. Informing that 22 Green Expressways were being built, of which seven have already been built, Gadkari called for road safety enhancing technologies. Of the opinion that alternate fuels would reduce crude oil import burden, Gadkari

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Event

Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry and Railways, Government of India.

spoke about the pilot project of electric highway with 12 km charging rail to enable charging for electric trucks and buses that are able to run for another 200 kilometers on a single charge. He touched on logistics, digitisation, localisation and the need to uplift MSMEs. Stating the need to foster a collaborative spirit and a commitment to grow and compete with the rest of the world, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry and Railways, Government of India, said that trade promotion, technology upgradation and quality enhancement is crucial for shaping up the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future. He pointed at threewheelers and tractors enjoying good traction. Of the opinion that quality improvement will lead to a rise in exports, Goyal said that collaborative approach was inevitable. Mentioned Dr Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, that the use of digital technology would enable productivity enhancement and cost savings. Drawing attention to Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s auto components imports exceeding exports, Dr Goenka called for a need to analyse

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Dr Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra.

why a certain part needs to be imported. Stating that the industry and government should work together to increase cost competitiveness, Dr Goenka said that technological innovations should be encouraged and emerging technologies or capacities should be identified. He stressed on the need to build a strong ecosystem in India, which the global market could count on for its needs. The promising world ahead While Shivanshu Gupta, Senior Partner, Mckinsey & Company, stressed on the need to optimise product design, Rajan Wadhera, Past President, SIAM and Senior Advisor, Mahindra & Mahindra, spoke about digitisation and strengthening of supply chains at the local level to do away with the dependence on imports. Soumitra Bhattacharya, President & MD, Bosch India, pointed out that the Covid situation has laid bare both opportunities and challenges. Of these, the opportunities should be tapped, he added, and challenges should be overcome. Nikunj Sanghi,

Soumitra Bhattacharya, President & MD, Bosch India.

Abhimanyu Munjal, Joint Managing Director & CEO, Hero Fincorp.

Rajan Wadhera, Past President, SIAM and Senior Advisor, Mahindra & Mahindra.

Nikunj Sanghi, Chairman, ASDC and MD, JS Fourwheel Motors.

Arvind Balaji, Past President, ACMA, and Joint MD, Lucas TVS.

Event

Shivanshu Gupta, Senior Partner, Mckinsey & Company.

The provision of efficient infrastructure as the need of the hour by the government would go a long way to achieve strong relentless growth.

Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland.

Chairman, ASDC and MD, JS Fourwheel Motors, underlined the industry resilience whereas Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland, highlighted the need to look at three key factors, namely public health, migrant labor and national security. “These factors have enhanced social consciousness and need to be factored in,” he added. Drawing attention to the change in demand for CVs, Sondhi said that their return to growth will reflect the state of the economy. Arvind Balaji, Past President, ACMA, and Joint MD, Lucas TVS, expressed that a shift from working in a controlled environment to adapting quickly to new ways of working was apparent. It had to be done without compromising quality, he added. Abhimanyu Munjal, Joint Managing Director & CEO, Hero Fincorp, said that

the bankers and the funders were becoming cautious due to the economic shift. Throughout the conventional as part of the panel discussions, the thoughts that were clearly highlighted by the auto components industry stakeholders and their clients, the OEMs essentially, were the need to revisit the Automotive Mission Plan(AMP). To increase competitiveness through a comprehensive local approach, to work together to ensure that regulations do not become an impediment in the way of growth and sustenance, to digitise, to enhance operational efficiency and agility, manage inventory smartly, and plan infrastructural changes more carefully. Given the large number of MSMEs that make up the Indian auto components, a thought that kept cropping up through various discussions during the convention was government support rather than the regulatory sword hanging over the head. A large section of the stakeholders were of the opinion that

one should not depend on the government, there were those who felt that the provision of efficient infrastructure as the need of the hour by the government would go a long way to achieve strong relentless growth and an ability to sustain. Stressing on the need to lower GST, an industry leader, on the condition of not revealing his name, said on the sidelines of the convention, that collaboration between the government and industry, involving academia, was extremely important. This, he said, would also help tide over unprecedented challenges and drive innovation. Underlining the sweeping technological change the auto industry is witnessing, and which could only further accelerate post Covid situation diffusing, the industry leader said that the right skill sets were necessary, investment in the right technological direction was necessary, along with the smart use of the country’s young aspiring population.

