COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDIA JULY 2021 by Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd

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Volume 15 Issue 10 • July 2021

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Exciting new Mahindra vehicles

Commercial EVs

Agility and innovation n Men in discipline n Revised FAME II subsidy n Stronger Bharat Forge /commercialvehicle

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STRAIGHT DRIVE

“With stress on agility and innovation, the road ahead looks interesting as well as risky”.

he near continuous rise in fuel prices since mid-last year, the rapid rise in inflation, the tweaking of FAME II scheme to benefit electric two- and three-wheelers the most, and the anticipation of third Covid-19 wave hitting in the next six-to-eight weeks, are reflections of a fluid situation that is out to once again test the strength of transporters and CV OEMs. As a loosely structured force, transporters have been drawing attention of the government to their difficulties since last year with little success. The bus operators have not seen their situation improve even in this fiscal. Attention is on the festive season and a good monsoon. The two could uplift the economy by putting more money in the hands of rural population. With stress on agility and innovation, the road ahead looks interesting as well as risky. It also seems to border on uncertainty and could lack trust as well as sentiment. Bhushan Mhapralkar b.mhapralkar@nextgenpublishing.net

t e d o c R Q s i h t n Sca rted get sta Step 1 : Open the Camera app or a QR Code scanning app Step 2 : Hold your device steady for 2-3 seconds pointing towards the adjoining QR Code Step 3 : A notification with a url will appear Step 4 : Click to visit the content as shown on the right hand side.

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what's inside Cover story 20

Commercial EVs Commercial EVs are set to get a shot in the arm with the tweaked FAME II.

05 Straight Drive Bhushan Mhapralkar

n n n

08 Letters

10 CV News n Automakers vaccinate employees n Toru Saito appointed President & CEO Mitsubishi Mahindra n DICV sustainable initiatives; dealer relief efforts n Positive May 2021 n h2e Power to develop India’s first Hydrogen 3-Wheeler n BluSmart completes 16 million kms n Soorya 8-seat e-taxi n Suppliers experience recovery in Q4 FY21

n n n n n

Blue Dart paperless initiative ‘Greener’ roads Force Traveller and Trax ambulances Eicher Skyline Ambulance Logistics world Tata ‘16 saal bemisaal’ campaign Volvo flexible benefit plans Goodyear Sightline Tata Winger ambulances for Gujarat

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 July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

R YOUICE VO

July 2021 n

Apollo Tyres’ new corporate identity Bosch fuel-cell components to Daimler and Volvo n PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell n Flex-fuel use n PMPML looks at sustainable transport solutions n

44 Exciting new Mahindra vehicles As part of its rise philosophy, Mahindra & Mahindra is developing new, exciting CVs. 48 Stronger Bharat Forge Bharat Forge is confident of strong growth as it taps new avenues after some effect of the pandemic.

Agility and innovation

As the CV industry is in for yet another eventful year (FY2021-22), agility and innovation hold the key.

Men in discipline

Ex-army vehicle drivers are bringing discipline to the Indian transportation scene.

Revised FAME II subsidy 50 Rheinmetall HX3 The Rheinmetall HX3 self-propelled cannon howitzer is made interesting because of its German engineering attributes. 54 Iveco T-Way Iveco has launched its T-Way off-road truck range with a host of technological features to increase productivity and efficiency.

The Government has tweaked the FAME II scheme to encourage faster proliferation of electric vehicles.

SIAM Lecture on EVs

SIAM hosted a virtual lecture on ‘Electric Vehicles in India: On-Road Safety, Operations & Maintenance’ in May 2021.

To Subscribe turn to page

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

Letters Commercial Vehicle Magazine

608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, India. Tel +91 9321546598 Email us at cv@nextgenpublishing.net

CV trends

he cover story on CV trends in the June 2021 issue made for an informative read. Its focus on data acquisition and analysis by the CV industry stakeholders helped to get a rare insight into how digital technologies are aiding safer, reliable and efficient CVs. Coming at a time when the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic has hit the country, the article highlighted an interesting use of artificial intelligence and IoT by using data and syphoning it to get a rare understanding as well as an ability to predict what would happen when or how machines could be made to work better and support better earning ability. It may sound a bit like the gain of function experiments that are in the limelight with Covid-19 unleashing a wave of damage across the world, data is turning out to the ‘new’ neutron no doubt. It is turning out to be the particle that carries with it an immense ability to change the entire system of operation, or the ability to work. In its raw form, it may not be that useful, but once dissected and analysed, it is a gold mine of information that can be used to build a successful enterprise. Ramesh Kamat, Goa

Rising fuel prices

he article on rising fuel prices and how it is affecting transporters provided an insight into how there is more to it than just the rising international crude prices. Reflecting on the number of challenges faced by transporters and their fast depleting ability to sustain and stay in business, the rising fuel prices are reflective of a complex mechanism at work, which is clearly not transparent. Neither in the way the fuels are taxed, and neither in the way the taxes collected are used for what they should be. At a time when inflation and unemployment are fast rising, the near continuous rise in fuel prices is uncomforting. What is most uncomforting is the inability of the powers be to bring under the realm of GST and tax it at 28 per cent. Rohan Gokhale, Nagpur

Editor Bhushan Mhapralkar Test Editor Aspi Bhathena Web Editor Ashish Bhatia Correspondent Deepti Thore Head-Design & Production Ravi Parmar Asst. Art Director Ajit Manjrekar Designer Prathmesh Vichare Image Desk Dipak Gaykar Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Publisher Marzban Jasoomani Associate Publisher & Ellora Dasgupta General Manager (North & East) Mentor & Special Advisor Hoshang S. Billimoria General Manager Girish Shet South Deputy General Manager

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North Regional Marketing Manager Salma Jabbar (Chennai) Marketing Manager

Minocher Parakh (Mumbai)

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Pen down your views and queries to Commercial Vehicle, Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd, 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, INDIA. or Login to: www.commercialvehicle.in or Email us on: cv@nextgenpublishing.net

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News

Automakers vaccinate employees

elling 8876 tractors in May 2021, Sonalika Tractors has announced vaccination of 100 per cent of its workforce. Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd has completed the vaccination for its corporate office employees and their family members above 18 years. It has vaccinated complete work force and their family members aged over 45 years at its Baramati (Pune) plant, including contract

and temporary staff. Toyota Kirloskar Motors has also announced the conduction of a vaccination drive for its 16000 employees in June 2021. Shriram Automall India has announced that all expenses incurred by its employees for Covid-19 testing and vaccinations will be borne by it. In the case of an employee succumbing to Covid-19, the company will provide 100 per

cent basic salary to the family for a year, sponsor education of two children till the 12thstandard through the company’s scholarship programme and give medical coverage to the spouse and two children for two years. Setting up a vaccination center at its Oragadam facility, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles has announced the inoculation of almost all its employees aged 45 and over.

Toru Saito appointed President & CEO Mitsubishi Mahindra

itsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery (MAM) has announced the appointment of Toru Saito as President & CEO. With over 33 years of experience at Nissan and Audi, Saito San will

take MAM, a strategic investment initiative in Japan involving Mahindra and including a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for establishing Mahindra as a global player in the area of Tractor and Farm

Implements, to greater heights. Bringing with him global crossfunctional experience, he will help to ensure sustainable and profitable growth for Mahindra’s tractor business.

DICV sustainable initiatives; dealer relief efforts

aimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has announced that it has been successful in achieving sustainable initiatives under the vision of ‘Reduce, Recycle and Reuse’ in the span of just four years. It has achieved a recycling ratio improvement of up to 99 per cent. It has come to use 80 per cent renewable energy at its Oragadam manuacturing facility. It is striving to reduce water consumption by 20 per cent. The CV maker has employed

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

a robust set of innovative and impactful sustainable initiatives to address every aspect of its operational interaction and use of resources. These include a focus on maintaining the ground water level, re-using hazardous waste as an alternative fuel, reducing absolute energy consumption and a focus on the use environmentally friendly materials in the vehicles its makes. In other news, DICV has announced a slew of extra initiatives to help dealer partners and staff to tackle pandemic-

induced challenges. These include financial and medical benefits (vaccination, insurance, incentives) for the dealership workforce and assistance measures for dealerships’ business sustainability (like Rupees two-lakh Covid Group insurance, 20 days credit for instock vehicles, fast-tracking of pending claims, complete salary support, and an aid to frontline employees with Rupees-one lakh COVID medical insurance, free vaccinations, and gift coupons for technicians) among others.

news

Positive May 2021

shok Leyland sold 2738 vehicles in May 2021, up 114 per cent, as compared to the sale of 1277 vehicles in May 2020. It exported 1953 units in May 2021, up 100 per cent, as compared to the export of 266 units in May 2021. Claiming to gain market share across segments, VE Commercial Vehicles reported sales of 1223 units in May 2021, up 78.3 per cent, as compared to the sales of 686 units

h2e Power to develop India’s first Hydrogen 3-Wheeler P

une-based h2e Power Systems – a part of the Poonawalla Group, has announced the development of India’s first totally integrated hydrogen fuel cell three-wheeler using PEM fuel cell and innovative hydrogen cylinders in collaboration with a Canadian company ‘Hydrogen in Motion’. Funded by GITA (A Public Private partnership between Technology Development Board, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India and CII), the company has collaborated with ‘Hydrogen in Motion’ under a IndoCanadian programme. It has developed the hydrogen three-wheeler with an aim to facilitate zero-emission inter-city public and goods transport. Employing a low-cost and low pressure (50 bar) hydrogen cylinder, the three-wheeler is currently being fed with ‘Green Hydrogen’ the company sources from its own electrolysers.

in May 2020. In May 2021, Eicher Trucks and Buses clocked a sale of 1175 units in May 2021, up 77.8 per cent, as compared to the sale of 661 units in May 2020. Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses recorded sales of 48 units in May 2021, up 92 per cent, as compared to the sale of 25 units in May 2020. Mahindra & Mahindra reported a sale of 7508 CVs in May 2021 as compared to the sale of 5209 CVs in May 2020. Tata Motors

reported the sale of 11,401 CVs in May 2021 as compared to the sale of 1,488 CVs in May 2020. The May 2021 CV sales were pegged against a low base of May 2020, mentioned an industry expert. Of the opinion that the Q4 FY2020-21 brought good growth to the CV industry, he stated that it will need to be seen what the FY2021-22 will have to offer in view of the strong Covid-19 second wave.

