COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDIA OCTOBER 2022

CHeCk

tH e B O tt OM l IN e

Fighting Volatility

Inthe same month last year (October 2021), the CV industry was taking solace in the efforts to ensure a widespread vaccination campaign and mitigate the impact of the pandemic on operations. In a span of a year, that reoccurrence seems behind us, fingers crossed!

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editor Ashish Bhatia

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While scaling previous highs, the wish list includes registering high turnovers and turning net profitable with at least double-digit operating margins from high single digit at present. Inflation is built into the business and consumption volatility continues to weigh down in the near term as the biggest deterrent

The precautions continue and one keeps learning of the milder spikes in different parts of the globe wondering when a full stop will be put to it though. Having said that, the focus has shifted to other volatilities, frankly avoidable. Primarily of geopolitical nature, coupled with recessionary fears trickling in from the west. These concerns have pipped the pandemic as the new dominant wave of threat. From the Russia-Ukraine crisis to the China-Taiwan scare to the North Korea-Japan ‘dangerous’ nudge. The big question being are we already in the midst of World War Three (WWIII) and what will be the repercussions on growth prospects? Assuming these nations were to think of their business prospects, which is quite the priority, things shouldn’t blow out of proportion. But we don’t live in an ideal world do we?

The 16th Anniversary Issue special of Commercial Vehicle Magazine celebrates the CV industry in a welcome cyclical upturn. The industry is sparing no efforts to tap into the growth opportunity. From releasing, delayed CapEx cycles to meet the current growth projections, it is in parallel, accumulating the wherewithal for the long-term growth prospects. While scaling its previous highs, the wish list includes registering high turnovers and turning net profitable with at least doubledigit operating margins from high single digit at present. Inflation is built into the business and consumption volatility continues to weigh it down in the near term as the biggest deterrent.

There is a silver lining though. Growth prospects look strong for the M&HCVs segment. Technology be it gasification or electrification of the drivelines with a bundled value-addition suite is winning back customer confidence. The attempt to build greater transparency in the value chain and create an awareness on life cycle costs is having a positive bearing on the customer. With their growing range and tonnage per unit, threewheelers are pushing the four-wheeler cargo segment to upgrade too and stay relevant. The pickups have attained a two-tonne capability while the SCVs are comfortably pushing towards the 1.5-tonne mark.

The play on embracing new technology continues at a rapid pace when compared to the long product development life cycles of the past. The industry is pushing to become a manufacturing hub and is buoyant on export prospects too. For the end consumer though, the price hikes, in the short term, could push up the initial acquisition margins. The total Cost of Ownership over this journey will be crucial for decision making. As Team CV, we thank you for your continued patronage and hope you enjoy this lineup put together for an actionable read!

Ashish Bhatia ashish@atashishbhatia.com a.bhatia@nextgenpublishing.net

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Editor Ashish Bhatia

Bhatia

Going Beyond Conventional: Euler Motors entered the

segment as a

OTUA For Cargo Delivery:

is offering sustainable mobility solutions.

Reimagining A Meaningful Business: In an industry talk session with Satish Sharma.

Tipping Point: In an industry

session with Sandip Chakroborty.

Montra Electric Auto: The growing electric three-wheeler segment continues to draw interest.

Tyre Priorities And Prospects: Against the backdrop of a new CV tyre range launch.

Doing the Nation’s Heavy Lifting with Tata Motors: Founded in 1979 by the late

Piaggio People Movers: CNG continues to be the mainstay for

rickshaws.

OSM Stream: Omega Seiki Mobility has launched its electric people-mover.

ensuring energy security

The Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Heavy Industries, Krishan Pal Gurjar met with the German delegation led by the Minister of Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society of the Free state of Thuringia, Germany, Wolfgang Tiefensee. In the bilateral meeting, the focus was on synergies between India and Germany deemed crucial to

the area of green hydrogen. The work on multiple aspects here was hailed as crucial for India’s energy security. The two nations are synergising on Research and Development (R&D) in the areas like exploring alternate EV battery chemistries like sodiumion and aluminium-air etc. It also extends to the development of a robust supply chain of

Warranting occupant safety

In the wake of the recent road accident involving the unfortunate demise of industrialist Cyrus Mistry, the country has realised the importance of occupant safety and is pursuing it with renewed vigour. With Union Minister Nitin Gadkari among other senior stakeholders of the industry calling it a personal loss, the road safety blueprint of the country is underg scrutiny. Among the mandates for passengers is the compulsion to fasten rear seat belts effective November 01 in cities like Mumbai. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are required to look at alert systems in the wake of

rear earth metals like nickel and cobalt. The Indo-German Green Hydrogen Task Force will explore cooperation on fronts like production, utilisation, storage and distribution of green hydrogen. The two nations will build enabling frameworks for projects, regulations and standards, trade and joint R&D projects.

a passenger failing to secure the seat belt akin to the systems installed for the front passengers. This comes on the close heels of the Government mandating the installation of six air bags which is the case for the export models. Seat belt reminders or alarms will be required in the M and N category vehicles, with an audio-video warning if the seat belts, including the rear ones, are not worn, according to the draft proposal with effect October 01, 2023. There will also be a speed alert system to detect excessive speeding and a manual override for the central locking system.

New SIAM office bearers

The Executive Committee of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the industry’s apex body, elected Vinod Aggarwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Ltd. (VECV) as the new President for 2022-23. He succeeds Kenichi Ayukawa san, Executive Vice Chairman and Whole Time Director, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. who completed a successful term involving the two pandemic marred fiscals. After taking over as SIAM President, Aggarwal said, “We are grateful to the

government for its constant focus on improving the infrastructure through significant investments and such policies that modernise this industry. I am humbled by the opportunity to contribute

to the new era of Amrit Kaal, working closely together with the SIAM members.” The new office bearers also include Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., as the Vice President for 2022-23.

Satyakam Arya, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) was elected as the Treasurer. President, Sunjay kapur, Auto Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) will continue as the President for the next year.

Olectra supplies e-buses to APSRTC

Olectra Greentech Ltd. has supplied 10 electric buses to Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). These buses were flagged off by Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy from the Alipiri depot. Supplied under the

Fame-II scheme, these buses will be operated on a Gross Cost Contract (GCC)/OPEX model basis for 12 years. As per the deal to supply 100 such buses, Olectra Greentech will undertake the maintenance of these 36-seater buses. 50 of these buses will ply on the Tirumala–

Tirupati ghat road, while the rest will ply to Nellore, Kadapa and Madanapalle offering inter-city service. Equipped with CCTV cameras and USB sockets for each seat, these e-buses are claimed to travel an estimated 180 km on a single charge.

DICV partners with IIT Madras Incubation Cell

Daimler India CommercialVehicles

Pvt. Ltd. (DICV) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) to set up a technology epicentre for identifying mid to longterm solutions necessary for the future of mobility. Under this MoU, DICV will identify, mentor and provide opportunities to Indian technology start-up companies who will work towards finding futuristic solutions for the Indian mobility space, in the years ahead. Satyakam Arya, the Managing Director and CEO of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said, “DICV’s partnership with IITMIC is a watershed moment because this collaboration is based on a common belief that technology should be created and leveraged to transform the marketplace and not just product offerings.” The focus will be on all

aspects like decarbonisation (Electric, Hydrogen), Road safety (ADASbased safety technologies), Efficiency (Autonomous, connected vehicles, Data Analytics), Ecosystem creation (Truck as a Service “TaaS”) and even preparing the industry for paradigm shifts in supply chain and logistics, manufacturing, product development, software-driven vehicle architectures, ESG and other allied areas.

Isuzu Motors turns 10

Isuzu Motors India Private Ltd. (IMI) recently turned 10. To mark a decade of its Indian operations, IMI will produce and deliver 25,000 vehicles in FY22-23. The celebration also marked the company’s first formal get-

together after the pandemic period. On the occasion, Wataru Nakano, Managing Director, IMI averred, “India is very important to Isuzu and will serve as one of the important manufacturing hubs, globally.” The 10th

3S BharatBenz touchpoint in leh

DICV inaugurated a new BharatBenz Sales, Service, and Spare parts (3S) touchpoint in Leh, Ladakh. This 1000 sq. ft. ‘PAL Trucking’ facility is BharatBenz’s highest-altitude 3S facility in the country, located on the Manali-Leh highway. It is strategically located to reduce service time and thus achieve greater vehicle uptime.

Rajaram Krishnamurthy, Vice President, BharatBenz Marketing, Sales and Customer Service said, “With this new outlet, our network footprint increases to 280 touchpoints.” Six well-trained technicians and two mobile service vans are at hand.

anniversary event had the right mix of leadership direction and motivation, employee recognition, key initiatives and performances that charged the bonhomie to take IMI to the next level of operations.

Anil Baliga is President EKA Mobility

EKA Mobility, a subsidiary of Pinnacle Industries Ltd. has appointed B Anil Baliga as the President. A skilled business leader and an industry veteran with 40-plus years in the automotive industry, he will lead the electric vehicle company’s expansion. He will be reporting directly to the Founder and Chairman of EKA, Dr Sudhir Mehta.

The erstwhile Executive Vice President of Bus and Applications, Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV), is credited with the setting up of the truck facility, transfer of technology, and capacity expansion. He also successfully established a bus manufacturing plant and led specific applications developed for commercial

First altigreen’s retail dealership

Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Higher Education, ITBT, Science and Technology, and Skill Development, Government of Karnataka, inaugurated the first Altigreen retail dealership in Bengaluru. He praised Magnum Ventures for their efforts in leading India’s Electric Vehicle (EV) transformation with its advanced commercial EVs, while also congratulating the new dealership. The commercial electric three-wheeler from the company recently completed a

150+ km intercity drive between Mysore palace and Bengaluru palace in about six hours on a single charge. Furthermore, the company recently announced a collaboration to launch the fastest charged three-wheeler while providing over 100 chargers in Bengaluru. Dealer and Channel partners were lauded as the catalyst for market expansion and as enablers of this envisioned growth journey. “We intend to expand to the top 40 cities in the next 6 months,” shared Dr

trucks in various segments at VECV. To further its emobility aspirations, EKA Mobility also announced its partnership with goEgoNetwork, a charging infrastructure provider, to provide a robust, efficient, compliant, and well-connected EV charging infrastructure that boast of advanced charging stations for its customers of public transportation.

Amitabh Saran, Founder Cheif Executive OfficerOficer, Altigreen.

vedanta Foxconn MoU with Gujarat Government

The Gujarat Government signed a Rs.1.54 lakh crore Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the VedantaFoxconn Group. Hailed as a significant development for the manufacture of semiconductor and display fab in the country, it had other states like Maharashtra rue the loss of the investment of this magnitude hopeful of drawing in the Group. Expected to boost the

economy and employment, it is expected to help create a huge ecosystem of ancillaries and in turn, help the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Pal hailed it as a significant investment to further the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision of the government. It is by far the largest investment in the semiconductor segment for the country as a localisation boost.

Leverage our preventive safety technology for reduced downtime and accidents

New BorgWarner plant

BorgWarner has inaugurated its second plant in Thiruvallur District near Chennai, India. The new plant provides extensive manufacturing, assembly and storage space. With the two sites known to operate in proximity, the company is expected to increase production efficiency and strengthen the company’s position in the region. The assembly of high-performance engine control and Variable Camshaft Timing (VCT) systems will be centralised in the new facility. It will also provide space for warehousing and shipping. “The current expansion was necessary; we needed the extra space to meet our increasing customer demand in India as a major local manufacturer,” said Pei Wang, Vice President and General Manager Asia, BorgWarner Morse Systems. With the opening of this plant, BorgWarner finds itself ideally positioned to meet the ever-growing business needs of the automotive industry, not only in India but also in the entire Asian market.

New Schwing Stetter touchpoint

Schwing Stetter India inaugurated a new service centre and spares outlet in Kalamassery, at Kochi, in Kerala. It is expected to support the increased availability of maintenance service, and repair works, and boost the ready availability of genuine Schwing spare parts. V.G Sakthikumar, Managing Director at Schwing Stetter India mentioned, “With this new service centre and spares outlet in Kochi, we believe that our customers would benefit through the maintenance and repair, as well as from our genuine Schwing parts which would be available at the outlet. The service centre also received its first work order and the first billing order for genuine Schwing spare parts as it got off to a start.

Al Logistix and Sun Mobility partner

AI Logistix has partnered with Sun Mobility. As part of this partnership, Sun Mobility and AI Logistix plan to deploy 500 loaders and electric two-wheelers till March 2023. The

plan is to add approximately 100 vehicles to the fleet every month with the initial deployment focused in Bengaluru and Hyderabad before expanding pan India. The

partnership between the two companies will offer intelligent and customisable solutions to address everyday two- and three-wheeler mobility challenges.

tata Motors synthetic engine oil

Tata Motors launched the 5W30 synthetic engine oil developed to boost the performance of the newgeneration BSVI diesel engines. The new 5W30 synthetic engine oil is claimed to have undergone extensive testing under varied and stringent conditions for over three years. Claimed to have been driven for more than 10 lakh

kilometres, clocking more than 35,000 hours at the powertrain testing facilities, it uses a rich combination of high-performance polymer with a state-of-the-art additive technology blended in group III base oil. On this occasion, Rajendra Petkar, President and Chief Technology Officer at Tata Motors said,

“Effective and efficient engine oil is one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways of reducing a vehicle’s carbon emissions.” The cumulative impact of such simple measures judiciously taken across all commercial vehicles plying on roads will result in an exponential improvement in carbon footprint reduction. Our team at the Engineering Research Centre (ERC) has been co-engineering and developing lubricant formulations in-house, while closely working with strategic partners from the field of additive manufacturing.