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

international

Nikola refuse truck Nikola has developed a battery-electric refuse collection truck for Republic Services. Deven Lad

image courtesy : Nikola motors.

here is no doubt that electrification in CVs --trucks, buses, vans, etc., would happen in those that do urban duties first and foremost. Others will follow at a distance. As CV makers work towards realising this, many new entrants are trying their hand at building CVs using electrical and electronics sans any legacy. One such company is Nikola. It has been trying its hand at building electric and hydrogen powered CVs for a little while now -- a year or two perhaps, and has come to develop a refuse collection electric truck for Arizona-based Republic

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Services. Scheduled to go into service with Republic by 2023, the refuse collection e-truck is a zero-emission machine and designed to be built in good quantities. To provide as many as 5,000 trucks to Republic, the refuse collection e-truck employs Nikola’s Tre electric drivetrain. With no less than 2500 e-refuse collection trucks to be delivered by 2023, the vehicle prototypes are being tested at present and paint a promising image of how a typical truck of this type would be in the future. Sharing the powertrain, chassis and electronic axle with

the battery-electric semitruck Nikola Tre, the e-refuse collection truck, according to Trevor Milton, Founder and Executive Chairman, Nikola, is working to ship prototypes for on-road testing to Republic by 2021 end.“We are specialised in heavy-duty, zero-emission Class 8 trucks and the refuse market is one of the most stable markets which provides long-term shareholder value”, he added Fully-built To be built in a factory under construction in Coolidge, Arizona, US, the e-refuse collection truck will be offered

International with a cab and body. Unlike the current trend where the superstructure is built by firms specialising in the same and independent of the OEMs, the Nikola e-refuse collection truck will be ‘factory-ready’ to resume duty with Republic. Inline with the forecast that such e-vehicles would accelerate earlier than anticipated in terms of acceptance, Nikola is confident that they would be successful in pushing their electric CVs in markets like Arizona and California earlier than they can convince the rest of the states in the US to adopt them and enjoy their lower operating costs. The two states, Arizona and California, are said to be one of front runners in terms of demand for electric-powered vehicles. Made available in a ‘ready to resume duty’ form, the e-refuse collection truck, according to Mark Russell, CEO, Nikola, will set a

Nikola Truck Cabin interior.

precedent. “The Refuse truck customers prefer chassis from truck OEMs and bodies from other suppliers but Nikola is providing fully integrated chassis and body with a single factory warranty,” he averred. Provided directly to Republic Services from the Nikola factory, the price of the e-truck is claimed to be USD 500,000. Due to batteries inside it, the e-truck will weigh more than a normal garbage truck. Laced with regenerative braking technology and air disc brakes,

which act hundreds of times faster than advanced aironly disc brakes, the e-refuse collection truck is a carry up to 720kWh of energy storage. It will offer a range of up to 150 miles (241 kms), picking up garbage of up to 1,200 cans on a single charge with quieter and emission-free operation. Lower operational costs To help facilitate reduction in operational costs to a good extent, the e-refuse collection

Nikola Tre Electric truck.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // December 2020

international truck is claimed to be a clever piece of engineering by Russell. He said that his company could take the cost down for both programs by using the same parts. With Republic Services having participated in the design process of the truck, the vehicle would be offered with both automated side loaders and front-end loaders. The powertrain software will be limited to 1,000 hp. Set to give e-refuse collection trucks a new image through this new platform, Nikola, working with Republic, is confident of carving out a niche for itself in the respective market segment. The e-CV maker is betting big on the ability of its e-truck platform to outperform existing diesel and gas trucks by providing nearly threetimes the horsepower. The higher horsepower developed by the e-refuse collection truck would aid it to tackle hilly terrains as well as other diverse terrains with consummate ease and without consuming higher fossil fuel as an equivalent diesel truck would, and with no tailpipe emissions to be worried about. Another advantage that the e-refuse collection truck from Nikola would possess is the ability to carry more or do full loads without any worry