BluSmart completes 16 million kms E

lectric vehicle ride hailing platform BluSmart has announced the completion of over 16 million kilometres of zero emission trips in DelhiNCR. It has claimed to contribute CO2 reduction of up to 68 gm per km and a subsequent CO2 saving of over 1000 tonnes since the time it was established on June 04, 2019. Offering rides, rental and airport service by electric cabs, the company has been providing those keen to hail a ride a cab service through an app. Providing customers with no surge rides which are clean, safe and sanitized, BlueSmart is about reliable, affordable and sustainable mobility. In other news, BlueSmart has announced the induction of first batch of women drivers in its electric cab fleet as part of its strategic plan to increase the number of women driver partners to 500 in one year’s time. To operate on the airport route, the women drivers will run a 8 hourly lease during the day time.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

News

Soorya 8-seat e-taxi

ingapore-based Soorya EV has announced that it has developed an eightseater electric taxi for the last mile ridesharing segment in emerging markets of the Indian subcontinent, ASEAN region, Africa and South America. The vehicle, developed with an intention to further strengthen the last mile ride sharing segment, has a modular architecture. Unlike vehicles found in the fleet or taxi segment, this vehicle, according to the company, is about technology and affordability. A zero-emission pure electric vehicle with a price tag of under Rs.10 lakh, the eight-seat e-taxi will run on either fixed or swappable batteries. It will be backed by an investment of USD-five million and more, including the setting up of a microfactory. Expected to find a place with ride hailing operators, shuttle service providers and independent owners who would largely attach themselves with aggregators like Ola and Uber, the eight-seat e-taxi is engineered such that it could be built at multiple locations at the same time. Claiming to have enquiries for 7000 units, the company has set a target to produce 10,000 units initially. The aim is to globally make 100,000 units per annum.

Suppliers experience recovery in Q4 FY21

eporting a a 26.2 per cent growth in sales in the last quarter of FY202021 on back of 43 per cent growth in exports, Bharat Forge witnessed a sharp recovery in its end markets. Successfully bidding for Vadodara-based Sanghvi Forgings and securing a Government order for development and supply of components and products by the end of September 2021, the leading automotive supplier reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 212.12 crore in Q4 FY202021. It posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 68.59 crore in the same quarter of last fiscal. Its consolidated revenue from operations during the period

under review stood at Rs.2,082.85 crore as against Rs.1,741.92 crore in the year ago quarter. On back of improved profitability and realization of engineering revenues, Sumi Motherson has announced a robust performance in Q4 FY2020-21. Reporting a 19 per cent increse in revenue in Q4 FY202021 at Rs.17,844 crore, the automotive supplier, completing two successful acquisitions – 75 per cent in Plast Met (Turkey) and assets of Bombardier rolling stocks in Mexico, the company maintained good profitability despite challenges like chip shortage and plant closures.

Blue Dart paperless initiative B

lue Dart has announced paperless transactions on their new digital portal for all its vendor partners under its new sustainability roadmap. Making significant investments in developing future-ready technology that can protect the environment, and at the same time deliver excellence in a sustainable way, the leading logistics provider is pursuing a strategic goal of ecosystem restoration through collaborative efforts, efficient risk mitigation strategies and sustainable use of resources.

‘Greener’ roads

nion minister for Road Transport, Nitin Gadkari, announced recently that his government is emphasising on ways to cut down the use of steel and cement in the construction of roads and bridges. Stating that massive investment in the highway sector is being done, the minister said that he is keen to see good plantation works along the national highways. Revealing that the government is constructing 22 green highways, the minister, addressing a virtual event organised by IIT Tirupati recently expressed that not a single highway road is perfect as far as green plantation is concerned. He urged NHAI officials to engage experts for plantation of trees along the national highways in a bid to promote green highways policy. This is needed for the ecology and environment of the country,” he expressed. Launching the green highways (plantation, transplantation, beautification & maintenance) policy in 2015, Gadkari has been a strong proponent of the greening of highway corridors with participation of the community, farmers, private sector, NGOs, and government institutions. At the policy announcement he announced that one-per cent of the total project cost of all highways projects will be kept aside for the highway plantation and its maintenance. He added that about Rs.1000 crore per year will be made available for plantation purposes, which will generate employment opportunities for about five lakh people from rural areas.

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

News

Force Traveller and Trax ambulances T

he Maharashtra Governman has deployed a fleet of 500 Force Traveller an Trax ambulances to improve its ability to respond to Covid-19 pandemic health challenges. To be stationed at primary health centres across the state, the ambulances were found to be suitable for use due to their all-terrain capability and high ground clearance. Assuring best-in-class power and torque which will enable the ambulances to transport critical patients to the hospitals within the golden hour, the ambulances are backed by a network of fully equipped authorized service centres of Force Motors across the state, complete with company trained technicians and ample stock of reasonably priced genuine spare parts.

Eicher Skyline Ambulance V

E Commercial Vehicles Limited (ECV) has introduced Eicher Skyline Ambulance with enhanced patient and driver safety, and comfort. Backed by warranty of up to three years, the vehicle - fully customizable (covers AIS Standard B, C & D), and available in Patient Transport (Type-B), Basic life support (Type-C) and Advance life support (Type-D) variants, is

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

ergonomically designed. Equipped as per the National Ambulance Code AIS 125, it is capable of being used as a Mobile Medical Unit (MMU). Complying with statutory norms, it is powered by a 100 hp Eicher E366 BS-VI diesel engine. Having a robust chassis and parabolic suspension, the Skyline

ambulance has a compact turning circle diameter to aid manoeuvrability in-town and on inter-city roads, Engineered for good fuel-efficiency (has Mbooster tech with drive modes and real-time fuel coaching), ease of operations and superior uptime (is supported by Eicher Uptime Centre), it is equipped with auto loading stretchers, has 270 degree opening rear doors, has exterior provision for oxygen cylinder and mountings, and medical cabinet among other bits. Claimed to be the only product in its segment to offer tiltable ECER-29-02 crash test certified cabin, the vehicle has a patient compartment with sufficient room for easy movement, a doctor’s seat with seat belt and a squad bench. It is available with AC or without it. There is a provision to install equipment for intensive or advanced monitoring and treatment.

News

Logistics world A

I-powered logistics platform, Shyplite, has raised USD-one million from N+1 capital to expand into new segments like fulfilment centres and hyperlocal deliveries. Keen to become an end-to-end logistics player, it has committed nine fulfilment centres across India in cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Bringing last-mile logistics players like Dunzo, Wefast and Shadowfax and others to its platform to faciltate last-mile and same-day delivery service, it claims to have

over 90,000 sellers. Om Logistics has associate with Democracy India Foundation to deliver 5000 oxygen concentrators to hospitals across India to help address onground issues related to the supply of oxygen under the Mission Oxygen initiative. Technology enabled end-to-end logistics solutions provider, Ecom Express, has announced announced an Ecom Cares programme to provide financial and non-financial assistance schemes for its employees and their

families to help them tide over the Covid-19 crisis. The schemes include financial assistance, compassionate employment and education for children. Cold-chain marketplace startup, Celcius, has announced receiving qn undisclosed amount of seed funding in a round led by Mumbai-based Eaglewings Ventures Alliance Network (EVAN), MaGEHold, Keiretsu Forum and other investors. It will be utilised to further scale up the partner base, enhance the tech platform and expand geographically.

Tata ‘16 saal bemisaal’ campaign C

ommemorating 16 years of the Tata Ace SCV, Tata Motors has launched a campaign ‘16 saal bemisaal’. Organising roadshows with Ace mini-trucks travelling across 10 states, distributing medical facemasks, and showcasing the benefits and rewards of starting a small-scale logistics business, the campaign will see the Ace vehicles cover a distance of around fourlakh km. They will offer test drives to those interested, highlighting comfort and drivability. Paving the way for three-wheel CV operators to graduate to a better, more stable and higher

payload vehicle in 2005, the Tata Ace has maintained a leading position (with over 60 per cent market share) despite the advent

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

of competition. It has sprang new variants to keep up with customer requirements and regulations. Claimed to provide a means

of livelihood and entrepreneurship to over 2.3 million people, the vehicle, addressing the country’s evolving cargo transportation

needs, is available in diesel, petrol and CNG. It is available in different variants to cater to different logistics segment needs.

news

Volvo flexible benefit plans V

olvo Group India has introduced Volvo Flex, a flexible benefits plan, to provide comprehensive benefit choices that meet the needs and lifestyle of their diverse, multi-generational workforce. The plan offers a wide range of insurance and non-insurance benefits centered around health and well-being to its 2500 employees. It has been designed after putting in comprehensive thoughts; after factoring in employee inputs and available market offerings.

Offering certain core benefits, along with additional ‘Flex Points’ to tailor the rest of the plan, to suit individual requirements, Volvo Flex is aimed at the creation of an evironment where everyone is able to perform with complete dedication.

Goodyear Sightline G

oodyear has introduced ‘Sightline’ intelligence solution for cargo van fleets to enable them to have seamless, safe and reliable mobility. Available to Goodyear’s original equipment customers, the solution, aimed at cargo vans catering to service, construction and last-mile delivery

industries, will be initially available in North America and Europe. Using sensors with cloud-based algorithms to communicate with fleet operators in real-time, the solution, using Goodyear’s proprietary predictive maintenance technologies, will help to address challenges facing drivers and fleet

managers, including predicting breakdowns, minimizing downtime and monitoring tyre pressure and wear for enhanced safety and more cost-efficient mobility. The solution will provide feedback on the tyre; one the road condition, and enable connected and autonomous mobility.

Tata Winger ambulances for Gujarat T

ata Motors has supplied 25 Tata Winger ambulances to the State of Gujarat as the first part of the 115 such vehicle order it has received. Supplied to the Health Department of the respective state, the ambulances are equipped with basic life support. Deployed in cities across the state, the ambulances are designed for patient transport as per AIS 125 Part 1. Supplied after winning an order under the Government e-Marketplace, the ambulances have driver partition for addressing the needs of Covid-19

patients too. A monocoque design with front-wheel drive, the ambulances employ independent suspension for a better ride quality. They are powered by a 73.5 kW,

2.2-litre BSVI diesel engine mated to a five-speed transmission. As per the contract, Tata Motors will supply the remaining 90 ambulance shells in a phase-wise manner. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

News

Apollo Tyres’ new corporate identity A

pollo Tyres has unveiled a new corporate identity and vision – ‘Driving Progress, Together’. It is designed to set the strategic growth path for the next five years and highlights Apollo Tyres and Vredestein Tyres product

brands. Commiting to bring together a global community and foster a diverse and inclusive culture, the new corporate identity, created by London-based design-led creative company Jones Knowles Ritchie, highlights Apollo Tyres’ stress

on innovation and the society’s well-being. It also highlights the company’s emphasis on connecting people globally to tyres, tools, and in supporting their needs to reach their potential. Pointing at embracing change, the new corporate identity,

that will not take away the current Apollo logo or the Vredestein Tyres brand unveiled last year, will drive the company’s next five years strategic growth path in the form of digitalisation, technology and innovation, people, brand and sustainability.