Source.One partner with Cargo exchange

Source.One partnered with Cargo Exchange, a real-time cloud-based transportation exchange platform. The partnership is aimed at improving the efficiency of their supply chain operations with the reduction of shipping

uncertainty. With the licensing of Cargo Exchange’s platform, the attempt is to tailor it to the needs of a Third Party Logistics (3PL) service provider. This will address issues such as the buyer’s inability to prepare

for unloading and schedule labour owing to a lack of vehicle tracking. It will also enable shipment tracking to be more accessible and exchange information with the buyers for better planning of labour, space and capital.

Continental tires expands footprint

Continental Tires opened a new commercial vehicles alignment centre in Jodhpur. The centre in a customer-centric approach will act as a brand experiential zone. Its USPs include the latest technologies, products, and services in an over 5000 sq. ft. expanse. The centre will offer services like tyre changers, wheel balancing, truck/bus wheel alignment, nitrogen inflators, and fully automated alignment. The centre will also display the all-new Continental commercial

vehicle tyres for sale. Pramod Vasudevan, National Sales Head

Truck Tyre, Continental India, said, “Commercial Vehicle Tires are a significant segment for us in India and we are continuously investing in offering superior products for our fleet customers. For example, we recently introduced Conti SupRim Technology™ across all our TBR ranges. This ensures superior life, and retreadability, and delivers lower cost per km for our customers.” The company is

also now continuously working on expanding our retail presence in the country.”

ecom express announces Group Insurance

Ecom Express will provide group personal insurance coverage to its delivery partners. In the event of any unfortunate occurrence ontrip, while delivering e-commerce parcels, comprehensive financial protection will be provided against expenses incurred due to injury, disablement or death resulting from accidental injury.

Those who use the ‘Ecom Sanjeev’ app. to access flexible earning opportunities across India will be automatically covered under the insurance policy. Besides accidental death, permanent total disability, permanent partial disability, child education, and medical expenses (OPD & IPD) among other coverage areas,

accidental insurance of up to rupees two lakhs are also on offer.

As per Ashish Sikka, Chief Strategy Officer, Ecom Express these costs can be dealt with the assistance of insurance coverage. The company will also be onboarding individuals who do not own any means of transportation.

GSt revenue inches higher

The gross GST revenue collected in the month of September 2022 stood at Rs.1,47,686 crore. In a further breakup, CGST stood at Rs. 25,271 crores, and SGST at Rs.31,813 crores. IGST has valued at Rs.80,464 crore (including ₹ 41,215 crores collected on the import of goods). Here the cess is Rs.10,137 crore (including Rs.856 crore collected on import of goods). The total revenue of the Centre and the States after regular settlements in the month of September 2022 is Rs.57,151 crore

for CGST and Rs.59,216 crore for SGST. The revenues for the month of September 2022 are 26 per cent higher than the GST revenues in the same month last year. This is the eighth month and for the seventh month in a row now, the monthly GST revenues have been more than Rs.1.4 lakh crores. The growth in GST revenue till September 2022 over the same period last year is 27 per cent. In August 2022, 7.7 crore e-way bills were generated, which was marginally higher than 7.5 crore

in July 2022. Notably, the month witnessed the second highest single day collection of Rs.49,453 crore on September 20, 2022, with the second highest number of 8.77 lakh challans filed, next only to Rs. 57,846 crores collected on July 2022 2022 through 9.58 lakh challans, which pertained to end of the year returns. September also saw more than 1.1 crore e-way bills and e-invoices, combined (72.94 lakh e-invoices and 37.74 lakh e-way bills) being generated.

dr Raghupati Singhania honoured with life time achievement

Dr Raghupati Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director, JK Tyre Industries Ltd. was conferred the prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement Award 2022’ at PHDCCI’s 117th Annual Session 2022. Celebrating India’s pursuit of self-reliance, the award was presented to Dr Singhania by Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. As a prominent industrialist, Dr Singhania is known to be highly tech savvy with a strong focus on innovation and has led transformation in each of his businesses. Known

for having pioneered radial technology in India way back in 1977, Dr Singhania, on receiving the award expressed, “I am grateful and honoured to receive this prestigious award. I am thankful to PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and jury members for conferring this honour on me. The award is a testament to JK Group’s efforts toward serving society with innovation and collaborative efforts. I would also like to thank my colleagues and industry partners for their support in our successful journey.”

veCv tops Fada dealership Survey 2022

Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV) topped the Federation of Automobile Dealerships Association (FADA) survey 2022 again. Undertaken in association with PremonAsia, a consumerinsight-led consulting and advisory firm based out of Singapore, the objective of the survey is to examine the health of the relationship between Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and auto dealers. Manish Raj Singhania, President, FADA said, “FADA’s Dealer Satisfaction Study 2022 continues to examine the health of the relationship between Auto Dealers and their OEMs post

the Covid-19 era. The overall improvements seen across all value chains demonstrate the significance of conducting this annual study in identifying and addressing relevant issues that are critical to strengthening the partnership between the two stakeholders. While we welcome the efforts shown by OEMs in improving key issues related to sales, delivery and after-sales, dealers continue to expect higher transparency in matters related to dealership viability and a fair and balanced business policy.

According to C S Vigneshwar, the involvement of dealer’s in OEM’s policy making and openness to direct inputs along with overall dealership viability remained the biggest concerns. Rajeev Lochan, PremonAsia, Founder and CEO said, “As post-Covid-19 business normalisation sets in, dealers are showing a shift in expectations with aspects related to sales &

delivery and after-sales (particularly warranty issues) assuming greater importance than 2021. While the improvements made by OEMs in these factors are encouraging, the expectations on dealer’s business viability and the role of regional sales & service teams in representing dealer’s voice back to the head office will be vital in the foreseeable future.” All the players in the CV segment have improved and VECV while maintaining its top slot has improved by 163 points over its last year’s performance, the highest by an individual OEM across the industry. In the CV Segment, dealers are concerned about ensuring viability and dealing with dead stock and inventory buyback by the OEM. Product dependability, reliability and range are areas of strength according to dealers. This is particularly important considering the shift to BSVI vehicles in the recent past.

Source: FADA Dealer Satisfaction Study 2022 in association with PremonAsia

RBI Repo Rate Hike

The Reserve Bank of India hiked the repo rate, the rate at which RBI lends money to commercial banks by 50 bps again. Taking into account the prevailing adverse global environment, resilience in domestic economic activity

and uncomfortably high inflation level, the policy repo rate was hiked by 50 bps to 5.40 per cent by RBI. This also brought about hikes in the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate adjusted to 5.65 per cent and the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 6.15 per cent. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to remain focused on the withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target going forward, while supporting growth, stated RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das. The central bank’s growth projection for the Indian economy for 2022-23 is projected at 7.0 per cent with Q2 at 6.3 per cent; Q3 at 4.6 per cent; and Q4:2022-23 at 4.6 per cent. Here risks are claimed to have been broadly balanced. The growth for Q1 of 2023-24 is

projected at 7.2 per cent.

“Against the current challenging global environment, economic activity in India remains stable,” stated the RBI Governor. “While real GDP in the first quarter of this year turned out to be lower than expectations, it is perhaps the highest among major global economies”, he added. On inflation, he opined, the global geopolitical developments are weighing heavily on the domestic inflation trajectory, he said. The RBI Governor also stated that monetary policy has to carry forward its calibrated action on policy rates and liquidity conditions consistent with the evolving inflation growth dynamics. It must remain alert and nimble, he mentioned. Inflation inched up to 7.0 per cent in August from 6.7 per cent in July.

CapaCity Utilisation in ManUFaCtUring

DAF XD bags IToY 2023

A jury of 24 editors and senior journalists from major trucking magazines across Europe who cover commercial vehicles selected the New Generation DAF XD series as the “International Truck of The Year 2023”. This decision is said to be based on several important factors, such as technical innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental footprint and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The jury members particularly lauded the performance of the XD’s brand-new, incredibly economical powertrains, which combine the PACCAR MX-11

MaN lion’s City e is Boty 2023

The MAN Lion’s City 12 E was chosen as the Bus of the Year 2023 by the International Bus & Coach of the Year jury. Claimed to have been impressed from the first test drive of the new MAN Lion’s City 12 E, its innovative design, high level of comfort, and quiet interior are known to have impressed the jury. Tom Terjesen, the Jury President, commented on the win, saying, “The

drivers’ cabin is one of the best on the market and with a high level of safety. From the first test drive up until the decision that MAN Lion’s City 12 E is the Bus of the Year 2023, the International Bus & Coach of the Year Jury felt positive about the vehicle. In 2020, the electric city bus’s aesthetically pleasing and ergonomic design earned it the if Gold Award too.

engines with the predictive ZF TraXon automatic gearboxes. The judge’s group was also impressed by the introduction of several brand-new, all-electric powertrains. International Truck of the Year (IToY) Chairman, Gianenrico Griffini said, “These features - along with the corner view camera and the optional digital vision system that replaces the traditional main mirrors –improve the safety of vulnerable road users in an impressive way.” Last year, the New Generation DAF XF, XG and XG series for the long haul and heavy transport was elected ‘International Truck of the Year 2022.’

First volta Zero e-delivery truck rolls off the production line

Volta Trucks, a fullelectric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, confirmed the rollout of the first Volta Zero at the company’s contract manufacturing facility in Steyr, Austria. Known to be the first

of a series of second-generation ‘Production Verification’ prototypes, it will be a part of a ‘Pilot Fleet’ of trucks. The company will let out these to customers for extended periods in late 2022 and early 2023 as part of a demo to allow fleet

operators to understand how the first purpose-built full-electric medium-duty commercial vehicle will integrate into their operations. The start of series production of customer specification vehicles is on track to start in early 2023.

First hydrogen powered snow groomer

The LEITWOLF h2MOTION, the first hydrogen-powered snow groomer in the world powered by an FPT internal combustion engine was produced by Prinoth, for the production of tracked vehicles and snow groomers, as part of the company’s 60th anniversary celebration. The new concept CV has a 13-litre, six-cylinder engine with the new FPT XC13 Hydrogen version. It produces 460 hp (338 kW) and 2,000 Nm of torque. The latter (new FPT XC13) is the first multi- fuel single-base engine and was unveiled at IAA 2022. The base engine has been designed with multiple versions

to offer maximum component standardisation, including diesel, natural gas, hydrogen, biomethane, and renewable fuels.

The hydrogen fuel is stored in five tanks mounted on the back of the machine for an indicative running time of more than three hours.

Biomethane Industrial Partnership

The European Commission (EU) through its Biomethane Industrial Partnership (BIP) initiative, a Public-Private Partnership aims to achieve the target of increased annual biomethane production. It aims to use up to 35 million cubic meters by 2030. Simultaneously, it will make a significant contribution to an integrated netzero energy system, diversifying farmer incomes and ensuring a

circular approach. Commenting on the BIP, Executive VicePresident Timmermans said, “Europe has huge potential for the production of biomethane. Biomethane creates new economic opportunities in rural areas. The BIP that we launch will be instrumental to increase the production and use of biomethane across the EU.” Scania AB is the cofounder of this partnership.

Californians contemplate banning ICE

In a bid to accelerate the transition to EVs, California could ban ICE-powered vehicles as early as 2035. This could have a ripple effect on other states that follow California standards. The regulators put in place a plan to restrict and ban the sale of gasoline cars. Looked at as the beginning of the end of the ICE-age, the restrictions proposed by California Air Resources Board, if allowed to come into force could see nearly

a third of the United States following suit. Notably, there are interim restrictions proposed too. By 2026, 35 per cent of the passenger vehicles sold must produce zero emissions; the number must climb to 68 per cent by 2030. Others call it “extremely challenging” to meet. It will ride on factors like inflation, charging ecosystem, supply chains, critical mineral availability and the pricing metrics.

OtUa FOR CaRGO delIveRy

Dandera Ventures, a startup into offering sustainable mobility solutions drove in the OTUA. Sumesh Soman looks at the electric three-wheeler cargo solution.

the last-mile mobility segment is witnessing the buyers forcing a transition. Traditional automotive companies are forced to think on their feet with new age startups disrupting the space. They are bringing in advanced technology with a promise of lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) that is best-in-class and at an affordable price with a suite of solutions to entice the buyer. Buyers on the other hand are looking to attain a net-zero emissions fleet by replacing the relatively lesser efficient vehicles. The unconventionally

built electric cargo three-wheeler OTUA attempts to meet this void. Dandera Ventures has priced it at Rs.3.5 lakh with the top variant priced at Rs.5.5 lakh (Ex-showroom) To make the deal sweeter, it is also offering the OTUA on a subscription lease basis. Kshitij Bajaj, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Dandera Ventures mentioned, “OTUA raises the bar for everything that last-mile delivery drivers and fleet owners have come to expect from a cargo EV. From world-class and industryleading driver ergonomics and safety to outright performance in

terms of range, volume, capacity.”