Commercial Vehicle December 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in

about performance. According to Milton, the prototypes are showing good promise. Once production begins, the e-truck would be subjected to further, more rigorous tests. These would include tests for lifecycle in different climates. Mentioned Milton that very soon they would be displaying their first pickup truck named the Nikola Badger. This truck is currently available for preorder and will be provided in two variants, one with the battery and a range of up to 300 miles (482 km), and the second with a fuel cell system and a range of up to 600 miles (965 km).

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flashback

Hitchhiking on an Isuzu

ried and tested works and so it continues to rain sequels in Bollywood. The sequel to the 2016 - ‘Happy Bhag Jayegi’ did not take long to come on to the scene either. ‘Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi’ hit the theatres in August 2018. In an attempt to build a franchise, the production house ‘Colour Yellow Productions Pvt. Ltd.’ continued in the same vein as their prequel. The romcom drove the narration forward with a new protagonist, tough girl, Sonakshi Sinha. Sinha teamed up with the original lead Diana Penty aka Happy as her namesake, horticulture professor. Coincidentally, Sinha is also tracing the whereabouts of her missing boyfriend, Aman, played by actor Aparshakti Khurana. The sequel puts the spotlight on Sinha, who inherits Penty’s penchant for trouble and an uncanny resemblance of Happy in the prequel. A victim of mistaken identity, she is kidnapped and held hostage by goons gunning for Penty on landing from Ludhiana. Penty, on the other hand, ends up as the university professor Sinha was due to visit in a comedy of errors. It doesn’t take long for

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Sinha to force a whistle out of the masses when in an escape act full of daredevilry, she puts to good use her pre-shoot familiarisation with CVs including a rehearsal on an old manual Ford truck for the climax chase. Sinha hitchhikes on an NYK Logistics & Megacarrier container fitted on a flatbed trailer, coupled to the Thai Isuzu Deca GXZ CNG 354 Prime mover. Hung by the container body with the help of a rope safety harness, the two together set the pulse of the audiences racing. The GVW 25-tonne, 6x4 prime mover, GXZ is known to be powered by a six-cylinder, Isuzu Super CNG-MPI 6 UV1TCN 354hp engine complying to the Euro-3 standards. The fuel injection system of the engine draws the gas from tanks with a cumulative, 1200-litre capacity. The engine develops a rated peak power of 355hp (360PS) at around 2000 rpm and a torque of 1420Nm at around 1400 rpm. It is mated to a manual, nine-speed (8+1 incl. crawler) ZF-1310 TO, ‘Ecomid’ series with overdrive. Shot in Malaysia to resemble Shanghai, the prime mover in the movie seems to have inspired 2014 launched,

heavy-duty Isuzu GIGA series believed to have helped Isuzu in laying the foundation as a full-range player in the Southeast Asian country. Launched in two variants (GVW 18-tonne, 4x2 configuration and GVW 23-tonne, 6x4 configuration) this series deploys Isuzu’s 700P platform offering next-gen cutting-edge aerodynamics, ergonomics and safety standards. Isuzu ‘Super Truck’ in Thailand dates back to 2008 when production of the series first began. Isuzu since then has followed up with the launch of the Isuzu ‘King of Trucks’ in 2017 also the year when Isuzu celebrated the 60th Anniversary of its presence in the country. Isuzu marked the special occasion with the launch of the facelift Isuzu D-Max pickup trucks then. The year 2020 marked the 50th lakh Isuzu vehicle production milestone in the country where the Thailand subsidiary, Isuzu Motors Company (Thailand) Ltd. was founded more than five decades ago, in 1966. A decade after it began importing diesel trucks into Thailand for distribution by Mitsubishi Company (Thailand) Ltd.

RNI No. MAHENG/2006/20842

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COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDIA DECEMBER 2020

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ACMA 60th Annual Convention

Hitchhiking on an Isuzu

Nikola Refuse Truck

Managing ELVs