Bosch fuel-cell components to Daimler and Volvo B

osch has signed an agreement with cellcentric, a 50:50 joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, to supply electric air compressors with integrated power electronics. The component will be part of the cellcentric fuel-cell system that will feature in heavy trucks and stationary applications in the future. While largescale production is set to begin in a few years time, the development is highlighting Bosch’s efforts to contribute to climate neutral fuel-cell powered commercial vehicles. Putting in place 15 crossdivisional teams working to commercialize the electric air compressor, the tier autootive supplier is offering them in two power classes – 20 and 30

kW. The 30 kW product is rated for 450 to 850 volts and the other is rated for either 250–450 volts or 450–850 volts. Reaching a speed of more than 100,000 rpm, the electric

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

air compressors are designed and developed for easy system integration at competitive manufacturing costs. Of the firm belief that high-tech products like

electric air compressors will secure jobs, Bosch is working on mobile and stationary fuel cells. It is confident that hydrogen has a bright future as an energy carrier.

news

PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell

nnouncing Production Linked Incentive (PLI) for manufacturing advanced chemistry cell batteries to those firms that have been allocated the production capacity under the national programme on ACC battery storage through a transparent mechanism, the Department of Heavy Industry is said to be taking the right steps in the right direction. Encouraging existing battery manufacturers like Amara Raja to tweak their policy by setting up a tech centre at Tirupati and announce that it will make lithium-ion batteries, the PLI scheme, though outlining some stringent criteria, including the commitment to set up a minimum of five GWh (Gigawatt hours) of ACCs manufacturing facility, was appreciated at an ‘Electric Vehicle’ conference

PMPML looks at sustainable transport solutions

organised by Emkay Global Financial Services in May 2021. It witnessed the participation of eminent speakers and stakeholders from the entire EV value chain. One of the key takeaway at the conference was the penetration of EVs on the back of stringent emission norms, incentive schemes, well-defined long-term policies, standardization of charging infrastructure and a structured approach to reduce dependency on imports. With more and more states taking to formulate an EV policy (Haryana has just announced that it will formulate an EV policy), the adoption of EVs in newer segments, albeit at the urban level, is expected to go up. Supporting it will be rising local manufacture of key components and modules.

Flex-fuel use A

ddressing a Rotary District Conference 2020-21 recently, union transport minister Nitin Gadkari expressed that a decision over flex-fuel ato ten days. The Government, claimed a source, is considering making flex-fuel engines mandatory for the automobile industry. The move is expected to help farmers and boost the Indian economy. Made attractive by price, which is Rs.60-

62 per litre for alternative ethanol fuel, flex-fuel engines that use flex-fuel could save Rs.30 to Rs35 per litre for motorists. Pointing at flex-fuel engine production in Brazil, Canada and the US in a way where customers could use 100 per cent petrol or 100 per cent bio-ethanol, the minister said that ethanol is a better fuel than petrol, and it is import substitute, cost effective, pollution-free and indigenous.

Spark Minda signs JV with INFAC Elecs

park Minda Group company, Minda Corporation Limited, has signed a Joint Venture (JV) agreement with Korea-based INFAC Elecs Co. Ltd. to mnufacture modern automotive antennas used to power features like remote keyless entry and V2V & V2X communication. To offer multiple antenna products such as rod antenna, micro pole antenna, shark fin antenna, LF antenna, and more, the JV will set up a facility at Pune.

lanning to convert 233 of its diesel-run mid-sized buses to CNG, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) is looking at sustainable transport solutions in the face of high and continuously rising fuel prices. Operating 233 diesel midi-buses, 327 standard diesel buses, 815 CNG buses and another 806 buses through contractors, the organisation is claimed to have chalked out a plan to convert existing diesel buses to CNG with an ROI of one year. It is claimed to have started talks pertaining to this with Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL) and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). PMPML, claim sources, is also in the process of procuring 450 new midi electric buses by the end of this year. Of these, some 300 e-buses will be used for the feeder system of the upcoming Pune Metro project, inform sources. On the back of modified FAME II scheme, the organisation is taking the opportunity to procure more number of e-buses. It already has a fleet of 150 such buses. Orders to procure 150 more under the FAME-I scheme, and another 350 through municipal corporations is already in progress.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

All images for representative purpose only.

C over Story

Commercial EVs

Commercial EVs are set to get a shot in the arm with the tweaked FAME II.

he In view of the commitment to the Paris pledge to reduce carbon footprint by 33 to 35 per cent from its 2005 levels by 2030, commercial EVs are set to get a shot in the arm by the revised FAME II notification. With stress on proliferation of EVs in shared mobility space (read EVs for commercial use) to curb pollution in cities unlike advanced markets where the pull is towards four-

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Bhushan Mhapralkar wheel EVs, the tweaked FAME II scheme is set to benefit electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers the most. In these segments – electric twowheelers especially, it is the vehicles used for commercial activities that are going to experience higher traction. Expressed an industry expert that there is an acute business angle to it in view of the purchasing power of the audience. As of current, electric vehicles, small and

big, are considerably costlier than conventional ones even if the gap is narrowing, and the business for which they will be used is likely to charge higher freight or fare, he added. As efforts to reduce pollution in urban centres like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore continue, the revised FAME II scheme is set to encourage a electric growth story that could be much different from that of the other countries. A clue of that is had with the

Cover Story

proliferation of electric threewheelers in Delhi NCR as a last mile transportation medium. There’s not much of electric four-wheel taxis or even electric buses. Of the estimated 1.5 million battery-powered threewheelers in India in 2018, an estimated 70 to 80 per cent

of them are in the Delhi NCR region. Given Delhi’s chronic air pollution problems, they are a logical extension of the pedal powered threewheelers born out of bicycles. As shared mobility mediums in last mile transportation segment, the electric threewheelers are yet a North Indian phenomenon. Though found in some South Indian cities, their proliferation has not bee as fast as in North Indian urban centres. With 11,000 new electric threewheelers estimated to hit the streets every month, the electric story of India is beginning to look unique. It is beginning to look far different from that Europe, US or China. If the pace of proliferation of electric vehicles will improve

under the tweaked FAME II scheme, the participation of corporates and e-commerce players like Amazon and Flipkart is encouraging. Also, the announcement by Tesla that it is entering the Indian market and will locally make vehicles. Global players like BYD are already present in India. The home grown CV players have also invested extensively to build a prowess in electrical and other alternate fuel technology mediums. As the government pushes for electrification of shared mobility mediums to reduce pollution, it is clear that EVs – commercial EVs especially, will be the inflection point for a slew of alternate technologies like LNG, hydrogen fuel-cell among others.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

C over Story Tweaked FAME II Rolled out in 2019 with a total outlay of Rs 10,000 crore rupees for three years, the FAME II scheme has been tweaked to eliminate the stringent riders that have limited its scope. Considering the unique way in which the Indian EV market is evolving, the tweaked FAME II scheme is also an indication that an out-of-the-box thinking is the need of the hour. The country’s electrification story highlighting some very unique socio-economic trends with the stop light on two- and three-wheelers, a technology agnostic approach could be the next best solution to solving the pollution challenge in urban region, mentioned a source. A part of the Indian electric vehicle industry and engaged in the development of motors, he said that the tweaking of FAME II scheme to benefit electric two- and three-wheelers was the need of the time. The scheme has introduced a demand incentive of Rs.15,000 per KWh for electric twowheelers with an upper

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

ceiling at 40 per cent of the vehicle cost, which translates into nearly doubling of the current subsidy. With an eye of electric two-wheelers especially (India sold 21 million units in 2019), the modified scheme hints at easing strict criteria and several challenges that were difficult to adapt to for industry players. As per the specifics, the incentives for electric two-wheelers would amount to roughly Rs.45,000. ‘Commercial’ electric two-wheelers Typically not acknowledged as commercial vehicles and yet used for commercial purposes by e-commerce logistics companies and food delivery aggregators like Zomato, ‘commercial’ electric two wheelers have been growing in the country. They are diverse in nature. From a Hero e-bicycle to a self-propelled electric scooter from Omega Seiki or some other player, ‘commercial’ electric two-wheelers are gaining ground due to their ability to help navigate past the congested roads of many

urban centres like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. With established players as well as startups like Hero Electric and Komaki launching electric two-wheelers specifically for commercial use with particular attention to higher payload, range and TCO, a near unnoticed change in last mile transportation structure is underway. Providing a strong fillip are commitments from new age companies like Zomato whose current fleet may not comprise of many electric two-wheelers, but are being operated with a commitment that the entire delivery fleet will be zero tailpipe emission electric by 2030. Swiggy too has chalked out a similar commitment to go green. The two are in fact in talks with in talks with electric scooter and bike aggregators like Zypp, Spinny and eBikeGo. With two-wheelers accounting for 70 per cent of the 253 million vehicles on Indian roads, according to JMK Research, it is not surprising to see that the tweaking of FAME II scheme will favour electric twowheelers the most.

Cover Story Electric three-wheelers After electric two-wheelers, it is the turn of electric threewheelers to most benefit from the tweaked FAME II scheme. With the transition to electric mobility particularly appealing because of the several issues it promises to address, including energy security, the falling cost of technology and the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ policy are said to tilt the equation firmly in favour of electric three-wheelers, mentions an expert. Emerging as a source of employment for many poor urban households, electric three-wheelers have been supporting the rise of a unique infrastructure model, he adds. SmartE is offering connectivity to tens and thousands of people everyday. It loans e-rickshaws for around Rs.350 per day to a driver who takes home whatever he earns beyond that. With the battery charged using SmartE infrastructure, the vehicles run for four-to-five hours before empty. As the charge goes down they get into the queue at the SmartE charging station for another round of charging.

One charging point is claimed to cater to about 140 vehicles. The business overall is said to be proving profitable for both, the driver who hires the e-rickshaw and SmartE. Attracting those who cannot afford the upfront cost of a conventional three-wheeler or an electric one, the SmartE model could soon go out of fashion as the nature of electric CVs changes; their technology and perception changes. Providing loans to drivers to purchase their own vehicles, Bangalore-based Three Wheels United is taking help of technology such as AI and IoT to understand and map behavioural data, client reliability and the risks involved. Seen as the relevant players almost in the electrification of transport in India and some other markets, electric threewheelers are gaining fast in technology. Exploring techs such as battery swapping are helping corporates and individuals alike to look at electric three-wheelers as a commercial medium to earn money. With a socioeconomic angle attached to

three-wheelers, and electricrickshaws forming a bigger chunk than cargo threewheelers, it does not come as a surprise that the tweaked FAME II notification explains the launch of an aggregate demand for 300,000 vehicles across a variety of user segments by state-owned Energy Efficiency Services (EESL). On the electric three-wheeler front, the Heavy Industry is said to believe aggregation will be the key method to bring the upfront cost of such vehicles at an affordable level and at par with conventional three-wheelers. A number of electric threewheeler manufacturers, albeit at the organised end, will benefit not only from the tweaked FAME II scheme, but also from the EV policy formulated by the states. In a bid to attract local manufacture, many states are going all out to formulate an EV policy. One such Telangana has been quite successful at that. It has attracted a number of EV manufacturers, conversion specialists and EV aggregators. ERide, for example, is headquartered in