The very first glance differentiates OTUA from its peers, which is an outright win for the company. The unconventional yet contemporary, cohesive design n

@sumeshsoman

(L-R): Sarth Jain, Co-Founder, Kanav Manchanda, Founder and COO, and Kshitij Bajaj, Founder and CEO at Dandera Ventures.

Product Launch

The unconventional yet contemporary, cohesive design goes beyond a conventional electric threewheeler with a factory-fitted cargo body.

goes beyond a conventional electric three-wheeler with a factoryfitted cargo body. Unlike closed containers that seem a separate add on most three-wheelers in the same segment, this sets a new benchmark for docking bays going forward. The windshield is large and should give operators a panoramic view of the road. Right below the windshield, a black panel stretched across the apron houses the LED head lamps and indicators.

The side profile of the vehicle continues the single unit design with minimal joints. The look is more of a panel van from here. This design translates to a subone-tonne (900 kg) load payload carrying capacity. The vehicle will

KEy USPS OF thE OtUA thREE-WhEELER

SPECiFiCAtiOn

soon be available for retail purchase by individual drivers or owners in select markets across India to begin with ahead of expansion. The monocoque chassis houses a cabin that is air condition compatible and has an anti-tilt technology that ensures the safety of the vehicle, occupant and goods it is carrying. The OTUA cabin is 1960 mm long, 1450 mm wide and 1480 mm tall that can be quantified to a 183 cc volume to accomodate the payload.

DRiVEtRAin OTUA draws its load-bearing power from a 12.8 kW motor that runs on a 15.8 kWh Lithium-ion swappable battery. It is claimed to clock a range of 165 km on a single charge with a top speed of 55 kmph.

The vehicle is bundled with a driver and fleet management app. that lets the owner track the fleet. The application helps notify the owner about the run time, distance covered, repair and maintenance status, GPS navigation, Geofencing, and incident alert

functions to name a few. Dandera Ventures is a portfolio company of Xponents Venture Studio and is known to have raised capital from Xponents and its partners.

Sarth Jain, Founder of Xponents said, “The launch of OTUA marks a major step in Dandera’s journey to develop a complete ecosystem for the transition of last-mile delivery logistics to electric vehicles, serving the needs for both B2B and B2C logistics. The team at Dandera will continue to work on design innovation and development of new technologies for more efficient and widely usable EVs.”

Expecting the Indian last-mile delivery and logistics industry to turn into a USD five billion market over the next couple of years, the company is leveraging the government interventions through the FAME scheme that has brought along subsidies, favourable regulations, and policies, 100 per cent FDI approval, increased push for battery R&D, and an improved charging infrastructure.

MONtRa eleCtRIC aUtO

The growing electric three-wheeler segment continues to draw interest. Raghul Krishnan looks at the boxes ticked by the Montra Electric Auto from the Murugappa Group Company, T1 Clean Mobility.

the electric threewheeler segment has seen the biggest tipping point in recent times. The segment continues to grow and draw interest in both the people and cargo movers, especially the latter. Prima facie, the growing payload-carrying capacity, an extended travel range and the latest technology making its way to the segment, the prospects of a low acquisition cost and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) have the fleet owners reworking their math. The subsidy under the FAMEII scheme has only helped. Add to it, most fleet owners want to attain their

carbon neutrality goals by improving fleet efficiency. While CNG continues to be a strong option, the push for EVs has dominated thus far in FY23. EV sales constitute a major chunk of this segment with new entrants thinking out of the box.

A Murugappa Group Company, T1 Clean Mobility is a subsidiary of Tube Investments of India has also marked its foray into the segment. It is banking on its segment-first offerings in its maiden offering, Montra Auto. The company has worked to offer a new design language, powerful performance and robust build quality as per Arun Murugappan, Executive Chairman, Tube Investments

of India. On the sidelines of the launch, he said, Montra Electric’s three-wheeler will mark a new phase of growth and innovation for us. We’ve invested our best resources and time to develop this product and are excited to see customer reactions. The Montra targets the last-mile mobility needs and brings to the table distinct offerings at Rs.3.02 lakh (Ex-showroom post-subsidy 7.66 kWh) with a rollout of the ePV, ePV 2.0 and the ePX variants from the company’s Ambattur, Chennai facility and availability across 100 dealerships. To make the deal more lucrative, it is backed by a telematics suite, digital financing and 24by7 roadside assistance. The company

@rahulrengarajan

Product Launch

(L-R) ePV having soft roof (with conventional headlight) and ePX having hard roof (with LED), and boot space.

is set to launch the ‘My Montra App. expected to enable operators to track daily earnings, monitor battery State of Charge (SoC), and GPS etc. The app. will be made available in multiple languages for a wider user base.

new design langUage

For starters, Montra makes a good first impression with its contemporary design and premium finesse. It gets a well-designed front fascia that forces a second look in a segment where looks up until recent years were not given their due. The design approach has given way to PV segment-like design language. The heavy use of metal has given way to a clean front using new-age, lightweight materials. Divided into a windshield area in the upper half where a single arm wiper is assigned the duties and complemented by ORVMs ergonomically placed for wider coverage of blindspots. The lower half of the front fascia integrates seamlessly into the front wheel arch extending to the underbody

in a shade of ash black. The nose of the vehicle bears the Montra decals with a registration plate. It is flanked by headlamp clusters on either side with conventional halogen bulbs on the ePV and LEDs in the ePX. The placement of these lights is in a two-row arrangement over the conventional chrome housings synonymous with this segment. Overall, it gives the appearance of a body wrap that sits like a blazer over a waist court. Both the vehicles measure 2825 mm in length, 1350 mm in width and 1750 mm in height.

The Montra gets a hard rooftop inspired by the utility vehicles (ePV features the soft top) over the conventional canopy and the chassis relies on rugged Boron steel that bears the MRF tyres with a 3.75x12E 66 4PR dimension. Move over to the side, and it’s hard to miss the hexagonal cutout split into two halves: the driver cabin and the passenger seating. It gives a sneak peak into the generous use of modern upholstery once you get past the rear cabin doors. It also

reveals the stepney placed under the driver seat. The aerodynamic design and geometrical body work extend to the rear which is rather unconventional.

The rear body panels have a design schema of their own. The upper third makes way for seethrough glass. The middle houses a luggage rack flanked by circularshaped, flushed tail lamps. The lower thirds make use of fine lines protruding into the outermost panel. This layered approach hints at the focus on bodywork that helps the Montra stand out. It houses two reflectors on either side here.

KK Paul, MD, TICMPL elaborated, “Safety and endurance is our top priority, the Montra Electric three-wheeler is manufactured with superior materials, delivering complete peace of mind. This segment-leading performance is complimented with super comfort using double fork front suspension, a comfortable driver seat with better cushioning. It has all the space you need for driver and passenger with category-

defining boot space for luggage.” Montra also believes in telematics, which help the consumer to track important aspects on his/ her mobile. Montra’s 3W stands apart in the body design primarily focused on aerodynamics. A sleek designed mudguard which gels well with the body design.

Cabin walkthroUgh

Considering the huge wheelbase, ingress and egress are easy for both driver and passengers. The black dashboard extends the exterior design schema to the interiors. The digital centre console features

a 4.3-inch LCD display screen. It relays crucial metrics like battery charge, the temperature of the battery, the speedometer, the odometer and time. On the right hand side, a rotary switch enables the operator to switch modes such as the Park Assist (PA) which helps the vehicle move in reverse motion. Neutral (N), Economy (E), Drive (D), Power (P) are the modes to choose from. On the left hand side, a 12V charger, hazard switch and wiper buttons can be accessed.

The Montra can be manoeuvred using the handle-type steering with seven buttons and one rotary

switch. Cabin storage is available for the driver below the charging socket. An additional touch on safety and one of the first in the industry Montra has equipped the three wheeler with a handbrake placed on the right side. Montra offers 7D mats as standard which cover the driver, passenger boot section space. Seating ergonomics have been paid special attention too. All seats come in a dual tone colour scheme giving it a good aesthetic look. For good grip on rough roads the passengers get a grab rail.

the driVetrain

Montra is powered by a 48V Lithium-Ion battery pack that has a capacity of 7.66 kWh. It is claimed to producing a peak torque of 60 Nm and clock a top speed of 55 kmph. The company claims to offer 118 with a (+/-) five kilometres on the ePXrange. While the ePV 2.0 with its 10 kWh battery can clock an ARAI-certified 197 km range the ePV can clock 155 kms. The vehicle takes about four hours for full charge depending on the model opted for. The front suspension is made up of a double fork helical spring with the rear construction relying on a helical spring. Hydraulic drum brakes are assigned the braking duties. There is regenerative braking for charging on the go. The battery packs are claimed to be fire retardant.

Industry Talk

ReIMaGINING a MeaNINGFUl BUSINeSS

In an industry talk session, Satish Sharma, President of the Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), Apollo Tyres Ltd. and Chairman, Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), speaks to Ashish Bhatia on the need to reimagine a meaningful business.

Q. What is your broad-based analysis of the industry sentiment?

A. The industry has seen a fair amount of a rather tough period with challenges. We are definitely out of that cycle and have entered an up cycle now. From the time, the regulation on the axle load and before it the liquidity crisis, things were already challenging for the industry. Then came Covid-19. Now we see a revival of the economy and the up cycle forming for the CVs. Having said that, the expectation is that a V-shaped recovery will help the industry go back to a pre-pandemic level. I see it happening slowly in a gradual and organic manner. It’s taking its time and for the good in my opinion. It’s a far surer way and yes, everything points towards a recovery. All it leaves is the extent of recovery and the pace of it to be debated.

I must add that the recovery is a fractured mandate and various segments, for example, the people movers with the bus segment are back. A segment that suffered the most. If you compare it to the low base of the bus segment in Covid-19, yes it’s a V-shaped recovery. The tippers were always doing well. The multi-axles and Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles (M&HCVs) are now beginning to come around. It depends on which segment you are looking at, the market

you are looking at and so the shape of recovery is different for different segments.

Q. Are there any weak links in the value chain both upstream and downstream and do you see the stakeholders hand holding one another?

A. The value chain as such is a strong one. The weakest would be the raw material from a country standpoint. So from that perspective, our consumption is ahead by ~40 per cent of our production. Therefore, we are net importers and are left to deal with the vagaries of the exchange rate, the geopolitical risks, and the risk of natural disasters from flooding to draughts. So we are exposed to many of those risks. We are trying to offset it by focusing on the North-East, going beyond Kerala to try and produce Natural Rubber (NR). Everywhere, there are a whole lot of opportunities driven by changes that are happening. That is quite exciting.

More than hand holding, I would call the recent efforts as teamwork. There is a better openness and appreciation of each other’s concerns. Knowledge sharing that might benefit someone else has helped. It was a time when everybody said we are all in it together and will get out of it together. There was more empathy and listening. It all contributed to good teamwork and bonding.

there iS a better openneSS anD appreciation of each other’S concernS. KnowleDge Sharing that might benefit Someone elSe haS helpeD.

@atashishbhatia

The industry, despite being a very challenging period is looking at it as things of the past. We’ve benefitted from a lot of learnings with every member on board. The good part is that people are putting into practice, permanently, many of those learnings. As an industry, we have come out of the challenging period, a stronger unit than before.

Q. A word on the OEM and tier supplier contractual agreements. Are these designed to create a level playing field?

A. Finally, everything boils down to market forces. You can’t go against the law of nature. So if a certain market segment has leverage over another market segment that leverage will only play out. The context would be in which environment are you operating. If it’s an inflationary trend it plays out in a certain manner; a recessionary trend plays out in a certain manner. That’s the nature of the business. One can’t really change that. Everybody

is bleeding and while there is an understanding, you also need to show, what is it that you can do differently during these stressful periods. That’s what actually makes all the difference. The leverage that one has will always be there irrespective of the times, it’s only the tone and manner that perhaps might change.

Q. Are the projections of the automotive industry’s contribution to economic growth in the Amrit Kaal burdening or attainable?

A. The automotive industry in India has never disappointed. It’s been at the forefront of leading the economy. I think, the nature of geopolitics, the manner in which the world is playing out, it looks like India is the flavour. Recently, the Mckinsey CEO spoke of it being not only India’s decade but the century. A couple of other people have voiced a similar scale of optimism. I share that optimism. I think, if you connect the dots on what’s happening around the world, coupled with India’s

standing on the life cycle, from the maturing technology to the manufacturing progress to the organic strengths of digital technology, and getting to the intersection of the mechanical and the electronic world. All of these point towards a formation of momentum for India.