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

C over Story

Hyderabad has been chosen to custom make 200 electric loaders as part of a prestigious initiative called ‘The Livelihood India Project’ put forth by the Government of Telangana and Vijaya Dairy. Piaggio is known to submit a representation to the Telangana state to issue fresh permits for electric threewheelers. Mahindra Electric Mobility recently introduced its Treo electric three-wheelers in the state at Rs.2.7 lakhs. The University of Hyderabad launched an electric rickshaw facility (run by Transvahan Technologies) for students and visitors in December 2019 to improve (zero-emission) transportation on its vast campus. Hyderabad-based Gayam Motor Works has been providing electric autos to Ikea for its delivery fleet since 2018. Hyderabad-based ETO Motors has decided to set up a new manufacturing facility for electric three-wheelers in the state. Electric buses With companies like Tesla zeroing on the Indian EV market, global players like BYD have already secured a firm footing. Manufacturers like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, SML Isuzu, Force Motors and VE Commercial Vehicles are not behind. Neither are bus and coach builders like JBM

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

and BYD-Olectra. They are not only building, or have built, the capability to respond to the market needs for electric buses, they are also ready to respond to the need of electric trucks and vans (both passenger and cargo versions). The revised FAME II scheme notification calling for targeting cities with over four million population, there is an amount of buzz. The clear expectation is that private players will also take to e-buses. Against the sanction of a total of 5,595 e-buses in Phase I of FAME II to urban and inter-city agencies as per a UITP-India report, the

procurement process of about 2450 e-buses with subsidy has been completed. The Department of Heavy Industries (DHI), which administers the scheme, is clearly looking at an even higher uptake. It is therefore targeting cities such as Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, etc., which are capable of accommodating e-buses, which have significantly higher initial acquisition as well as lifecycle costs as of now. The revised notification stating that EESL will drive aggregate demand for remaining e-buses on an OPEX basis as per the revised scheme norms, there is a need to systematically remove the hurdles concerning e-buses like range, manoeuvrability of longer buses due to infrastructure constraints, operating capital, depot development, related infrastructure development like ITS, and more.

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In focus

Agility and innovation As the CV industry is in for yet another eventful year (FY2021-22), agility and innovation hold the key. Shyam Maller

fter an extraordinary FY2020-21, the CV industry is up for another extraordinary year it looks like. The second Covid-19 wave at the beginning of FY2021-22 has disrupted the acquired momentum. The macro economic indicators – the RBI’s original GDP growth forecast for FY2021-22 of 10.5 per cent as well as the Q1 FY2021-22 forecast of 26.2 per cent is unlikely to be met. The second Covid-19 wave has diverted attention from the economic revival in terms of the sequential month-onmonth growth in most of the

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

high frequency indicators like GST collections and PMI (Purchasing Managers Index). Lockdowns since April 2021 have been the way of life. The ensuing scenario has diverted attention from the rebound in electricity consumption and the rise of digital payments and electronic toll (FASTag) collections at highway toll plazas. As efforts are made to tackle the second Covid-19 wave, the ground that the CV industry has covered post the first Covid-19 wave has been brought into question. The hard earned sales momentum has

abruptly come to a grinding halt. With the second Covid-19 wave unleashing itself in the second week of April 2021, wholesale and retail numbers have crashed. The alarming growth of Covid-19 infections in the rural hinterland has had a profound effect. The direct impact on CV channel partners and transporter community is not hidden. The stock push by OEMs to retail channels in March 2021 has led to a stock build up of up to 45-60 days of inventory. Transporters have seen their utilisation levels plummet. Freight rates have declined – in April the fall was

in focus

Railways : Dedicated Freight Corridors

a good 20 per cent. The steep and unrelenting rise in fuel prices haven’t helped matters. The demand for 90 days loan moratorium is not unfounded. Neither is the 90 day interest

support sought by dealers from their principals to neutralise their unsold inventory. The prognosis A CRISIL report put the CV

industry growth at 36 to 38 per cent (at an estimated 577,000 to 589,000 nos.) for FY2021-22 as compared to that of FY2020-21 (at 568,559 nos.). The second Covid-19 wave has led to the revision of those figures, down to 23-28 per cent. As the wave comes under control, M&HCVs – the barometer of economic growth, are expected to be the first to start recovery. They will be backed by revised FY 2021-22 GDP growth of 9.5 per cent forecast by RBI. While M&HCVs have historically led CV industry sales revival in-line with the economic revival, other segments have followed. I&LCVs will thus follow with a slight lag at 15-20 per cent. Next will be the bus segment at 67-72 per cent on a low base. While the risk of the third Covid wave looms large, much of the heavy-lifting, it appears, will be carried by M&HCVs and SCVs. As various states begin to unlock in a calibrated manner, industry experts have started

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

In focus debating about the nature of recovery. Whether it will be ‘V-shaped, ‘W’-shaped or ‘K’shaped. The nature of recovery will influence the supply chains and capacity utilisation for sure. It will also have an effect on how OEMs rev up. A glimmer of hope in the short term is the up coming festive season. Much will however depend on the rate of vaccination, mutation of virus and how the regions with less access to healthcare are able to sustain themselves. Also, how well the third wave, if and when it erupts, is managed with minimal damage to life and businesses. Good news The 101 per cent monsoon forecast by the IMD (Indian

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Meteorological Department ) brings some good news. It makes it safer to assume that most part of the country will receive normal to above normal rainfall. The agricultural sector will benefit from this. The rural economy will get a fillip. There will be more disposable income at the hands of the rural populace. Apart from rise in demand for two-wheelers and tractors, rural economy revival will have a positive influence on steel and cement sectors. The cascading effect of it will reach auto, road construction, and housing and infrastructure sectors. The revival of these sectors will in-turn help the CV industry improve its fleet utilisation, achieve better freight rates. Increasing inbound and

outbound logstics needs of the steel and cement sector, and the infrastructure push by government will also generate demand for M&HCVs. It will trigger a positive sentiment in an industry wrought with Covid-19 related disruptions. Another factor that will trigger a positive sentiment is the performance of the exports sector. Some two- and threewheeler OEMs experienced unusually high export volumes in April-June 2021. The trajectory of export growth is expected to contine for the rest of the fiscal year. The Bharatmala Pariyojana marks an ambitious lane expansion programme. As greenfield expressways and multi-modal logistics parks

in focus CRUDE OIL TO DIESEL PRICE BUILD UP

BRENT CRUDE PRICE 01/06/21

Rs. 72.89/US$

Rs. 5151

$70.67

159 Litres Crude price per litre

per barrel

Currency Exchange Rate

Rs.32.39/litre Rs.6.10 per litre t

Processing + Refinery Margin + OMC Margin + Logisitcs Cost

Rs.31.80 per litre

Rs2.59 per litre Commision to Petrol Bunk Dealers

Central Govt Taxes (Excise Duty + Cess)

Rs. 12.50 per litre t

State VAT @16.75% + 25 p Cess

Rs. 85.38 per litre Final Retail price of Diesel on 1st June 21 in Delhi

52% ie Rs.44.30 per litre is Taxes further define the hub and spoke logistics arrangement, the National Infrastructure Pipeline Plan with an outlay of Rs.111 lakh crore, from the CV point of view, will help trucks to do higher speed averages and achieve a faster TAT. Spread from FY201920 to FY2024-25, the pipeline project has been expanded to include the construction of new roads, rail links, urban

infrastructure, etc. A case in point: the Delhi-Mumbai super expressway will significantly improve productivity and revenue earning ability per kilometer covered by halving the travel time. Fuel prices and inflation A big challenge for transporters beset by a massive drop in

trips and desperately seeking a 90 day moratorium on EMI payments, the runaway fuel prices are puncturing the economic viability of small and medium fleet operators. Diesel accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the operating costs. The illlustration depicts how diesel prices are arrived at. To predict if petrol and diesel prices will be brought under GST and taxed at Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

In focus

28 per cent is tough. The central and state government taxes and excise duty currently account for a whopping 52 per cent (Rs 44.30 per litre of the retail price in Delhi on 1st June) of the Rs 85.38 per litre price of diesel. Claiming to stoke inflation, the continuous rise in fuel prices is elevating challenges for the CV industry in more ways than anticipated. With equated monthly instalments and toll

charges forming a big chunk of transporters operating costs, the ferocity of inflation rise could be gauged from the fact that retail inflation rose to 6.3 per cent in May 2021 as against 4.23 per cent in April 2021. Food inflation rose to fiveper cent mark. The wholesale price inflation rose to 12.94 per cent in May 2021. The consumer price index has crossed the six-per cent upper margin set

by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI, though wanting to keep the interest rates low to support growth, may not be able to do for long. With CV prices having risen nearly 20 per cent in April 2020 due to BSVI transition, another six-to-eight per cent price increase was done by OEM’s in FY2020-21. Another price increase was carried out in April 2021 to adjust the higher input costs. Major influencing factors for OEMs are the fast rising prices of steel and precious metals (like rhodium, palladium, zirconium and platinum). As global markets rebound, fuel and raw material prices are bound to increase further. They are bound to drive small fleet operators out of business. A large swathe of them wound up in last fiscal. Many small and lower retail segment transporters have been badly affected with exposure to market load segment. The less affected are the medium and large fleets that serve B2B logistics clients (with longterm fixed contracts) and e-commerce companies. Stress in the system In the CV repair and service space, bigger workshops and authorised dealers have gained at the cost of smaller, unorganised players. The latter’s inability to procure expensive and complex diagnostic tools for BSVI vehicles and perform the necessary upskilling are said to be the reasons. The roll-out of long duration-high mileage warranty and attractively priced AMC schemes have also had an effect. Footfalls at company 3S and 2S dealerships have gone up. At the retail sales level, dealers are tackling

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

in focus

the challenge of plummeting volumes since the new axle norms announcement in 2018. Financial indiscipline has forced several dealerships to down shutters permanently. Under pressure to secure channel and inventory finance, dealerships, facing scaling down of inventory funding, are also beset with buyers staring at lower Loanto-Value (LTV). The turnaround time for ‘proposal-to delivery order (disbursement) have gone up. The benign interest rates are the only solace. Challenge from Railways The entire CV ecosystem has come to face an unusual challenge of competition in the form of railways and waterways. The National RailPlan -2030 is one of the many government initiatives to increase freight share of railways from the current 27 per cent to 45 per cent by 2050. Offering lower freight cost, the railways is building Dedicated Freight Corridors ( DFC). It

is working to commission by FY2022-23 a total rail length of 2843 km. Connecting major industrial centers in the country, six freight corridors are being constructed. Already dominant in commodity movement (minerals, food grains, petroleum, coal, cement, iron and steel for example), the railways is making inroads into long-haul, cross country movement of cars, tractors and construction equipment. Acquiring multimodal operational abilities to optimise productivity and costs, the railways is also emphasising on ‘Roll-On-Roll-Off ‘ operations (like it just did in the case of oxygen tankers). On a different plane, the scrappage policy – estimated to create a demand for new CVs with a timely replacement of some 37 lakh vehicles above 15 years of age, is falling short of luring truckers. The incenstives are not attractive to say the least. For meaningful results, the government should lower the

GST on CVs from 28 per cent to 18 per cent for a period of six to eight months at least. Summing up Riding out the Covid induced demand destruction and the devastating domino effect it has had on the entire economy besides the various elements that makes up the CV industry eco system (made up of OEMs, customers, dealers, repair garages, financiers, etc), is going to be a big challenge. Customer needs have changed, and in the post pandemic world, OEMs have had to refocus on the entire value chain as well as improve customer experience in the phygital landscape. And key to success is for the OEMs and the channel partners to work symbiotically with agility and innovation. ......................................................... The author is former Executive Vice President - VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd. The views expressed by the author are his personal opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CV magazine. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

In focus

Men of discipline Ex-army vehicle drivers are bringing discipline to the Indian transportation scene.

he driver to truck ratio in India is an estimated 750 to 1000. Scarcity of truck drivers is no secret. Of the estimated 20 lakh truck drivers in the country, a large number of them have risen from the ranks of spotters and cleaners. They are thus products of weak economic strata with little education to boast of. Lacking in education, they are unable to command the respect they deserve. They also lack the discipline that is needed to survive and rise

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Deepti Thore in their field. Capturing these very aspects surrounding truck drivers, Sanjeev Chandra, Promoter and Director, MaxPlus Logistics Ltd., took up the challenge to rope-in ex-army vehicle drivers – pilots and controllers. Their disciplined and motivated nature, he calculated, would make them good truck drivers. He began recruiting ex-army drivers after their retirement at the age of 35. By then, these would have gathered a work experience of 15 to 20 years in a highly disciplined environment.

Entitled for pension, Chandra presented these men to the transport fraternity by training them in urban terrain driving. Rather than letting them return to their rural roots of farming, he gave them an opportunity to leverage their hard earned skills as disciplined men behind the wheel of trucks. Confident that these men would elevate trucking efficiency that was sorely missing, Chandra hired them on the roll call of his company, MaxPlus Logistics. He offered them in the region of Rs.24000

in focus to Rs.25000 for an eight hour shift. Training them to work overtime on request at times without additional payment, Chandra also provided the ex-army drivers with ‘proper’ housing, the cost of which was borne by his company. Paying attention to their wellbeing, he put to good use the industry insights his friend, Chandan Bhandari owner of BIC Logistics, provided him. He also leveraged the insights that he gathered during his work for an insurance company between 2010 and 2015. Discipline and security Recruiting and grooming exarmy drivers to fit the role of highly motivated and efficient ‘civilian’ truck drivers, Chandra assured them of stability and security. He was aware of these men being approached earlier with a package of Rs.15000 and told to make more money from the rest of the trip. They refused for the want of stability and security, Chandra quipped. Learning that quality workmanship, punctuality and trustworthiness were lacking in CV drivers during his brief tenure as a consultant for BIC

Sanjeev Chandra, Promoter and Director, MaxPlus Logistics Ltd.

Logistics, Chandra first realised that ex-army drivers would fit the bill. His army background helped too. Watching SpiceJet struggle with the need for drivers with the right aptitute, Chandra seized the opportunity to place ex-army drivers. He helped SpiceJet to fuel their air-to-air or airport-to-airport package movement venture. Floating Maxplus Logistics, he took to supplying drivers for trucks that SpiceJet bought at 26 locations to fuel its doorto-door service. Aware of the acute shortage of drivers in the country, Chandra, charged with minimising pilferage risk, saw a potential in exarmy drivers to be men of

discipline behind the wheel of civilian trucks. It was not an easy task to groom them, but worth the effort. In May 2016, SpiceJet and MaxPlus together conceptualised the whole process and then June-July, 2016 they ramped it up to fill up all the requirements for 160 trucks nationwide for regions like Nagpur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, and Indore. “The process benefitted SpiceJet and they were able to cut down misplacement or disappearance of packages apart from accidents,” said Chandra. Challenges and opportunities Of the opinion that SpiceJet was able to build a brand with the support of MaxPlus Logistics, Chandra averred that a mechanism was devised to not subject the ‘fauji’ drivers to the same environment as other drivers where trust, faith and respect are missing. To ensure that they had a comfortable working environment, MaxPlus Logistics put in place a process where clients did not

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

The image is used for representative purpose only.

In focus

communicate with the drivers directly. Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) were assigned as mediators. If the drivers faced any problem, they reported it to the JCO. The JCO would report it to a ‘Major’ at the top of the hierarchy. Overcoming the challenge of arranging accommodation for the ex-army drivers hailing from rural areas, the company saw an opportunity to increase productivity. There would be less absentees and more deliveries. Rather than have their own fleet for the lack of bandwidth, MaxPlus Logistics, like an IT company, chose to concentrate on its battery of ex-army drivers as an asset. Stating that they are his, and on his company’s pay roll, Chandra

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

quipped that the lockdown brought with it challenges. Drivers went back to their homes in the absence of work, he informed. “The whole lot dropped out due to the situation,” he added. Sustaining because of their pensions, the ex-army drivers have continued to be in contact with Chandra. Some have been placed by him whereas there are those that are waiting to be called back. Most drivers are over the age of 40, have a house and a bank account. If this makes it easy for Chandra to trace and keep in contact, the drivers too are in regular contact with him. The cash flow challenges keeping Chandra from scaling up his company’s operations to the pre-Covid levels, much of which could be attributed

to the lower utilisation level of trucks even today, the hope is not lost that the exarmy drivers would one day be welcomed by the Indian trucking space and given the respect they deserve. Revealing that companies are not ready to pay salaries for the gap of two months to the drivers, Chandra expressed that these drivers, unlike the other drivers, would not take the truck home if they are not paid. Stressing on their sincere and disciplined nature, Chandra mentioned that his company is in discussion with companies to place the drivers. Informing that the cooperation with SpiceJet has stalled since a new management took over, Chandra averred that his company put forth the ex-army

in focus drivers a fixed cost model. It was expensive but gave them the needed stability, he quipped. Imparting training to the ex-army drivers he recruited so that they could pilot modern trucks with advanced features and technology, Chandra carried out the fixed cost model experiment at the intercity level and later at the longdistance level. The experiment succeeded at Amazon,

according to him. Highlighting the need to train ex-army drivers to handle and operate in a civilian environment, Chandra said, “The ‘fauji’ drivers are good trainees.” “They quickly match the TAT expectations in terms of time, fuel consumption, etc.,” he added. Expecting the partnership with Amazon to turn more futile in terms of specialised drivers and a training suite, MaxPlus Logistics, as per Chandra, is

looking for an anchor partner which hires good drivers. New inititatives and avenues In discussion with Motherson Sumi, which has a sizeable fleet of its own, Chandra’s MaxPlus Logistics is looking ramping up the operations to preCovid levels sooner than later. Informing that Motherson Sumi is building a vaccine logistics model, Chandra said that his

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

In focus

company is also discussing with Ramco Cements to support their logistics operations at their two plants in Odisha. Working on a new initiative, MaxPlus 2.0, which, according to Chandra, is the ‘Uber in trucks’, MaxPlus Logistics is seeking cooperation of financiers. The programme, of ownership lease type, is such that the drivers will be owners of their trucks under the MaxPlus umbrella. The other initiative that MaxPlus Logistics is working on, is MaxPlus Vedrive. It is a bill-based ‘Pay as per the miles you drive’ programme that is designed to work such that a fleet owner from Gurgaon wanting to send his truck to Chennai could engage a suitable driver by scanning the driver profiles and their availability. Reaching the fleet owner in two to three hours, the driver will scan the paperwork of the truck and check the truck condition. Finding it worthy of an assignment, he

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

will upload the papers on to the system. MaxPlus Logistics will confirm the same and approve his assignment. At the other end, the fleet owner will scan the driver’s papers, including his license, and send them to MaxPlus Logistics for verification. Depending on the route, the driver hired through Vedrive would charge around Rupees-seven to Rupeeseight per km. To help him to discharge his duty efficiently, MaxPlus Logistics, according to Chandra, has developed a system pertaining to critical trunk routes like Delhi-Chennai and Delhi-Bangalore. This system would provide the driver information about a stoppage 500 kms down the route or 1000 km down the route. Creating a core team of five people for Mumbai, Chennai and other locations including special drivers to formulate driver training programmes, MaxPlus Logistics is regularly conducting seminars for drivers.

Reflection of economy Of the opinion that the CV industry has to grow at five to 10 per cent at least, Chandra averred that it is only then that the economy will grow at 12 per cent. Stating that efforts are needed to increase truck utilisation, he mentioned that he is seeing good movement in the e-commerce logistics space. Expressing that the trucks have improved quite some, and in the interest of driver to empower him to clock more kms; to deliver the cargo on time, Chandra said that he does not have any update to share about his company’s talks with VE Commercial Vehicles regarding their new generation trucks. Striving to scale up the operations to pre-Covid levels, Chandra is keen to collaborate with his nephew in the US who runs a logistics business. He is also quite upbeat about the contribution of technology in elevating safety and efficiency in trucking.

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In focus

Revised FAME II subsidy The Government has tweaked the FAME II scheme to encourage faster proliferation of electric vehicles.

Bhushan Mhapralkar

All images for representative purpose only.

he crucial changes prompted by the Government to the FAME II scheme involving electric vehicles is claimed to be on the back of its failure achieve the desired results. Following FAME I scheme that was rolled out in 2015 to encourage early adoption of electric vehicles and bring down the country’s dependence on crude oil, much of which is imported, the FAME II scheme was introduced in April 2019 with a total outlay of Rs 10,000 crore rupees for three years. While the FAME I scheme offered up to Rs.1.38 lakh incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles with an initial outlay of Rs 75 crore from plan fund, the FAME II scheme offered an outlay of Rs.10,000 crore for a period of three years. Out of total