It’s not just the domestic market which in any case is very big, the address ability of Indian products is vastly improving by the day. Therefore Indian products will find favour around many markets of the world. It gives a positive sense. Also, Indian entrepreneurs have become more confident. They have stepped out, they’ve upped the technology game and built collaborations. The results of this are still ahead of us but one can see them in the making.

Q. What has been the direct impact of the government’s infrastructure impetus on the tyre manufacturers?

A. The government is absolutely right. When you build a road, the multiplier effect is always north of 10x. It is a very big multiplier force. It doesn’t happen instantly but it plays out over a period

of time. Naturally, the manufacturing industry is a sure beneficiary of this. Also, the government is impacting in more ways than one. It’s also pushing in a lot of regulations. These regulations in turn along with the growing and improving infrastructure are nudging the industry and as a result, merging it with the directions of the rest of the world. Even if manufacturers cry foul on the regulations accelerating the change, in hindsight, it always ends up making the industry stronger.

Q. How do you look at the pace of recovery at Apollo Tyres vis-a-vis the tyre industry?

A. It is at a pace slower than desired. While on a standalone basis you can make it look very good. It depends on your side, perspective and the lens with which you are looking at recovery. The automotive world at large broadly speaking is still pre-pandemic. The earlier highs in different categories have happened in different years of the past. One would think that the tyre industry domestically could have done better. The volatility of everything happening around it comes finally on all the components. From that perspective,

you always feel it could be better; you prepare for something to be bigger than what it actually turns out to be. Here, I must stress the fact that the volatility is huge. One month goes very good and makes you feel good followed by a slower month.

It’s a bit of a start-stop scenario with respect to the wider momentum that one expects and so a slightly slower pace than expected.

Q. How soon do you expect Apollo Tyres and the industry as a whole to scale past the prepandemic performance peaks?

A. That way we are scaling our peaks. Our quarterly turnovers are definitely the highest ever. But it’s also got some inflation built in. Prices have been raised. Even if I were to net out we are better than before. It’s just that in our understanding of the India growth story, we portrayed a far bigger scenario. So from an expectations perspective, the jump is not that big.

Q. Would you be able to assess the near-to-medium term sectorial outlook on a segment, tonnage basis by looking at the tyre consumption trends at large?

have done better finally given that as businesses, the inflation is borne by the end user.

Because we are absorbing the inflation of our supplier group into our products, to that extent, the cost is passed back to us. Many of these costs can’t be absorbed by us over a long period. We tried our best but we definitely hoped to do better. There is no case for rolling back the price hikes in the foreseeable future. And that is to do with a high single-digit operating margin. Even with some softening of prices, at best, one can hope for convergence. Our task is cut out. So maybe the period of raising prices might stop, and the effort will be to hold on to levels where we have reached so far. I do not see that happening either.

becauSe we are abSorbing the inflation of our Supplier group into our proDuctS, to that extent, the coSt iS paSSeD bacK to uS. many of theSe coStS can’t be abSorbeD by uS over a long perioD.

Q. Has the equation of domestic NR production vis-a-vis dependency on the import changed with the focus on the former? How long before we get to a level which could be an industry tipping point?

A. We do not track the market on a tonnage basis the way the OEMs do. On a tonnage basis, my sense is that the growth is much higher on a unit basis. We are carrying far higher tonnage on the same unit of a CV. The vehicles have grown; the number of axles has increased. While the axle load has reduced the units it is allowing greater tonnage per vehicle unit (~20-25 per cent higher tonnage). We don’t track that on a tonnage basis but it could be a higher proportion.

Q. Would you say operating margins have been and continue to be a concern area for the bottom line? How are you juggling the balancing act from an end consumer perspective?

A. The pressure on operating margins is huge.

Compared to a period of 17-18 per cent operating margins today we are on a high single-digit number. That’s quite a massive reduction.

Relatively, compared to the industry, given the strength of our products, our distribution and every value-addition, we are trying to do a better job than our peer group. On a standalone basis, we wish we could have done better. We should

A. We are yet to reach that point. The imports are of the same magnitude of 35-40 per cent. While the rubber tonnage has grown so has the Total Industry Volumes (TIV). The non-tyre application of rubber has gone up hugely during the pandemic. Be it allocation for PPEs, disposables etc. contributing to a higher proportion further skewing the equation. So imports continue to be a large portion. Of course, the efforts are there to create North East as a hub. But the rubber tree growing process is a long one. The rubber tree takes anywhere up to seven years before it becomes productive. So one starts with experimentation and then with the whole ecosystem. So North East does contribute to rubber procurement and it is moving in the right direction. The Indian tyre companies are contributing a lot towards this effort but still a long road ahead before we reach any tipping point.

Q. A word on pursuing your contribution towards a circular economy using more alternate, and sustainable input raw materials?

A. Year-over-Year (YoY) there is an improvement. The serious part of the circular economy though is still to kick in. Going forward also it will

improve on a YoY basis as we move towards our internally set targets which are very ambitious, and audacious. The usage of sustainable materials from hereon is set to exponentially increase. It is still early years in that journey.

Q. What is the business contribution of the segments you are present in including the one’s that you have recently entered? Any white spaces as a full range player?

A. We do not just look at Apollo Tyres as a full-range player but as the freshest, smartest, youngest player with the potential to displace many other peer members from the positions that were holding onto. We are looking very good on the range aspect and from a perspective of securing our right to win in various categories.

Q. How are you complying with the new standards for the tyre industry? Will this compliance come at a price that may have to be passed on to the customer?

A. We welcome regulations because it is nudging the industry to merge with the developed

world. For example, the star labelling regulation is making the consumer more informed on his purchase journey. In the voluntary phase of trials, we already brought in 5-star rated tyres in passenger cars and light truck tyres. It allows us to differentiate ourselves. Of course, there are challenges with respect to the testing infrastructure which wasn’t there earlier. With the formation of the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) and National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX), the government has done a lot and they are trying to make sure that all the investment that has gone in, it starts to give returns through enhanced testing in its early days. We need to overcome the teething issues as an industry.

Q. How has the focus on digitisation at Apollo Tyres shaped up from fronts like sales to manufacturing against the backdrop of a new hub inaugurated in the UK?

A. A lot happening on that front as one of the levers of attaining our vision. Both from a top line as well as margins growth perspective. Every

aspect as you rightly said is being touched by it from procurement to the dealerships and the end user life cycle. Whether its the efficiency of our processes in the plant and elsewhere. It has extended to connectivity and capturing data and learning to leverage that big data for actionable, business insights on the road to improvement. In addition to preparing new business models altogether to be able to tackle the future differently. We are hopeful of learning and enhancing our capabilities.

Q. What are the current utilisation level trends across your plants today?

A. On a Month-over-Month (MoM) basis, this keeps changing. 85 per cent would have been a fair figure for the first quarter (Q1-FY23) with it dropping a little to align with seasonality like monsoons. We are hopeful of getting back up there.

Q. Given these volatilities would it be fair to assume that CapEx cycles would be postponed?

A. Definitely. We have invested for our immediate growth with the current focus on sweating the assets and digitalising the ecosystem among other priority focus areas. So there is a case to not just up the utilisation but within that utilisation to be able to de-bottleneck and to change the approach and be able to sweat higher than normally.

Q. How have exports fared in comparison for the company? Does the government’s push on signing FTAs with target export markets help in giving it a push?

A. The government is working on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in a very judicious manner. They are consulting the industry and at the end of the day, it is a give-and-take equation. The government is well seized on which sector it can negotiate for and what is in the best interest of our country. They have sought audience from us when needed where we have put across our points of view. We trust the government to make the right calls in the best interests of the industry and the nation as a whole.

Q. Compared to OE sales how big is the used PV

and CV market opportunity for Apollo Tyres and the tyre industry as a whole?

A. From category to category that opportunity varies. In a CV that replacement cycle is quicker; in the case of cars, it’s four to five years.

Q. What is the focus on strengthening service offerings as a strong non-core revenue stream?

A. Yes, the service aspect is increasing. While surveying the market a few days back, we met up with our CV zones Head. He was looking at a 4x growth in two years and much of it was attributed to service. From front-end load to being able to sell the tyres. That was quite refreshing to see how the market orientation is beginning to change. With the BSVI and technology-embedded products, service orientation comes to the fore organically. We are equipping our network to be able to deal with it, to empower them. Going about differently, we, therefore, have the largest service network. The objective is to look at doing things differently with the so-called sales network and the service network.

Q. To sum up, how resilient, diversified and future-ready is Apollo Tyres?

A. Apollo Tyres is inherently emerging as a strong player even if I may say so myself. The point is not to sit on our laurels but to use the tools at our disposal to be able to reimagine the business. It entails a capability-building period, a whole lot of experimentation and calls for high levels of innovation. So while we are very strong on the earlier pieces of the way business operated that was about a product, traditional network or traditional sourcing we have to reinvent on all the fronts to do things differently. There are areas where we could be ahead of the curve and in other areas a laggard. There could be other fronts where we find ourselves re-experimenting and re imagining. It’s exciting times with the best part being that it is a great leveller for every company. We believe in our strengths and we do believe that we can create a much more meaningful business as compared to what we’ve achieved so far. Therefore we hope to get stronger, better, more agile, more humble and more customer-centric. Marrying to the volatility is both exciting and stressful on a lighter note.

So while we are very Strong on the earlier pieceS of the way buSineSS operateD that waS about a proDuct, traDitional networK or traDitional Sourcing we have to reinvent on all the frontS to Do thingS Differently.

Industry Talk

tyRe PRIORItIeS aNd PROSPeCtS

Against the backdrop of a new CV tyre range launch, Samir Gupta, Managing Director of Continental Tires talks to Sumesh Soman about the industry sentiment, priorities and future prospects.

Q: What is the approach of launching the new CV tyres range and how did the project come into being?

A: The first link is how its aligned with the initiatives taken by the Indian government. The priority is safety and then comes rolling resistance, wet grip and noise as the other focus areas. There is quite the action in the industry with the fifth generation Internet (5G) being rolled out, and sustainability at the centre of it all. Continental, as a brand, is very much aligned with the movement and these products are following suit.

Q: How are the CV tyres expected to standout?

A: The CV tyres come with factory-fitted sensors. They are smart tyres that have sensors embedded and meant for working 24by7. They provide information to the drivers regarding inflation of the tyre; it can also be connected to GPS and help locate the vehicle

the proDuctS that have been launcheD toDay are very much compatible with ev proDuctS aS they are with ice proDuctS.

by fleet owners, remotely. This helps the driver and the fleet owners in taking better decisions before the tyre deflates. Real-time health status is also available, this includes air pressure, tyre temperature, wear and tyre information to name a few. Globally, these features have helped in extending the life of tyre by 20 per cent and reduction of fuel consumption by three per cent.

Q: How does the brand expect to evolving in the future?

A: We are already using Taraxagum in the bicycle series derived from the botanical name for the dandelion. It is dandelion rubber that will be used and experimented with to

explore further use cases and how it fits into the mix instead of synthetic and natural rubber. Apart from that, we are using recycled PET to produce the polyester that is being used in our products. These are the directions that point straight at sustainability and that is the future as well.

Q: What are the strengths of the Modipuram plant?

A: It is not a very big plant, we started producing Passenger and Light truck (PLT) tyres, precision car tyres and Truck and Bus Radials (TBRs) in 2014. Since then we are investing in the plant to bring up the capabilities and competency of the plant. Bringing these new products is a part of that initiative, recently the capacity of the plant has been increased to 15 per cent for the PLT tyre production. And we are still evaluating further investment opportunities. The plant is capable of manufacturing both CV and PV tyres.

@sumeshsoman

(From left) Samir Gupta, Managing Director of Continental tires

Q: What does the pan-India reach of the brand look like?

A: From the market perspective, we have closed to 200 image shops. They can sell tyres of other brands as well but predominantly sell Continental tyres. These shops are focused on consumer experience and essentially give a touch and feel of the product. More such centres will be considered to expand the footprint of the brand across the country.

Q: Where does the brand stand when it comes to EVs?

A: The products that have

talk

there iS quite the action in the inDuStry with the fifth-generation internet (5g) being rolleD out, anD SuStainability at the centre of it all.

been launched today are very much compatible with EVs as they are with ICE products. One has to understand that an EV tyre is subject to a lot of instant torque, thus the tyre should

be able to withstand that for years. Moving further, an EV tyre should be less noisy as compared to an ICE tyre because an ICE vehicle has the sound of the engine that masks the tyre noise. And then comes rolling resistance where the tyres have to have a better coefficient of drag. The tyres that have been launched have been put together after taking into consideration these parameters. So, not only are these products compatible with EVs, the future products will also be EV fine-tuned for an optimal performance.

Industry Talk

tHe tIPPING POINt

In an industry talk session, Sandip Chakroborty, Managing Director, JCBL Ltd. speaks to Ashish Bhatia about the positive growth outlook for the tipper segment.