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

budgetary support, about 86 percent of fund was allocated for demand incentive to create demand for xEVs in the country. The phase aimed to generate demand by way of supporting 7000 e-buses, five-lakh e-three wheelers, 55000 e-four wheel passenger cars (including strong hybrid) and 10 lakh e-two wheelers. It was taken into consideration that depending upon off-take of different category of xEVs, these numbers would vary. A provision was thus made for inter as well as intra segment wise fungibility. With a clear focus on incentivising highspeed electric vehicles, charging stations and commercial electric vehicles among others, the tweaked FAME II scheme has introduced a demand incentive of Rs.15,000 per KWh for

in focus

electric two-wheelers with a upper ceiling at 40 per cent of the vehicle cost. This translates into a nearly double increase in the current subsidy. Hinting at the easing of scheme’s strict criteria and several challenges that were difficult to adapt to for industry players, the revised FAME II scheme, as per the specifics, would mean incentives of up to Rs.45,000 for electric two-wheelers. Those electric two-wheelers that comply with the criteria set out under the purview of the FAME II scheme! For electric three wheelers, the tweaked FAME II notification explains that state-owned Energy Efficiency Services (EESL) will launch an aggregate demand for 300,000

vehicles across a variety of user segments. For electric buses, the revised scheme notification calls for targeting cities with over four million population. Such cities in India would include Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, etc. EESL aims to fuel aggregate demand for remaining e-buses on an OPEX basis as per the revised scheme norms. Expressed Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, that his company welcomes the government;s support to electric vehicles. He added that the improved incentives for electric vehicles will increase penetration and encourage further indigenous investments in future technology. Saurav Kumar, Founder and CEO, Euler Motors, said that the decision to extend the FAME II scheme will be incremental to push electric vehicle adoption in the country. The relaxations and revisions in the scheme will ensure OEMs can continue to offer EVs at a subsidized cost and cultivate a larger market for them. Uday Narang, Chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility, averred that the step to subsidise electric

three-wheelers, two-wheelers, passenger vehicles and buses will provide the much-needed impetus in their faster adoption. It will help to build an EV ecosystem in India through local manufacturing. Said to be an outcome of the efforts of electric vehicle manufacturers to draw the attention of the government to appraise them of the ground reality and the challenges involved in the proliferation of electric vehicles in India as against the envisaged performance and targets, the tweaked FAME II scheme has rolled out at a time when petrol and diesel prices are at an alltime high. With no signs of the central or state governments lowering taxes on petrol and diesel despite a significant fall in consumption levels through out April and May 2021. The domestic consumption of diesel during May 2021 fell by 17.2 per cent on a month-on-month basis to 1.99 million tonnes, according to data released by released by the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell. The consumption of petrol also fell by 16.6 per cent during the month to 1.77 million tonnes. Expected to support 10,00,000 e-scooters, a good chunk of which would be used for last mile e-commerce delivery of food and parcels, the FAME II policy over the course of three years after it was rolled out in 2019 achieved a little over half of its anticipated target, mentioned an industry expert. Following the electric vehicle developments closely, he said that in the three years since FAME II was rolled out, some 30,000 e-scooters were registered. Drawing attention to the classification of e-two

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

In focus wheelers as low-speed (with top speed under 25 kmph and not needing registration) and high-speed (with speed limit over 25 kmph and requiring registration), he mentioned that there was always a need to widen the scheme’s scope. It is good that steps in that direction have been taken with the rolling out of a revised FAME II scheme. Anil Srivastava, Mission Director, National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery, NITI Aayog, is known

to have said that FAME II policy should be relooked at as statsics show the current outcome is not very encouraging in terms of numbers. With numerous state governments coming out with their own incentives on electric vehicles in addition to the centre announcing Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for bolstering domestic manufacturing in key sectors, including the auto industry, the roll out of a tweaked FAME II

policy should help accelerate the proliferation of electric vehicles in India, especially concenrning those that support urban transportation and have the capability to contribute to urban emissions. The orginal FAME II scheme is known to so far support 15,829 electric three-wheelers in comparison to the target of five lakh units. Mentioned a source that only five-per cent or Rs.500 crore out of the allocated Rs.0,000 crore has been spent so far. In

Procurement of e-buses under FAME II On the basis of the sanction of a total of 5,595 e-buses in Phase I of FAME II to urban and inter-city agencies as per a UITP-India report, good progress has been achieved. The Department of Heavy Industries (DHI), which administers the scheme, has conducted 3500 bus fleet worth of tendering. It has over seen the completion of procurement process of about 2450 e-buses with subsidy. The contracting and deployment of these vehicles was taken up in late 2020 and early 2021. While the 2450 e-buses would find deployment in 13 states and 30 cities, and include a majority of ninemeter long midi-buses (they make up to 81 per cent of the total count), some of the key STU beneficiaries include BEST, Janmarg Ahmedabad and Uttar Pradesh. As per the report, the suppliers of e-buses

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

include Foton-PMI, Olectra-BYD and Tata Motors respectively as the big three in terms of numbers. For the nine-meter long e-buses, the maximum rate per km in approved L1 bid stands at Rs.79.8 and Rs.86 for 12 m long e-buses. The minium rate per km stands at Rs.52.2 and Rs.48.5 respectively. With the TCO of e-buses higher by 50 per cent when compared to IC engine buses, the adoption of e-buses in cities has not been a matter of choice due to unavailability of FAME II subsidy. If the transition to BSVI would have changed the equation, the UTIPIndia reports that a challenge exists in terms of range. The nine-meter long bus range is about 30 per cent lower than 12 m long e-buses. The 12 m long e-buses at the other end, have infrastructure challenges

in terms of vehicle length and manoeuvrability. Calling on the need to reduce TCO drastically, the rport states the need to involve relevant stakeholders like contracting bus agencies, OEMs, operators, financing institutions and DHI. Stating the need for improvement in critical areas of terms of procurement to reduce e-bus cost, the report highlights a need to encourage higher number of bids per tender to potentially lead to reduce costs in-line with the competition among the bidders. Apart from the type of bidders, the report highlights operating experience, timelines for bid subsmission and scope of consultation, contractual obligation, subsidy bank guarantee, amount and duration, depot development among cities.

in focus

The sale of electric buses grew from 400 in FY2018-19 to 600 in FY2019-20. Said Shyam Maller, former Executive Vice President - Sales and Marketing, VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd., the tally of electric vehicles till date (including 2020) has been dismal till date against the background of Rs.10,000 being set aside by the government in 2019 for a three year period.

Image courtesy: Ramesh NG

FY2019-20, the Indian electric vehicle industry registered a 20 per cent uptick with the sale of 1.56 lakh units as compared to the sale of 1.3 lakh units in FY2018-19. As per the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), electric two-wheelers made up for almost 97 per cent of total sales with 1.52 lakh units sold as compared to 1.26 lakh units sold in the previous year.

Of the opinion that the recently tweaked policy is a huge shot in the arm for organised electric two-wheeler makers, and for electric three-wheelers where the FAME II policy envisages actions for aggregating demand (for 300,000 numbers) through EESL, Maller mentioned that it will be interesting to see how the procurement through the respective organistion works out. He drew attention to EESL being mandated to aggregate demand (on OPEX basis) for e-buses as well, and particularly for cities and towns with a population of upwards of four million people. Interestingly, in FY2019-20 the sale of electric cars de-grew to 3,400 as compared to the sale of 3,600 units in FY2018-19. In FY201920, 90,000 e-rickshaws were sold. With news of global electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla zeroeing on land for building a facility and hiring senior executives in India grabbing headlines, the electric vehicle scene seems to be up for a drastic change.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

Industry Talk

SIAM lecture on EVs SIAM hosted a virtual lecture on ‘Electric Vehicles in India: On-Road Safety, Operations & Maintenance’ in May 2021.

For representative purpose only.

Team CV

he Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) recently organised a virtual lecture with Electric Vehicles (EVs) as the theme. With focus on on-road safety, operations and maintenance, Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, in his opening remarks expressed that the current decade would be looked upon as a decade of electrification. Pointing at road safety, operations and maintenance,

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Banerjee mentioned that EVs are being developed for the Indian market. Sushant Naik, Co-chairman, SIAM Electric Mobility Group & Global Head, Government Affairs, Tata Motors, averred that EVs are witnessing a growing market in India, which is a positive sign towards electrification. Pradeep Kumar, Head (Vehicle & Customer Care), Ather Energy, highlighted some inherent advantages that electric vehicles possess, which with data and connectivity,

integrated backend, and front end, are driving sales and service. Emphasising on battery safety design aspects and maintenance, Abhijit Mulay, General Manager, ARAI said that regulations like AIS 038, AIS 048, and AIS 056 are in place in India. These are aligned to UN R100 and further revisions, he added. Mulay further informed that the focus from lithium-ion cells has now is on system level approaches like battery management systems, functional safety, thermal

For representative purpose only.

safety, closed loop safety, etc. Drawing attention to the logistics and transportation of EV batteries as an important aspect, Mulay stated that the regulatory standard in this respect is UN38.3. Awadhesh Jha, Vice President, Fortum India, said, “Battery management systems plays a crucial role in the safety of EVs. Charging an EV is very safe and easy if certified chargers are used.” There are risks involved, however, the scale is minuscule, he added. Speaking on the significance of skilling in EV maintenance, Arindam Lahiri, CEO, ASDC, said, “In the case of EVs, the two most impacted areas are the manufacturing domain and the dealership service domain. He informed that they have launched an electric mobility ‘Nanodegree Programme’ in association with DIY guru, an online learning platform for engineers across, Pmanifold, an online training program with in depth knowledge on the planning of EV fleet for specific objectives to develop a holistic understanding of EV. ASDC has partnered with MG Motor and Autobot India to launch Dakshta, a training programme that specialises in artificial intelligence and EVs aimed at creating skilled manpower for the automobile industry. Karthick Athmanathan, Professor, IIT Madras, spoke about the ecosystem of e-bus

For representative purpose only.

Industry Talk

fleet encompassing the ‘cradle to grave’ full cycle. He stressed on the stakeholders involved at different stages, including the drivers, government and transport authorities, regulators, maintenance service providers, EaaS providers, depot management team, data and analytics experts, and public safety ‘first responders’ like police, fire men, etc. Athmanathan stated that data analytics has an important role to play to make future predictions, resolve issues and effect functional improvements. In his concluding remarks, Vikram Gulati, Co-chairman, SIAM Electric Mobility Group, and Senior Vice President

and National Head, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, averred that there are many sides to the EV story in India that the domain experts have stressed on. Sides pertaining to knowledge and competency, charging infrastructure, safety protocols, new regulations, skilling and others. Of the opinion that a significant technology transition is on, he stated that speed of evolution is very high. Gulati concluded that on-road safety, operations and maintenance, aftermarket ecosystem and a technology shift are some of the important milestones in the transformation and growth of EVs in India.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

All images for representative purposes only

Industry Talk

Exciting new Mahindra vehicles As part of its rise philosophy, Mahindra & Mahindra is developing new, exciting CVs.

eporting FY202021 Q4 consolidated revenue of Rs.21,456 crore, up 32 per cent, and a consolidated Q4 PAT before EI at Rs.1,834 crore, up 170 per cent, Mahindra

Bhushan Mhapralkar & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) will introduce 23 new products in the passenger and commercial vehicle markets, along with 37 tractor types by 2026. Reporting a generation of operating cash of Rs.10,022

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

crore in FY2020-21, up 119 per cent, the 23 new products that the automaker will introduce by 2026 will include nine SUVs and 14 CVs. Of these, six SUVs and six commercial vehicles will be electrically powered. This would

The next generation Mahindra Treo electric threewheeler range is expected to help its manufacturer to further strengthen its domestic market position and pursue global ambitions.

Industry Talk An electric variant of the Mahindra Jeeto sub-one tonne mini-truck is said to be under development.

The highlight of Mahindra’s aggressive 23 product introduction strategy will be the next generation Bolero range in single cab and dual cab configuration with a host of new technologies.

very likely include the exciting little electric car Atom. It will account for one of the five new launches in the last mile mobility segment. The other would be the next generation Treo electric three-wheeler range, claims an industry source. He adds that the yet another exciting introduction would be the electric pedalassisted ‘pod’ UDO. The UDO was first shown at the 2018 Auto Expo. While the next generation Treo platform, springing passenger and cargo variants, will be engineered to help its manufacturer make strides in new and existing export markets, the domestic market is also expected to have grown quite some by the time

of the launch. Estimated to be a little over 1.5 million units, the electric three wheeler market is highly fragmented. The amount of cargo three wheelers in the market are estimated to be 1,10,000 units per year strong. Reporting an increase in Farm Equipment Sector (FES) Revenue by 60 per cent in Q4 of FY2020-21, and an increase in Auto Sector (AS) revenue by 43 per cent in Q4 of FY2020-21, M&M, apart from the next generation Treo, will introduce an electric version of the Jeeto minitruck, the source informs. He draws attention to a recent announcement concerning M&M Board’s approval to consolidate Mahindra Electric

Mobility and the subsequent categorisation of electric vehicle operations into two focused verticals - Last Mile Mobility (LMM) and Electric Vehicle Tech Centre. Reporting a 36 per cent increase in consolidated operating profit at Rs.4,610 crore, the company, informs the source, is developing a new range of urban and highly modular pick-up truck platform in the three and 3.5-tonne space. Announcing an improvement in operating margin to 14.7 per cent in comparison to an operating margin to 13.6 per cent in the corresponding quarter the year prior, the automaker is expected introduce a number of variants based on the respective platform. These will be powered by diesel, petrol, CNG and electric powertrains, claims the source. Facing production constraints due to semiconductor shortage, M&M, experiencing robust demand for products in Q4 FY 202021, will also launch new Bolero range of pick-up trucks. These would be of the single cab and double cab variety. They will come in new and classic guise, and will be powered by a range of technologies, the source mentions.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

IIndustry Talk A range of urban pick-up trucks is expected to complement the next generation Bolero range.

Mahindra is set to launch 37 tractor models across four platforms and four geographies by FY2024-25.

Focusing on cost optimsation and reduction in fixed expenses, the AS is also said to be developing a new LCV platform to complement its existing range of LCVs like the Jayo. The FES at the other end is set to launch 37 tractor models across four platforms and four geographies by FY2024-25. These will start in

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

the subcompact (20 to 25 hp) range and rise to include large utility models in the 45 to 70 hp power range. Confident that the K2 project in collaboration with Mitsubishi will bear fruit in the next three to four years and help the company to further strengthen its market position in the global markets as well as the domestic market, M&M, putting up a robust performance in the tractor space in FY2020-21,

focused on supply chain and commodity challenges as far as the FES was concerned. Lining up capital expenditure of Rs.12,000 crore for introduce new models, upgrade existing one and offer new variant over the next five years, the automaker indulged in much cost management in FY202021. Rolling out the ‘people first’ strategy involving the safety of its workers and executives, it has lined up another Rs.5,000 crore for investments in group companies. Streamlining capital allocation and achieving a robust operating cashflow in a year impacted by the pandemic, M&M is particularly emphasizing on the development of digital platforms. It is doing so across its core businesses. Eyeing a bold, aggressive growth trajectory, the company is looking at further increasing its profitability.

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Industry Talk

Stronger Bharat Forge Bharat Forge is confident of strong growth as it taps new avenues after some effect of the pandemic. Bhushan Mhapralkar

eporting a consolidated net profit of Rs.212.12 crore for the last quarter of FY2020-21 against a net loss Rs.68.59 crore in the year prior to this, Bharat Forge, an automotive, defence and aerospace components supplier, is confident of strong growth on the basis of an ecouraging rebound in export markets. Said

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

to expect robust demand in major export segments such as CVs, construction and mining, and oil and gas, the company looks well poised to tide over the current weakness in the domestic market, according to industry sources. Drawing attention to CV majors like Volvo, Daimler and Paccar providing positive demand commentaries and the 2021

calendar year forecast of retail units in North America and Europe being raised by at least 10 per cent post a sharp downturn seen in 2020 calendar year, sources mention that a strong demand rebound in medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles in Europe and North American market will help Bharat Forge gain good export traction. Claimed to maintain a positive outlook for M&HCV segment thus on the back of infrastructure spending and government’s focus on increasing manufacturing share in GDP, PLI schemes, scrappage policy, etc., Bharat Forge is known to explore opportunities in the aluminium space after the

Industry Talk

commencement of operations at its Nellore plant. Witnessing a rise in consolidated revenue from operations at 19.57 per cent to Rs.2082.85 crore for the fourth quarter ending March 2021 as compared to the consolidated revenue earning of over Rs.1741.92 crore in the same period a year ago, the company has secured an order for the development and supply of defense components. Becoming its 100 per cent subsidiary, Kalyani Strategic Systems is well-poised to help Bharat Forge to meet eligibility criteria for defense contracts. The pandemic in the first quarter of last fiscal causing temperory disruption, Bharat Forge is

concentrating on budgetary support and eliminating any slack in physical interactions with buyers that may have been created. With several successful artillery and vehicle trials by its side, the company is keen to take its cooperation with its clients in the defense space to the next level. Said to follow a three-horizon strategy that involves artillery guns, armoured vehicles and speciality vehicles as products; some other type of speciality vehicles as products, and electronics and high-end tech as the third line, Bharat Forge is eyeing a significant chunk of business from the Indian Army as part of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ policy. Set to benefit from the local

manufacture initiative by the Defence Ministry that imposes restrictions on import of certain weapons and specialised artillery equipment, the company has seen its aerospace business get impacted because of the fall in demand for global and regional air travel due to the pandemic. Investing Rs.0.01 million to acquire 100 per cent stake in Kalyani Powertrain Private Limited with an aim to undertake various initiatives in the field of e-mobility, the Bharat Forge makes airframes, structural, aircraft turbines, fan blades, landing-gear components, compressors and engine parts for the aerospace industry. Acquiring 70 hectares of land at Khed for around Rs2.4 billion, the company is confident of making a positive progress on the aerospace front as growth returns to the aviation sector. Claimed to have restrained from doing much capex in FY202021, Bharat Forge has emerged as a successful bidder for Sanghvi Forgings. Keen to see a significant uptick in defense and e-mobility activitie, the company is exploring new segments such as renewable energy, and metals and mining. With an EBITDA per centage increase by 310 bps despite cost inflationary pressures, Bharat Forge is well-poised for upgrading its industrial manufacturing capabilities wit the acquisition of Vadodara-based Sanghvi Forgings. Well aware of the spate of changes in regulations coupled with deteriorating fundamentals of the underlying economy led to torrid times for the automotive industry, the company is continuing to identify and address new opportunity in the domestic automotive industry.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

international

Rheinmetall HX3

The Rheinmetall HX3 self-propelled cannon howitzer is made interesting because of its German engineering attributes. Team CV

ndicating that the demand for self-propelled cannon howitzers on wheeled chassis has gone up, Rheinmetall has announced the launch of HX3, a global range of self-propelled cannon howitzers on a newly developed ‘HX3’ wheeled chassis. Contrary to the notion that cannons and howitzers as well as tanks were a thing of the past, the Rheinmetall HX3 is made interesting by its German engineering attributes. Completely redesigned, the HX3, in the form of a futureproof military truck, addresses contemporary military and automotive megatrends by leveraging innovative new technologies. Promising better protection, improved mobility, enhanced driving comfort as well as a digital interface architecture for greater operational flexibility and future performance upgrades, the military machine builds on the

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

core strengths of the successful HX2. Like the HX2, the HX3 comprises of a generation of military-off-the -shelf (MOTS) products, designed unforgivably for military use under the most gruelling operating conditions. In addition to the robust chassis and powerful engine, the HX3 offers a new active rear axle suspension as an option, which significantly improves the vehicle’s performance both on and off road. Embodying a platform concept designed for logistic operations and tactical scenarios alike, the HX3 is available in 4x4, 6x6, 8x8 and 10x10 versions. It is characterised by even greater variant and system diversity. Fitted out with new systems such as the fully Automated Load Handling System (ALHS) and Universal TorsionResistant Subframe (UTRS), which further facilitate its

classic logistics role, the HX3 is also better able than ever to serve as a systems carrier for complex weapon and radar systems. These include truckbased artillery systems, for example. Such systems are expected to gain importance in coming years. Talking about the future, in combination with the newly developed Artillery Truck Interface (ATI), the HX 10x10 could be utilised as the standard basis for various artillery solutions or similar systems. Owing to its completely redesigned cab, the HX3 delivers greater ease of operation and crew protection when compared to HX2. Various assistance systems assure enhanced safety in everyday operations, whether for soldiers deployed in the field or in civilian settings. Coupled with assistance systems such as the Emergency Brake Assist (EBA),

International Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW), a totally new electronic and electric architecture guarantees the vehicle’s future viability. This, particularly with regard to autonomous driving. The standardised interfaces provide an opportunity to integrate technologies that become available in future, such as truck platooning and other automated applications. As an option, HX3 trucks can be equipped with an armoured cab, whose protection level can be modularly augmented. Furthermore, in addition to conventional camouflage, the new generation of vehicles feature a digital stealth mode. If necessary, all data transmission and receiver functions can be switched off to reduce the vehicle’s digital signature. As an active self-defence measure, the reinforced roof offers space for weapon stations with heavy weaponry. As a further option, additional active and passive protection systems are available, including Rheinmetall’s ROSY Rapid Obscuring System and the very short-range ADS Active Defence System. Due to a systematically applied identical components concept and extensive functional commonality between different models, administering and operating the fleet of vehicles becomes simpler and more efficient. Strict adherence to a policy of component and functional unity facilitates maintenance, logistics and training, while a global service network guarantees fast resupply and support throughout a long service life. With over 15,000 vehicles in operation worldwide, a high

degree of compatibility with previous HX generations only reinforces this. The global presence of RMMV vehicles brings major advantages when it comes to interoperability and logistics, especially during multinational operations. Among others, the circle of international HX user nations includes Germany, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Austria. Norway and Sweden have also placed substantial truck orders with Rheinmetall. Variety of Systems More than 15,000 HX trucks on the road worldwide, deployed by armed forces, the HX3 comes backed by a heritage that is expressed in unrivalled superiority. In fact, building on this heritage, the HX3 elevates the game to the next, new exciting level of warfare. It makes the best even better, and takes into consideration the feedback from various users and stakeholders. With impressive new features of this pure military truck supported by various assistance systems, the HX3 offers soldiers and the civilian environment increased safety in everyday vehicle use. It guarantees considerably more protection in theatre in the form of a completely redesigned cabin. Capable of going from one mission success to the next, the HX3, with its even greater variety of variants and systems, answers customer’s need to own a truck that can handle a wide range of tactical roles and tasks in future scenarios. In addition to its classic role as a logistic vehicle, which is enhanced by the availability of new systems such as the new Automated Load Handling System (ALHS) or

the Universal Torsion-Resistant Subframe (UTRS), the HX3, to be precise, makes a suitable system carrier. Especially as a carrier truck for complex radar and weapon systems too. A truck that builds itself around artillery systems, which are set to be an important component of the artillery warfare in the coming years. Situational awareness and soldier centric With priority to safety, that of the crew and the people in the immediate vicinity of the truck, the HX3 is about decisive improvements. It is about use on public roads as much as it is in complex or stressful manoeuvring and loading operations. Setting new standards for a military truck, Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

international the HX3, with its new protected cabin that comprises of a large windscreen and side windows, offers the best possible field of vision. The optional BirdView camera system incorporates the technological advantages of the commercial world for the military. The system also supports the driver, especially in confined urban environments. The completely redesigned cabin interior improves the ergonomics of the driver and passenger workstation and offers more practical space for the needs of the crew. Spacious storage compartments and additional fixation bars, especially above the crew’s heads and in front of the seats ensure even more possibilities to stow away both C4I and personal equipment. What more, the devices are now even easier to reach – exactly where the soldier needs them. In addition to the classic blackout mode, the HX3 now also has a new digital blackout mode. If necessary, this disables all transmission and reception functions to reduce the vehicle’s digital signature.