Q. Take us through the teething issues faced since the company set out to build the tipper business?

A. The tipper business is majorly dependent on the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) business since they control the chassis sales. In India, it is mostly sold as a fully built vehicle. To produce consistent volume, you need to align with major OEMs of the country. It is also vulnerable to highly volatile steel prices (more so recently). One must be very efficient in the production process as the

margins are thin and profits are controlled by the major commercial vehicle manufacturers in a highly price-sensitive industry. A strong Research and Development (R&D) and Design Centre with continuous value engineering is the key to success.

Q. Give us a snapshot of your production volumes over 2020-21 and Year-To-Date (YTD) 2022.

A. In 2020-2021, our volumes dropped because of the pandemic.

We went from 4000 units in 20182019 to 2100 units in 2020-2021. However, the market is looking very positive since the last quarter of 2021-22 and this year 2022-23, we hope to achieve volumes of more than 6000 units. We have already breached the 1400 mark as of July 2022 and the future projections are in line with our plans.

Q. How have sales fared in comparison and what has been the capacity utilisation over these quarters?

@atashishbhatia

INdUStRy talk

one muSt be very efficient in the proDuction proceSS aS the marginS are thin anD profitS are controlleD by the major commercial vehicle manufacturerS in a highly price-SenSitive inDuStry.

A. As mentioned, the outlook is quite positive, and we are at more than 80 per cent of our current capacity utilisation. To advance this, we are creating an additional production capacity by adding another 50,000 sq. ft. of production space. The new facility is expected to be up and running in the third quarter of this year (Q3-2022).

Q. How are you balancing the need

for customisation in the tipper and tip-trailer segment with the need for standardisation?

A. We constantly focus on R&D. This has been the core of our identity as well as our growth strategy since 1989. We have an in-house R&D Centre (approved by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)) which enables us to engineer innovative mobility solutions. With it, we can ensure the highest quality, efficiency, and profitability for our customers. Along with this, our design team is constantly working and innovating as per the feedback received from the market and the OEMs we work with. There are many sub-segments within the tipper segment based on application. We are continuously working towards optimising the weight and capacity by persistently improving our design and with the use of alternate material grades.

Q. How are you aligning with OEM

specifications?

A. We must fully or completely align with the OEM specifications. The designs are primarily validated by our R&D team, then the final product goes through stringent quality checks before reaching the final customer. At this stage also, the product goes through the process of revalidation.

Q. What are the payloads to body weight ratios that you cater to?

What is the body type on offer at JCBL across tippers and tip trailers?

Where is the maximum traction coming from?

A. We manufacture from 10.5 cu.m. capacity to 29 cu. m. capacity tippers that go into vehicles from the 19-tonne up to 48-tonne. Our core strength is in delivering higher capacity tippers. We hold the largest share of business for an OEM for the 29 cu. m. capacity variant. We manufacture both box type and rock bodies in tippers. For box type, we manufacture bodies from 10.5

cu. m. to 29 cu. m. capacity. In rock application, we produce 14, 16, and 19 cu. m. capacity. In tip trailers, we produce from 28 cu. m. up to 42 cu. m. capacity for different applications. We use mild steel to highly wearresistant grades of steel to suit the requirement. The major volumes come from the box segment which is used in construction and for carrying aggregates. However, the rock applications are also starting to pick up with the mines opening up.

Q. How does the cyclicity impact your business?

A. It does. To protect ourselves, we are trying to maximise our volumes in the peak months. We are also entering into other segments of fabrication. We have completed two defence contracts and we have also bagged three major contracts with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). We are planning to enter the railways business in the near term. All this helps to minimise the impact of

the cyclicity and seasonality of the commercial vehicle segment.

Q. Do you see a trend for compact and mini tippers growing beyond current levels?

A. We are seeing the tipper market move towards higher capacity variants. We were the first to develop the 29 cu. m. box for an OEM and the demand for it has been rising since then. There is a significant shift from 6x4 to 8x4 and 10x4 tippers.

Q. What is the Total Industry Volume (TIV) across segments on a tonnagewise basis?

A. TIV for trucks in the first quarter of FY23 (Q1-FY23) was around 76,000 units in the M&HCV segment. The tippers contribute almost 20 per cent to it followed by haulage and tractors with eight per cent and 12 per cent respectively. The TIV for M&HCV is forecasted to grow by 17 per cent for FY23 led by Tippers, ICV and MAV. The truck TIV is expected to be around 2,65,000 units with a 23 per cent contribution by the tippers.

Q. How have recent government interventions helped the segment? Was there a direct bearing on the business?

A. The central government is rapidly improving and increasing the road infrastructure in India. The massive budgets are not only for roads but for ports as well. The key indicators that reflect the improved government expenditures are cement sales going up by 16 per cent. Steel consumption is up by 11 per cent, coal production is up by 31 per cent and most importantly the freight rates are up by 22 per cent.

Q. How has the R&D centre at the company contributed to the business gained?

A. Our in-house R&D Centre is approved by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research

we were the firSt to Develop the 29 cu. m. box for an oem anD the DemanD for it haS been riSing Since then. there iS a Significant Shift from 6x4 to 8x4 anD 10x4 tipperS.

(DSIR). This enables us to engineer innovative mobility solutions that can supply the highest quality, efficiency, and profitability for our customers. Along with the design team, the R&D Centre is innovating new and efficient products leading to new business.

Q. What are the manufacturing and assembly capabilities across the Northern and Southern establishments? How frugal is the engineering?

A. The current capacity of the Chennai plant is 500 units per month with state-of-the-art machine shops, weld shops and paint shops. We are further expanding and adding another 50,000 sq. ft. to the already existing 1,00,000 sq. ft facility. This will increase the overall capacity to 700 units per month. The North Unit at Lalru, Punjab has a current, annual capacity to produce 2,000 tipper units. It caters to major CV OEMs and we are targeting an expansion capacity for 4,000 tippers by 2023. We are following Quality Management Systems (QMs) and Lean Manufacturing practices for better resource utilisation and higher output.

Q. Have you had to revisit operating economics against the backdrop of an inflationary trend? Did you have to pass on hikes to the customer?

A. The key to survival in this highly competitive and price-sensitive segment is to achieve operating efficiency. This is a continuous process, and we encourage Kaizen activities throughout the organisation. The hike cannot be passed on to

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customers in its entirety. Therefore, we need to absorb a part of it. However, with softening of raw material prices our margins are expected to improve in the near term.

Q. What are the export aspirations and use cases in global markets that are of interest to the company?

A. We are very keen to enter the export market directly. Currently, we are catering to markets like Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and some of the African markets through our principals. We are waiting for the international markets to recover to launch our products under our brand name.

Q. Is there a retro fitment market given the high volumes of used CVs?

A. As the wear and tear of the rock bodies in the mining segment is high while the chassis has a longer life cycle; we do offer a replacement. There is a potential for after-sales in tipper bodies which needs to be explored. However, the high logistic cost limits the replacement coverage to markets that are in proximity to our plants.

Q. Will the scrappage policy have a bearing on business? What is the life cycle of a tipper body across road construction, and mining segments for example? Have you studied customer use cases that you can share with us?

A. The impact of the scrappage policy is yet to be felt in our industry. However, I am sure going forward it will create a huge demand for the industry. The tipper bodies for construction have a life cycle of more than 10,000 hours. Due to the rugged application, the mining tipper bodies cannot survive for more than 6,0007,000 hours.

Q. How are you underlining safety from the perspective of the factorybuilt vehicle compared to retrofits?

VehiCle

A. The tipper bodies supplied by us to OEMs for fully built (factory built) go through the IS standards and undergo various design analysis. They are also ARAI/equivalent certified. This is not the case with retrofits which are majorly in the unorganised sector and seldom follow norms.

Q. Who are your tier suppliers and ancillaries? How key is their contribution to the finished product and how are you hand-holding them?

A. Our major tier suppliers are in the machined parts, electrical, hydraulic kits and paints segment. They are reputed brands which are approved by major commercial vehicle manufacturers. The other smaller ancillaries are helped by regular audits, encouraging them to upgrade their technology and thereby improving efficiency and ultimately reduction in their cost of manufacturing. We provide them with better forecasting and scheduling to minimise their inventory cost etc.

Q. Any value-adds for the segment to make it an attractive value proposition?

A. We are working on lighter-weight U-shape designs with alternate grades to improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle. This gives better payloads and has a longer life cycle with reduced operational costs. The kind of designs that are being used in US and European markets.

Q. Will you float a new unit for cleaner mobility solutions like electric tippers? How do you plan to tackle this emerging sub-segment?

A. As we are into the fabrication of tipper bodies, we will continue to innovate. Our bodies will be needed even if it is an EV or any other alternate engine and will be these will be optimsied for operator benefit.

Q. How are you contributing to the industry’s need for low TCO and quicker TAT as a key stakeholder?

A. We are constantly innovating and working on new efficient designs such

as lightweight U-shape designs, for example. More efficient designs will not only yield a longer life cycle but also reduce operational costs. It’s a continuous endeavour to have good TAT. It not only helps us to increase effectiveness but also helps strengthen our relationships with the industry.

Q. To sum up, what are the growth and challenge areas for the foreseeable future?

A. The industry outlook for the overall M&HCV sector is looking incredibly positive, especially for tippers. The government initiatives in terms of infrastructure improvement, scrappage policy, roads and ports network etc. will further boost the industry. The challenges are due to the highly volatile raw material prices and the resultant increases in other input costs. The pandemic has also caused reverse migration among skilled labourers, so retaining them is going to be a challenge. To mitigate some of it, we are looking at semi- and full automation of some of our processes.

GOING BeyONd CONveNtIONal

Euler Motors entered the three-wheeler segment as a disruptor. Sumesh Soman looks at the unconventional introductions like the Euler HiLoad electric three-wheeler aimed at the last-mile.

at first glance, the Euler HiLoad looks like the big sibling of Small Commercial Vehicles (SCVs) out there. The commanding stance in a raised three-wheeler chassis and its capabilities compel the aspiring fleet operator to think twice before looking at a fourwheeler cargo solution as an alternative. it can be attributed to the 0.650-tonne load deck.

With most four-wheeler options offering a rated payload capacity at par and going upto 1-1.5-tonne only recently, the Euler HiLoad as an EV option blurs the lines between what a three-wheeler and four-wheeler cargo solution can offer to the operator. This feat of matching the four-wheelers or at least the brevity of its atttempt is a feat in itself for Euler Motors. While the company looks at a facelift in the near term, the current generation of Euler HiLoad EV has a lot going for itself. At an estimated Rs.4,03,987 (Ex-showroom, Delhi) for the top variant, the Hiload Delivery Van (DV) measures 3400 mm long, 1460 mm in width, and 2100 mm in height. It has a 2200 mm wheelbase and offers a 300 mm ground clearance in an attractive, value for money packaging.

We took the Euler HiLoad to Surajkand, six kilometres from the main arterial road that connects

Badarpur to Surajkund. Driven out of the Euler Motors Badarpur facility, the vehicle was received at an adjacent open space where we could test the vehicle both on tarmac and on lose soil to test its

off-road capability. The HiLoad tips the scales at 1.4-tonne (1413 kg).

A closer look at the front fascia confirms a tastefully built SCV with inclusions that add to its utilitarian streak and are in line with its

@sumeshsoman

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objective to offer a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

thE DESiGn AnD ARChitECtURE

A look at it from a point blank range reveals the Euler badging. It is integrated into the front fascia at the centre of the body cladding.

This runs right across the front apron to either ends just below the windshield. This badging is flanked by a combination of halogen projector headlamp units and LEDs on either side. The black and white colour scheme lends it a retro touch yet makes it attractive enough as a

contemprorary product offering. The requirements of the operator looking for an able last-mile, electric three-wheeler option as a graduation to the next level of enterpreneurship comes to an end here. Be it dawn or at sunset, no matter the topography, the Euler HiLoad comes across as promising with its pros and cons.

The appeal of the vehicle continues to draw you in even when moving over to the side. The door decals scream out its electric capability and an ‘Arc Reactor100’ technology patented by the company. This is quite the industry-first feature to watch out for. Keeping the rear largely conventional, it has a design housing LED tail lamps on either corners. From here, one also gets a sneak preview of its departure angle that is home to a stepney placed right underneath the loading bay. For operators considering the HiLoad, the loading bay can be configured in four ways: Delivery Van (DV), Pick-up Van (PV), Flat Bed (FB) and High Deck (HD). Each specification is claimed to have

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been thoughfully considered to meet the operator needs in a custom approach.

DRiVER ERGOnOMiCS AnD U tiLitiES

Slip into the driver cockpit and it doesn’t take long to realise the enhanced on-road view courtesy of a wider windshield compared to the segment’s conventional offerings. This aids the driver with an enormous field of vision. The Euler Motors, Project Manager, Pranav Khanna, at this stage also accompanied me on the drive. He drew my attention to considerations while offering such segment-first enhancements. He opined, “Most commercial vehicle accidents or mishaps take place during the night drives.