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Unstoppable Unstoppable by even the most brutal terrain or hindrances offpiste, the HX3 is designed as a pure military truck. It boasts of a robust chassis concept combined with powerful military engines. Able to cope with all emerging requirements – anytime, anywhere, the truck, with its new optional active suspension system on the rear axles, performs very well onroad and off-road. The various driving modes, the driving level control option and active damping also help to cushion shocks and vibrations that are a part and parcel of demanding off-road use. If the all-new Automated Load Handling System (ALHS) revolutionises logistics on the battlefield by allowing a single soldier to operate the system from within the cabin, the HX3 supports faster loading and unloading. Both, containers and flat racks can be loaded without the need for manual support, and even from less than ideal angles and on uneven surfaces. For tactical scenarios and automation of military operations, the truck functions

can be prepared for optionallymanned operations. In combination with a digital interface, the HX3 can either be controlled remotely or operated with a military autonomy kit. The active self-defence aided by the reinforced roof that can now also accommodate highcalibre weapons and offers more options for installing additional active and passive protection systems such as Rheinmetall’s ROSY (Rapid Obscuring System) and ADS (Active Defence System), the military truck is about near infinite logistical and tactical applications .82 in Germany as a manufacturer of horse-drawn carriage, Quantron AG was founded in 2019 to paving the way for e-mobility in inner-city and regional passenger and freight transport. The basis for this would be the commercial vehicle experience of Haller GmbH & Co. KG. Driven by the belief that the importance of diesel drives will steadily decrease. in order to achieve future climate and CO2 targets, the company has announced the introduction of a plugin hybrid van Q-Light. As a

International variant of the Q-Light electric van, the plug-in hybrid variant offers high driving range and drive power of a combustion engine with the possibility of covering distances flexibly in emission-free electric mode. In green environmental zones to be precise. The purely electric range of the vehicle is up to 70 km at a top speed of 80 kmph, making the Q-Light Hybrid panel van ideal for sustainable transport services in daily urban traffic. The environmentally friendly vehicle also claimed to tackle gradients and display strong acceleration under heavy load with ease. Depending on the size, the battery is fully charged within just 3.5 to five hours. Additional energy can also be generated while driving via the electric motor, which significantly extends the vehicle’s electric range. Based on Iveco Daily, the Q-Light plug-in hybrid panel van is near silent in its operation in the emission-free electric mode. This makes it particularly pleasant for residents and employees in and around the vehicle. Coming from a commercial vehicle conversion company, the Q-Light plug-in hybrid panel van, by the virtue of its ability to operate silently and sans any emission, can be used in urban logistics processes during the day and night. Deliveries can also be made outside peak traffic hours, which would help to equalise traffic and reduce peak time congestion. Based on Iveco Daily, the Q-light plugin hybrid panel van is available in various sizes between 3.5 and seven-tonne GVW. Offered by a company that is said to be working on fuel cell transporter vans in association with AE

Driven Solutions (AEDS), the Q-Light offers a payload of up to 3,400 kg depending on the version chosen. Available in both manual and Hi-Matic automatic transmissions, the Q-Light plug-in hybrid panel van is supported by years of experience of Quantron, which presents not just new e-vehicles but also undertakes the conversion of used and existing vehicles. The work of Quantron is made interesting by the fact that the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure has announced that it will support such electrification of vehicles with a grant of up to 80 per cent of the costs from July 2021. Planning to offer a panel van and flatbed in the case of the fuel-cell powered van, Quantron has announced that the vehicle will have an output of 100 kW for a 4.2-tonner and 147 kW for a 7.2 tonner. The range would depend on the customer’s chosen tank size and is to be between 300 and 500 km. The price for the model named Q-LIH2 yet to be announced, and the launch date yet to be revealed, the fuel-cell van should cost more than the plug-in hybrid van and pure-electric van on offer, which costs Euro 36,500 and above. The pure-electric van from the conversion company costs Euro 68,500 and above. Focusing on retrofitting existing models that will lead to further CO2 savings, as existing resources can be used, Quantron AG is keen to ensure that battery-electric and fuel cell drive systems complement each other as far as commercial vehicles are concerned. AEDS, a spin-off of the RWTH Aachen University, is helping Quantron,

which recently announced a 44-tonne fuel-cell truck with a range of 700 km and is scheduled to go into production from end of 2022, to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology for commercial vehicle production. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

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Iveco T-Way

Iveco has launched its T-Way off-road truck range with a host of technological features to increase productivity and efficiency. Team CV

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

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ompleting the new Way heavy range, Iveco, via a live digital event, has launched the new, heavy-duty T-Way off-road truck range in close succession to the introduction of new or upgraded S-Way, S-Way NP and X-Way. Building on Iveco’s long lineage of offroaders such as the Trakker, the T-Way has been designed to offer a combination of off-road performance, robustness and torsional rigidity, according to the company sources. Carrying over from its predecessors a high-resistance steel chassis with a 10 mm thick frame and with a ‘Rail Bending Moment’ at the top of the segment at 177 kilo-Nm, the new truck range has a front axle with a maximum capacity of up to nine tonnes. It has hub reduction on the rear axle as standard, and helps to maximise strength and performance. The new heavy-duty rear suspension system for tandem axles optimises vehicle weight and improves off-road performance with greater ground clearance and a better departure angle. Marking Iveco’s extraordinary off-road history, according to Luca Sra, Chief Operating Officer, Iveco Truck Business Unit, the new T-Way is powered by a 13-litre Cursor 13 engine, which develops

up to 510 hp. It thus exceeds Trakker’s performance by about 10 hp. For lighterweight configurations, it is also available with the Cursor 9-litre engine. Designed and engineered to replicate the ‘on-road’ success of the S-Way, the T-Way – designed to offer best-in-class performance in every off-road mission, could be also had with a 12- and 16-speed Hi-Tronix automated gearbox, which features new functions specifically intended for off-road mobility including a hill-hold function to help departure on steep slopes, rocking mode to help recover traction in slippery conditions, and creep mode for ultra-low speed when idling. For onroad usage, the truck range features Hi-Cruise system that enhances the transmission’s efficiency. It includes predictive gear shifting, predictive cruise control and an eco-roll function that uses the vehicle’s inertia when travelling downhill. With productivity and efficiency as the priorities, the T-Way offers a host of features to help it exceed the intended expectations. For instance, the truck range offers a new fuelsaving solution for missions that require an occasional allwheel-drive (AWD) capability with the use of hi-traction hydrostatic drive system. Fitted on 6×4 rigid and articulated models, the system, operating at speeds of up to 25 kmph, automatically activates itself to provide additional hydraulic front-wheel traction as per the need. Productivity, connectivity and flexibility Delivering significant benefits

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

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in terms of fuel consumption and payload compared to an all-wheel drive solution, the one on the T-Way is about much overall optimisation, including weight, CG and more. For example, the low kerb weight of the truck range has been reduced by 325 kg compared to the Trakker. It has been done with the new design of the tandem support on the rear axles, which is now a singlepiece casting component.

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Delivering all the power needed for traction and PTO, the T-Way has been fitted with an advanced ‘connected vehicle’ technology to further improve productivity, efficiency and reliability. With connectivity a key point with all new trucks, this one is equipped with a standard ‘Connectivity Box’. The ‘Connectivity Box’ provides telediagnostics and predictive maintenance. It also enables fleet managers

to remotely monitor all vehicles’ performance at all times, ensuring maximum efficiency. Incorporating Iveco’s ‘ON’ constantly expanding connectivity-enabled services portfolio to help maximise customers’ productivity and vehicle durability, as well as to minimise unplanned downtime, the T-Way range offers much flexibility. It is engineered to be the most conversion-friendly off-road truck!

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Offered with a wide range of drivelines for both rigid and articulated versions, the T-Way includes Partial Wheel Drive (PWD) on the 6×4 rigid and articulated as well as 8×4 rigid models. It also includes AWD on 4×4 and 6×6 rigid and articulated, as well as on 8×8 rigid versions. The all-wheel drive range has been extended with new 4-, 4.2 and 4.5 m wheelbase models, which can transport special loads with

no modification to the chassis. The new Hi-Mux electric and electronic architecture is compatible with the latestgeneration control systems. The new PTO line-up includes a new high-performance sandwich PTO that delivers up to 2,300Nm torque. This means that the truck range is compatible with many body types and conversions. Extremely versatilite in terms of the width and depth of the

range, and extensive choice of variants, the Iveco T-Way, according to Thomas Hilse, IVECO Brand President, makes a perfect truck for all types of bodies and vocational missions. It is designed with the ambition to set new standards in robustness, reliability, efficiency, handling, body-fitting flexibility and connected services, he mentioned. Stressing on the ‘T” in the name denoting ‘Tough’, Hilse averred, “We want to take

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // July 2021

international trucking into the future in this ‘off-road’ segment too.” Driver comfort and safety In terms of the cab, two versions of Tway are available – AD short cab and AT long cab with standard or high roof. The design has focused on functionality to facilitate the driver’s daily work. For instance, it includes a comfortable and ergonomic driver’s seat, together with a new-concept multi-function steering wheel. There are also a plethora of safety features, which exceed the typeapproval requirements. The new braking system of the truck range features EBS as standard. Full disc brakes are available on PWD models, and new Advanced Driving Assistance Systems are available across the range. Completing the renewal of our heavy Iveco

Commercial Vehicle July 2021 // www.commercialvehicle.in

Way range, which is now one of the freshest, richest and most innovative on the market, the T-Way makes ideal application for truck that work 90 per cent of the time on the road, and is capable of tackling the last mile off road to reach the job site. With flexibility as the hallmark, the truck, with an extensive choice of chassis, cab and axle variants, highlights robustness

and reliability in a wide variety of applications. With safety, comfort and efficiency of an on-road vehicle, the T-Way is made interesting with its ability to address markets with strict limits on total weight. It is therefore about payload driving productivity. In particular, the SuperLight version of the truck range delivers the highest payload in its class.

Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDIA JULY 2021

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