Of these, 80 per cent of the time, an accident is attributed to obstruction of vision.” The A-pillars play a crucial role here. The thinner A-pillar in the architecture has provided room for extending the driver field of vision. This while still keeping

intact the structural integrity. It offers a front crumple zone designed as crucial to shielding the occupant in the case of a head-on collision. No wonder then, Euler Motors left no stones unturned. The upcomming facelift is expected to better the proposition even further.

An off-set instrument console is placed on the dashboard along with two cubby holes. Out of the two, one is lockable and comes along with a mobile clamp on the steering for driver convenience. It also has an integrated charging USB port. On the plus side, seating is ample for a driver, but not that generous to accommodate a codriver. It will instantly make the cabin hemmed. Building on passive safety measures, the cabin features an onboard fire extinguisher. The driver can take solace from a bottle holder placed adjacent. The narrow openings to the window flaps and lack of aircon (HVAC) could make summers sultry, especially up North where we rode it. For the first generation, the cabin is quite spartan, creature comforts are far and few, which is something that vexed me a little. You are forced to sit in an erect position which can be strenuous. It is compensated by adequate cushioning to an extent.

If driver ergonomics are a priority hinted by its range (120

pranav k hanna, project Manager at euler Motors. kms), this long haul could drain the driver and fatigue will set in sooner than envisaged. One must complement the agile product lifecycle though. Euler Motors, has pro-actively been able to gather customer feedback and is expected to come out with an improved variant, that irons the creases as early as the end of this year. Those looking at means to vent out the stress of plying last mile in city traffic can opt for a music system too. Speakers can be integrated into the vehicle by the company itself for a premium of around Rs.2000 to alleviate the physical fatigue.

POWERtRAin FOR hiGh PERFORMAnCE

Boasting a speed of 45 kmph, the vehicle is claimed to offer a real-world range of 120 km and a certified range of 151 km on a single charge. The Euler HiLoad is propelled by a 12.4 kWh Lithiumion battery pack integrated into the chassis to avoid rollover. This is made possible by the low Centre of Gravity (CG) attained in keeping the laden state of the vehicle in mind.. The battery is mated to a 10.96 kW motor that puts out 88 Nm of instant torque setting it apart from the ICE counterparts. To address concerns of thermal stability, the battery is built with active measures like being liquid-cooled, a segment

first as per Khanna. The HiLoad plys on 12-inch steel wheels with a disc brake up front and a drum setup at the rear. Suspension duties are serviced by a hydraulicassist shock absorber with helical spring for the front wheel and an independent trailing arm for the rear wheels. This is claimed to enable the suspension to function individually for both the wheels as it lends to the rollover resistance of the HiLoad.

tECh DiFFEREntiAtORS

The Battery Management System (BMS) christened ‘ArcReactor’ is a clear differentiator. The liquid cooling system pumps the coolant around the battery casing to maintain an optimal temperature. The optimal temperature generally is set at 25 degrees Celsius but can be locally altered to suit customers from different regions. This translates to the vehicle fit for customers in topgraphies from 25 degrees Celisus to 50 degree Celsius. The Euler HiLoad has a backend software package capable of receiving Over-TheAir (OTA) updates, ensuring that

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the operator benefits from the latest software suite. A feature that impressed me is the ‘Disable Vehicle’ provision. In the event of a malified activity suspected, the fleet owner can disable the vehicle at the press of a thumb, remotely.

DRiVEABiLity

The driveability is lent to by a ride quality that is quite supple on the tarmac and to an extent capable of taking on off-roading that puts the hydraulic assisted suspensions to good use. Considering how the vehicle is targeted for last-mile delivery in urban metros, this should not be a deal braker. In tier markets, it could come across as refined enough. At a twist of the throttle, 80 Nm of torque is available from the get-go and should win it patronage. The torque curve is flat throughout so there is no scarcity of power unlike in the ICE counterparts. A minor lag experienced initially, eventually fades out as one starts getting acquainted with the acceleration inputs and innate response of the vehicle.

The brakes do a good job of dropping the anchors when

needed, but one has to really work the calf muscles to get them to work. That is a fly in the ointment especially when you are handling a factory rolled-out, brand-new vehicle which needs actuation. The handlebar is mechanical and so are the brakes. In a fully-laden state, the vehicle will make you work up your arms and feet. As the instrument cluster is offcentre, the readouts are not that legible at a glance especially with top light coming into play. There are no door handles on the inside, and one has to pull up a metal extension to push out the door. Get ready for multiple engagements that could leave the fingers jaded as was the case with me.

VERDiCt

The base variant of the Euler HiLoad EV is priced at Rs.3.78 lakh and the top variant extends this gap to Rs.4.08 lakh. At this price, you get a vehicle that can haul 0.650-tonne of payload at a speed of 45 kmph with a range of about 120 km. The niggles are not that glaring in the performance section as much in the creature comfort area which the company is pro-actively working on. If the company figures a way out to take care of its drivers even at a slight premium over the predecessor then the HiLoad platform can be an even greater disruptor as a whole than it has proven to be. With the order pipeline of over 9000 units as a testimony of the market acceptance, the HiLoad has set itself for an exciting evolution journey with critical acclaims like the ‘EV Of The Year’ recogniotion at the Apollo CV Awards 2022. That does say something for the segmentfirst benchmarks created by the Euler HiLoad EV even as the company looks at entering new segments. A four-wheeler cargo solution can’t be ruled out either. And the plan is to cross 15000 units by FY24.

PIaGGIO PeOPle MOveRS

CNG continues to be the mainstay for auto rickshaws. Prateek Pardeshi comes back impressed with the new generation, Piaggio Apé NXT+.

the three-wheelers segment surprised many when e-rickshaw sales surpassed ICE counterparts for the very first time in June 2022. Nevertheless, the CNG auto-rickshaws as they are popularly called continue to hold the fort and amount a significant share of the overall pie. On a YTD 2022 basis, people movers continue to command a major chunk. Even the case with Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (PVPL). Projecting demand to sustain, PVPL is banking on the new

Apé NXT+ that includes three variants including a CNG option. Speaking on the occasion, Diego Graffi, Chairman and Managing Director, of PVPL, averred, “At Piaggio, we are thrilled to launch another three-wheeler passenger vehicle with CNG, LPG and petrol fuel variants. The rising demand for alternate fuel options and the need to control pollution is giving an impetus to CNGpowered vehicles.”

The Apé NXT+ was developed in India, with research and feedback from customers. Saju Nair, EVP

and Head Domestic Business CV (ICE) and Retail Finance, PVPL, said, “The Apé NXT+ has been developed after thorough research and extensive customer feedback. With the increase in fuel costs, we understood our customers’ need for higher mileage with a costsaving approach and, therefore, Apé NXT+ was born.” The Apé NXT+ lineup also boasts an LPG and petrol variant. The company is hoping to tap into demand by pricing the CNG variant at Rs.2,35,811, with the LPG variant priced at Rs.2,12,212 and the

@prateek2101

Clockwise: headlamp assembly, soft roof top OEM fit, CEAt tubeless tyre, City nXt+ decal + tailight, engine and suspension aggregates.

petrol variant at Rs.2,12,212 (exshowroom, Pune as per pricing at launch). This coupled with the recent minimum fare hike (with effect from October 1) is expected to increase operator earnings.

A BALAnCinG ACt

The Federation Of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) in its September 2022 vehicle retail data showed an upward trajectory. On a YoY basis, total vehicle retail for the month of September’22

saw a growth of 11 per cent. The three-wheeler segment witnessed 72 per cent growth. The threewheeler passenger segment as a whole registered a 59.79 per cent growth on a YoY basis compared to September’ 21. With the Apé NXT+ PVPL wants to win operators with claims of high mileage at 30 Kmpl for petrol. The mileage is pegged at 50 km per Kg for the CNG version. Mileage for the LPG variant was not revealed by the company. The objective is to offer a better

ownership experience that offers longer life, lower maintenance costs and added utilities and ergonomics like a wider cabin and comfort for both the driver and the passenger. With this product, explained Nair, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) has attempted to strike a higher balance between the cost of acquisition and the cost of ownership with customer profitability as the end objective. PVPL is one of the few only fuel agonistic three-wheeler brands in India with a product portfolio in petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG and electric for both cargo and passenger segments.

DESiGn AnD BUiLt

The Apé NXT+ has a new and improved body design. The new body design is more focused on aerodynamics besides lending it a contemporary look. It measures 2700 mm in length with a 1920 mm wheelbase. The width is 1370 mm. The minimum ground

Clockwise:

Refreshed dashboard, steering handle mounted controls, driver seat, dedicated switches, and a dual-tone rear seat for passengers.

clearance is ~ 170 mm making it easier to negotiate rough patches. The front fascia looks new as well. Take, for instance, the headlamps. These are connected via a fibre mould having black and silver inserts giving it a touch of premium. The headlamp and indicators are integrated as a single assembly, using a conventional bulb setup, sourced from Neolite. The front mudguard is redesigned and comes with a larger surface area. The BSVI and Apé NXT+ decals on either sidewalk the talk. A singlepiece glass windshield enhances driver vision with a 180-degree panoramic view. This offers greater coverage of the blind spots. The ORVMs are sourced from Pacoline and look capable. A single motorised wiper arm with a good sweep radius looks promising for the monsoon trips. Walk over to the side, and you are forced to give the doors a

second look. In the history of the three-wheelers, this could be one of the first to feature two doors for passenger entry/exit as factoryfitted. The ingress and egress for the passengers are easy as the doors open wide enough (up to 90 degrees). The Apé NXT+ comes to ply on the CEAT 4.00-8 Buland tubeless tyres as standard in a segment first. A six-spoke plastic wheel cap for both steel rims lends well to the aesthetics. Notably, the manufacturer has focused on the rear wheel arches and installed a plastic mudguard for longevity.

A fresh decal of the NXT+ on the rear quarter panel makes the vehicle stand out. Vents on either side are likely to help in heat dissipation from the engine. The rooftop or the soft canopy is constructed using a new-age, rugged material. The OEM has used see-through plastic on the rear and the sides in a frugal approach.

The canopy is riveted to the OEM body making it rust-free and trustworthy. On the rear, the hood

is hinged on two brackets and falls over horizontally making it easy to maintain. Two rubber stoppers are provided to avoid ensure a high NVH level. The tail lamps also bring about an improved design and enhance rear visibility for approaching vehicles. The indicator, reverse lamp and brake light are all integrated into a single assembly.

ERGOnOMiCS AnD

RiDE QUALity

The Apé NXT+ features a new dashboard. It draws you in with its beige colour tone and honeycomb inserts on either side. The dash is ergonomically designed around an analogue instrument cluster placed in the centre for enhanced readability. On the left are a few important switches to control auxiliaries like the headlight, wiper, hazard lights and a 12V charging socket. On the right-hand side,

the driver can look forward to a lockable storage compartment. The handle itself has integrated high and low-beam control switches, a horn and a self-start switch. The handle is independent of the rest of the controls making it light to manoeuvre. The dependence on the clutch for setting the rickshaw in motion is a great safety feature in hindsight. The choke and brake top-up fluid reservoir is placed underneath the dashboard. While the driver seat itself is not adjustable the provision of the incline in the rear support helps to curtail the stiffness of a rigid structure. Wider seats in comparison to the competition are the icing on the cake.

On the rear passenger seat, a great degree of focus on comfort continues. The company has extensively worked on the twotone seat to make it inviting.

It also offers good back and under-thigh support in keeping with the long-distance commute requirements. Passengers can also look forward to ample storage where the driver shares space with the stepney. The Apé NXT+ comes with floor mats and door pads making the interiors look premium compared to drivers having to rely on aftermarket solutions that come at a price. A fire extinguisher adds to the passive safety measures and can be found next to the meter column.

UnDERBELLy

The Apé NXT+ is powered by a proven 230cc, four-stroke, aircooled engine. It produces a peak power of 10 hp. This can oscillate from 9.34 hp to 9.78 hp (6.97 kW to 7.3 kW) depending upon the choice of fuel. Similarly, the torque figures range stretches from 17.10 Nm to

18.85 Nm in the 2700 to 3400 rpm range. A wet-type, multi-plate clutch is deployed on the platform. The engine is mated to a constant, four-speed, mesh gearbox with a reverse gear that can be engaged. The suspension on the front is a hydraulic-assisted, telescopic shock absorber with a helical compression spring and a damper. On the rear, the hydraulic telescopic shock absorber is supplemented with a rubber compression spring and a damper. The brakes are hydraulically actuated having combined drum-type of brakes at the front and split type of drum brakes at the rear. All of this translates to the vehicle having a maximum gradeability of 24 per cent. The rated maximum speed of the vehicle is 60 kmph.

thE ROADMAP

Of the opinion that a technologically agnostic approach is the best way forward, the company last year brought in its electric NXT. Lower down the hierarchy, it has gas-based drivetrains be it CNG or LPG.

Influenced by the Government of India’s ‘One Nation, One Grid’ vision wherein 600 plus districts are expected to have 5,000 CNG pumps by 2023 and more than 10,000 CNG stations by 2025, the company aspires to grow domestically as well as in the export markets. Graffi concluded, “The new Apé NXT+ is designed and developed in India for the Indian market and will also be exported to markets overseas. With the launch of this Apé NXT+, we aim to further strengthen our position in the alternate fuel segment space.” More recently, PVPL was lauded by the Switch Delhi EV Campaign as the OEM with the highest number of electric three-wheeler sales in the L5 category for delivering more than 1,100 EV units.

OSM StReaM

Omega Seiki Mobility has launched its electric people-mover Stream. Sumesh Soman shares the first take on the three-wheeler and the strategic offensive.

omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) continues to diversify its product portfolio. The company has launched its first electric people mover OSM Stream. Stream marks the company’s foray into the electric three-wheeler, passenger vehicle segment. Priced at Rs.3.40 lakh (Ex-showroom, New Delhi) post Govt. Subsidy under the FAMEII outlay, according to Uday Narang, Founder and Chairman at OSM, is a milestone for the company. He said, “Today marks a significant day for OSM as we are venturing into the passenger segment. As the innovators of the green mobility space, OSM is poised to be at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution while leading the endeavour through its range of clean mobility solutions.” With the Stream, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is aiming to tap the last-mile transportation segment with a best-in-class earning potential for the drivers and owners. The electric people mover will provide an improved earning potential of 20-25 per cent which ensures greater savings and greater profits as per Narang.

The design schema has the Stream measure 2870 mm long, 1450 mm wide, and 1810 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2120 mm and tips the scales at 0.760-tonne (760 kg). The vehicle has a gradeability of 10.2 degrees or 18 per cent.

The front apron houses the OSM logo which in turn is flanked by halogen headlamps on either side. The housing also accommodates the turn indicators, and they are rather done tastefully. Right below the badging, a large mudguard doubles up as the nose on the apron. It shields the 10-inch CEAT and MRF make of tyres with a drum brake setup. The side profile shows the attention paid

to ensuring ease of ingress and egress aided by a footboard. Giving a sense of space, the skeletal structure does breathe fresh air into the segment.

Moving on to the rear side, the vehicle mounts its spare wheel on the rear door which is a segment first compared to stepney’s being accommodated on the passenger side behind the rear seating arrangement in the interiors of the rickshaws. For the approach vehicles to spot the vehicle, the company has provided LED tail lamps with reflectors that are done tastefully in keeping with the segment offerings. The rear also offers a decent luggage rack saved by the elimination of the ICE engine or CNG tanks that take up space in other variants.

For the driver and occupant, on taking up the stance, the cabin

@sumeshsoman

Uday narang, Founder and Chairman at omega seiki Mobility

gives a fair view of the road ahead through a wide windshield. It descends onto a compact digital instrument cluster that relays bare necessities like the speedometer, odometer, battery State of Charge (SoC). The cluster offers easy reach to adjacent switches for controlling headlamps, wipers and parking lights. On the right, a compact lockable glove box can be used by drivers for their knick-knacks. An open cubby space on its left offers space for the phone and spare change collected on trips. The extreme left of the apron has a rotary knob that acts as a gear selector. This adds a level of sophistication akin to the automatics. It can be used to shift between the parking, neutral, forward and brake modes.

The mechanical handlebar houses a small console to the right that has the horn and headlight alignment switches conveniently placed next to the accelerator. The seating can accommodate a driver plus one passenger at best. The two will have access to a backrest and utilities like a mobile charging port available right next to the key fob. There is a small led setup for incabin lighting for night drives. The passenger bay is spacious and roomy. It is an easy fit for four average-sized adults, and even a fifth could squeeze in the tier towns. The seating and cushioning are adequate and there is ample knee room, under-thigh support and headroom.

thE POWERtRAin

The charge for the Stream comes from an 8.5 kWh battery that produces a peak, instant torque of 10 kW and 535 Nm of torque at the wheels with a peak power of 6hp (4.5 kW). The lithium-ion battery pack is IP65-rated and claims the highest dust and water protection in the segment. The battery can be charged anywhere through a 16 A socket using the off-board portable charger. A fully charged battery will provide a range of 110 km and can help do a top speed of 45 kmph. It takes four hours to charge the battery to the brim.

PRODUCt StRAtEGy

The company is working on a host of products across segments. From a two-wheelers (Mopido) to the heavier end of the spectrum including trucks. . The significant difference here is how they are all targeted at the rural economy. Narang averred, “Electric is the future, there is no second thought about that. It is easier to establish in tier-one cities,

given how active and accepting it is, courtesy of the space it has to offer in that sector. But if rural India is targeted, it has benefits that will aid a larger mass.” He further said, “Our products are focused on easing the last-mile delivery struggles, corresponding with penetration in the rural parts of our country and partnerships are formed with that motivation.”

The company recently partnered with Porter to deploy over 5,000 three-wheeler electric cargo vehicles for sustainable last-mile delivery services. Uttam Digga, Cofounder and Chief Operating Officer, Porter said, “There is a heightened sense of curiosity in the market for EVs. As market leaders, we are looking forward to nurturing this curiosity and bringing to our audience a solution that helps them navigate through the routes sustainably. We are pleased to have OSM on board for this journey and we are hopeful that with their expertise in the auto industry, we will be able to encourage the adoption of EVs in the logistics sector.”

The company has signed many MoUs and established multiple JVs with partners both across the country lines and within the borders for swappable batteries, and indigenous motor manufacturing. It is also developing charging infrastructure to name a few initiatives. “Our priority is the tier3 and tier4 cities. One has to look at this from a broader perspective, with electric vehicles plying the streets of rural India, it will demand an ecosystem of charging stations and with that will come the incentives attached like job opportunities. The initial curve is steep, but we are up for it,” Narang concluded.

dOING tHe NatION’S Heavy lIFtING WItH tata MOtORS

Founded in 1979 by the late Jai Karan Sharma, Chetak Logistics began as a small entrepreneurial project in the automotive logistics sector. Driven by strong dedication and customer orientation, the company charted immense growth over the decades, leveraging technology to challenge conventional ways.

today, Chetak Logistics has over 2,500 customised vehicles, over two million sq. ft. of warehousing facilities and 60 branches spread across major industrial hubs across the country. It offers holistic supply chain solutions, including multimodal transportation

services, warehousing and distribution, international freight forwarding and customs clearance, to prominent clientele in the automobile industry. “ t he key to building balanced synergy between two parties”, says Mukesh haritash, Director, of Chetak Logistics, “is a necessary overlap between their individual beliefs. t his is

where we think we are rightly aligned with tata Motors— as two organisations have constantly endeavoured towards future-proofing a strategy, maintaining leadership credibility in the transportation and logistics sector.” “We are also leveraging the advent of technologies offering superior service experiences,” he said.

RELiABLE FLEEt BACKinG thE ROBUSt BUSinESS

At the core of Chetak Logistics’ functioning is its vision of providing path-breaking, flexible and profitable transportation solutions to meet contemporary customer requirements. Its commitment towards delivering a high standard of services to its clients is centred around utilising its vast network and advanced IT systems to move consignments swiftly and safely. Running a business of such scale requires a steady backing of a reliable fleet.

Elaborating, Rajesh haritash, Director, Chetak Logistics said, “We depend on a robust fleet of 2,500 plus tata trucks and trailers to execute our services smoothly. We have been using tata vehicles since 1976, and over the past five decades we have purchased over 15,000 tata commercial vehicles.”

TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS

SPeCIAL feATuRe

“The main reason why we prefer Tata vehicles,” he added, “is because we have a very satisfactory experience with both its vehicles and services. In addition to the industry-leading features, unmatched performance, and lower operation costs, the Tata Motors vehicles also come with remarkable service experience. This includes priority delivery of vehicles during heavy demand, special arrangements for delivery of spare parts and prompt responses during the breakdown with minimum downtime.” He added, “The latest models come with technologically advanced telematics systems, provide provides us with curated data for maximising fuel efficiency, analysing driving behaviour and overall fleet management. We can serve our customers better by providing them with accurate forecasts for deliveries.

At Chetak, we have been eager towards incorporating emerging technologies for fast servicing, and Tata Motors has been backing us, allowing us to combine the benefits of their systems and our GPS and digital systems.”

An UnMAtChED OWnERShiP EXPERiEnCE

Commenting on the after-sales experience, in particular, Sachin JKS haritash, Director, Chetak Logistics, said, “tata Motors is aligned by the philosophy of providing superior quality products that generate value for many years to come. Recognising the nature of our services, the company has helped us with rapid repairs, original parts supply and extended warranty to support optimal cost of operations and higher uptime.” “The Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) has protected us against unexpected repairs, helping us reliably and economically maintain our vehicles,” he added. He also took note of the promising experience of the new BSVI range of vehicles, and advanced features such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC), automatic traction control and hill-start aid, for ensuring safety, comfort, and efficiency.

The latest Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) process, which involves the addition of Diesel Exhaustive Fluid (DEF) to the gas streams of older vehicles, has

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Jai Karan Sharma, Founder (Centre), (LtoR) Rajesh haritash, Director, Mukesh haritash, Director, and Sachin JKS haritash, Director at Chetak Logistics.

TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS

SPeCIAL feATuRe

helped reduce emissions while improving fuel efficiency.

A DRiVER FiRSt APPROACh

The training engagements conducted by Tata Motors, states, Mukesh haritash, Director, Chetak Logistics have helped immensely in upskilling drivers and technicians alike, “Chetak has been an organisation that has genuinely cared about ensuring the holistic well-being of its drivers. As they are one of the most important contributors to the logistics sector, are responsible for the safety of the public and goods, as well as the economical running of the vehicle. Tata Motors has helped us extend an array of beneficial initiatives to assist them.

The in-depth training sessions conducted by Drona drivers and service teams have helped our drivers improve immensely.” “Tata Motors has adopted a unique and compassionate approach towards the driving community. The Samarth scheme has extended benefits to drivers and their families in meaningful ways. Siksha Samarth has received positive uptake, extending a one-year free subscription and scholarship to

meritorious children of drivers. Other benefits include insurance coverage and medical check-ups and or support,” he stated.

An OU tLOOK FOR FU tURE GROWth

“Our association with Tata Motors has developed a deep relationship that cannot be expressed in words and has continued from generation to generation. We truly appreciate the support, respect and recognition that we mutually extend, and we hope to do the same in the future as well”, said Sachin JKS Haritash, Director of Chetak Logistics. “Going ahead, we hope to develop further, new business opportunities to work together. A recent example is how Chetak Logistics delivered Tata Motors ambulances manufactured at Pune to army units across India using multimodal transportation,” he expressed. The leading logistics company hopes to continue such joint efforts of taking Indian transportation and logistics to new heights while bringing positive value to the community.

In FY21, the Indian logistics sector was valued at USD 250 billion. It is expected to grow

at a CAGR between 10-12 per cent to USD 380 billion by 2025. The recently launched National Logistics Policy (NLP) by the Indian government is expected to be a key driver of economic growth, striving to enhance integration and coordination between businesses, government agencies and society. This, combined with the collaborative efforts of major industry players and associated stakeholders like Chetak Logistics and Tata Motors, will be critical in revolutionising the functioning of the sector at large, ushering in a new era of sophistication and technologically driven efficiency in the nation’s lifeline industry. V Seethapathi, Vice President, Product LineM&hCV, tata Motors, said, “tata Motors has consistently placed a strong emphasis on building an enduring relationship with its clients and supporting their business with a range of products and services enabling them to perform profitably. Our partnership with Chetak Logistics has stayed strong for over four decades. Over the course of this time, we have strived to provide them with cost-effective products with unparalleled efficiency and low operational costs.” “We have sharpened our technological bouquet of offerings, to generate better revenues and encourage business expansion. Our regular interactions provided deep insights towards developing better products and services while allowing us to understand the driving community needs for training initiatives. We are confident that our alliance would remain resilient for many more decades ensuring mutual success,” he concluded.

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a vISIt tO tHe WORld’S talleSt StatUe a SPeCIal MOBIlIty ZONe

Dedicated EV only, public transport mandates are limiting access to polluting vehicles in the eco-tourism pockets of the country. Ashish Bhatia visited the Statue of Unity, a special mobility zone to check on the equation.

@atashishbhatia

the country has been focusing on creating eco-tourism hubs to boost the regional economy, social infrastructure, environment generation and protection and tribal development, in turn, boosting livelihood generation. In doing so, it has focused a great deal on creating special mobility zones. These special mobility zones, typically, restrict private, ICE vehicles from accessing the monuments at the centre of the zone and a big draw for tourists. The approach to the monument and the surrounding tourist hotspots can be accessed on foot or quicker, using cleaner mobility solutions: from electric bikes to tricycles and footboards,

to electric golf carts, electric three-wheelers and e-buses at the upper end of the passenger carrying capacity in the spectrum. The business model is to offer these at fixed rates for to and fro trips, some as free shuttles, that one can opt for either as a hop-on hop-off option with other options like self-drives on a rental basis. To support these vehicles, typically, the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) enters into a partnership with the state government offering a minimum business guarantee or on a pilot, and with technology and charging infrastructure companies or they are supported under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model like the case with electric buses, for example. This has led to the

emergence of an entire ecosystem, from charging to maintenance, including driver training to help operators acclimatise in line with the zero fossil-fuel policy.

On GROUnD zERO

To get to the Statue of Unity, a designated ‘Special Mobility Zone’, I boarded the Ekta Nagar Sf express train from the Borivali station. After an overnight journey of about eight hours, I alighted at Ekta Nagar (erstwhile Kevadia) station located in the district Rajpipla, in the state of Gujarat. A spanky new, open construction station in the Narmada district, it had street art around hinting at the newfound purpose of ‘Choosing Green’, aptly so. The exit from the

station presented a host of public transport options for my onward journey. My options included a Force Motors Monobus, shared auto-rickshaws among other state run buses that were doing the rounds as free shuttle services between the station and the grand statue. The statue, overlooking the isle of Sadhu-Bet in river Narmada and located between the Mountain Ranges of Vindhyachal and Satpuda is nearly 3.2 kms from the Sardar Sarovar Dam and its water dykes. The statue can be seen from kilometres away on the approach route in a rather exciting build-up as it reveals itself to the naked eye from different angles.

En route, one can’t help but notice the effort undertaken

to put the geography on the worldmap; to put in place a supporting transport infrastructure that includes and is not limited to ecycling hubs, bus depots, electric cabs, golf carts and the biggest draw for me, the electric rickshaws. An even bigger motivator to board these e-rickshaws beyond just the vehicle itself was the local women who steer them with panache at designated points that I came across on the entry route of the tourist attraction. With a newfound direction to their lives as homemakers, these women have turned adept at ferrying passengers with an unmatched zest for life and a newfound passion that is popularising mobility as a service powered by

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green vehicles.

Sangeeta ben, a middleaged native is new to driving her e-rickshaw. Three months into the new profession she is a proud professional. With no prior experience of driving a vehicle, let alone a bicycle, she showed off her licence with a sense of immense pride. The instant torque and gearless operations have translated into a fatigue-free experience for her, she shared. She has to pay back the government a sum of Rs.900 at the end of her daily operations whether or not she is profitable in a mutual agreement. In the initial days, she had to make do with a loss of Rs.800 with her daily earnings on days with few rides amounting to a meagre Rs.100. Her operational expenses include Rs.110 for parking her e-rickshaw at designated spots like the one at the bus terminal on an adjacent strip to the main entrance of the statue. On most single routes, she can charge passengers Rs.50 which requires her to do an estimated 20 trips to break even on her daily outgoings. With her gaining experience, she was hopeful of buying the vehicle in her name from a lease arrangement opted for initially. That however is no longer an option. She informed with disappointment. Even protests failed to convince the state government, she claimed.

Well-versed with her vehicle, she shared that the only downtime was the charging interval of four hours. On a single charge, she claimed, the vehicle clocked 100 kms. With the initial speed limits set at 30 kmph leading to operator fatigue, the beneficiaries like Sangeeta ben have got the authorities to consider an upward revision of the limit. Failing which they

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fear passengers might ditch the vehicle for other faster modes of options. She shared, nearly 60 homemakers, including her, run these e-rickshaws as she manoeuvred the vehicle with confidence. Having undergone training on the KETO-manufactured TriLux badged e-rickshaw also known as the Unity e-rickshaw, ferrying passengers between popular spots on the tour itinerary, day in and day out has ensured she is well versed with the terrain. Be it the flats or the ascends and descends en route.

Claimed to be the first, fully ground-up EV manufacturer, KETO Motors shares its DNA with the team responsible for bringing BYD electric buses to India. Painted in an attractive shade of pink, these vehicles look modern at the outset and

are powered by 48V Lithium-ion battery packs. They are designed to also work with lead-acid battery packs. They are claimed to have been built on a patented unique design and can travel at speeds of up to 45 kmph with a 30-degrees gradeability on the Keto EP1. Measuring 3130 mm in length, 1315 mm in width and 1800 mm in height, the vehicle offers a good amount of space

with knee room and under-thigh support for greater passenger comfort. It is also fitted with multiple safety devices including seatbelts, a sturdy rear bumper, and a bucket seat for the driver with a three-point seatbelt and a high backrest. The laminated windshield can be swept clean with its two-speed wiper system and screen wash. With seating for D+3, the interiors are roomy and comfortable for the short rides on offer. They give a sense of zipping around the well layed out roads in around the Statue of Unity.

Despite the instant torque at hand, the lightweight aluminium structure and the tyres clear the NVH test with aplomb. The only sounds are from the 5 kW capacity motor revving and the vehicle powering through the wind resistance. The lightweight high quality, ABS panels with UV protection are claimed to be easily replaceable. A fully recyclable product as per claims, the company also offers EV infrastructure and services for its first-mile, last-mile and intra-city commutes. Brake duties are done by a disc at the front and a drum at the rear. The vehicle is claimed to have been designed in compliance with the EU regulation L5Be and boasts of a modular design for local assembly. For night drives, the vehicle features an LED headlamp cluster and includes reverse lights and interior lights.

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StAtUE OF Unity

The statue was first envisioned in 2010 by Prime Minister, narendra Modi as a tribute to a national hero. inspired by the tall leader’s role in unifying the states, the statue is built as a symbol of national unity. With the groundbreaking ceremony taking place on October 31, 2013, the work order to L&t was issued on October 27, 2014. Larsen & toubro undertook the responsibility for designing, engineering, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance of the project using Schwing Stetter Construction Equipment Vehicles (CEV) to work with ~ 210,000 cu. m. of concrete. The construction of this national monument is known to have utilised an estimated 70,000 metric tonnes of cement, 18,500 metric tonnes of reinforcement bars and 6,000 metric tonnes of structural steel. The surface area of about 22,500 square metres,

cladded with nearly 1,700 metric tonnes of bronze. noted sculptor Ram V. Sutar, a Padma Bhushan Awardee was onboard as the designated sculptor. it was on October 31, 2018, that the statue was inaugurated and dedicated to the nation on the leader’s 143rd birth anniversary. i decided to check on this development on ground zero, first hand. t his quest took me to the 182 metres tall, memorial of freedom fighter, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel that salutes the spirit of Loh Purush ( i ron Man) of i ndia. t he world’s tallest statue, the Statue of unity is a 100 ft. taller than the erstwhile tallest statue: t he Spring temple Buddha at 128 m. t he Vindhyachal and Satpuda Mountain Ranges forming the backdrop has the ‘Statue of Unity’ contribute to the idea of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.

GOVERnMEnt iMPEtUS

A testimony to such special mobility zones being a strong focus area for the government is the approach to meet the fund

requirements for the various schemes implemented by the Ministry of Tourism. During the Financial Year 2022-23 (FY202223), the Finance Minister, Nirmala

Sitharaman earmarked an allocation of Rs.2400 crore in the Union Budget. Of this, Rs.130 crore is allocated to the development of iconic tourist destinations. Rs.12.5 crore is for the Loan Guarantee Scheme for the Covid-19 affected tourism sector. Rs.5.27 crore is set aside for the safety of women tourists to these destinations of which public transport is a vital cog. “The private sector will be encouraged to create sustainable and innovative business models for battery and energy as a service, improving the efficiency of the ecosystem,” she is quoted to have said.

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CHaSING R&d exCelleNCe

JK Tyres continues to diversify its product portfolio on the back of R&D excellence. Sumesh Soman visits the Mysore Centre of Excellence to find out the future focus areas.

the Raghupati Singhania Center of Excellence (CoE) at Mysuru, in Karnataka is at the heart of JK Tyre’s R&D activities. The facility is well equipped and boasts state-of-the-art laboratories with cutting-edge technology committed to a single purpose of aligning with the latest tyre technology trends. The goal is to also better products and upgrade the existing portfolio to stay relevant. Known to have been established with an investment of about Rs.150 crore, it has over 250 engineers, scientists and technicians that contribute dayin and day-out to find a better solution for the tyre segment. “If we do a random check, 95 out

of 100 vehicle owners will have their tyre pressure wrong, but a periodic service of their vehicle is less likely to be missed. A tyre is one product that is not looked after in a very serious manner up until the wear and tear is visible to the naked eye,” explained Dr. R. Mukhopadhyay, DirectorR&D, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. He further added, “This customer behaviour has pushed us to make the product as such that it remains maintenance-free until its totally worn out.”

But now the industry is asking a lot more from the product than just longevity. OEMs are demanding good ride quality, less noise and with EVs into the picture, the tyre will have to bear

with the instant initial torque. All of this with a long life is what is expected from the product.

Mukhopadhyay averred, “The facility is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art machinery and labs that help in developing new compounds and test the products under extreme conditions.“

VARiABLES AnD inVARiABLES

A tyre looks quite simple in its structure and is made in a way to do one simple task, move the chassis and the superstructure using the engine power. But it is far from that, the impact it has to the entire motion and the ripples it affects are far more. With a keen eye, one can tell apart the vehicle dynamics, sound and vibration

@sumeshsoman

Rubber compound before it is tested through various machines to determine its properties and compatibilities.

difference from one tread pattern to the other and the chassis is shod with a size more or less of the standard set. Mukhopadhyay exclaimed, “Quite a lot goes into the making of a tyre, electronics, composites, material chemistry and physics, bonding, adhesion, surface science, rheology, trilogy, diffusion chemistry, heat transfer and process engineering, thermodynamics and fluid dynamics to name a few.” For something that we see on a daily basis, that’s a lot to take, but the devil lies in the details. The abovementioned put together determine the durability, longevity and other parameters like dry grip, wet grip, stability etc. This is also tweaked according to the clientele and application of the product.

COnSiDERAtiOnS FOR thE FUtURE

Sustainability is the name of the game! From the very beginning, the process of tyre making has evolved to a stage today where it is deemed advanced. Mukhopadhyay

stated, “Companies are now looking at modelling and simulation, autonomous factory, smart and adaptive tyres in terms of advancement in the manufacturing of the product. As a result a lot of time and money is saved, courtesy of VR and AR infused to the traditional methods of making a tyre.” When it comes to raw materials, improvements to NR yields and disease resistance is being paid more attention to. Bio-sourcing of tyre raw materials and bio-devulcanistation is now a priority for companies. Mukhopadhyay drew attention to South India as one of the biggest sources of rubber, with new regions like North East vying for the second-best source for rubber procurement. Here the topography and weather is almost similar to that of South India.

Importing natural rubber is not something that everyone wants to depend on anymore as per Mukhopadhyay. A secondary source within the country borders rather sought after considering the reduced cost and swift transportation logistics associated with the locally procured material. Tyres now have a lot more sensors and RFID tags, smart and intelligent adaptive tyres will be the norm going forward. Mukhopadhyay opined, “In the PV segment and in the CV segment too, OEMs are now demanding more information to be relayed on the instrument cluster and on hand helds where the relay of metrics like pressure and temperature have turned a priority. Alerts can be set if these metrics are pushed to a point where things get risky, he added

The face of the tyre will also change in the not-so-distant future as ICE vehicles will share the space with electrics, hybrids, hydrogen

and gas-powered vehicles. The choice of powertrain here is expected to alter a lot of wear and tear that a tyre goes through, thus changes will be incorporated and are being worked upon at the CoE. Mukhopadhyay mentioned, “With an electric vehicle, there is a lot of instant initial torque that a tyre is subjected to, this will take a toll over the years when compared to an ICE vehicle. Thus new tyres are in process of development not just for EVs but other forms of powertrains as well, a continuous process it is.” In the short term, the tyre industry continues to grapple with the Covid-19-induced slump and the more recent supply-chain bottlenecks in the backdrop of geopolitical turmoils. The tyre industry suffered because a significant amount of latex and rubber resources were redirected to the health sector as it was a priority for the world. This has also pushed the industry to look for alternate raw materials and opt for less dependency on just a single source or place of procurement, he admitted.

COMPLiAnCE With nEW LEGiSLAtiOnS AnD REGULAtiOnS

Before a tyre makes it to the open road, it has to be cleared and meet certain standards. This itself is a challenge because the certification of the tyre is coming with a conflict of fulfilling its purpose.

“There are multiple ACTs and regulations put on OEMs that make it tougher to manufacture a product that does not compromise on performance. And this is just the beginning, we will be faced with more stringent norms considering how the world is now taking sustainability seriously.” Few regulations and legislation on tyres include the Transportation, Recall

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RESEARCh FACiLity

RUBBER PROCESSinG L AB

An entire section is allocated for processing rubber with different ingredients. Here, the sheets are made and further tested for different types of applications. Different permutations of the compound are tried and tested in its raw form and subjected to grinding and drilling. This is where the rubber is moulded into thin flat sheets before it goes on to take the shape of a tyre.

RhEOLOGy L AB

Rheological properties of the rubber or the compound is tested in this lab. Test output includes Mooney viscosity, scorch safety, cure rate, cure time, payne effect, and variable temperature curve to name a few. The performance characteristics include material evaluation, compound development, chain branching, gel content, compound process safety, rubber-filler interaction and cure simulation.

PROCESSiBiLity tEStinG L AB

The lab essentially tests the mixing characteristics that includes torque, temperature and time profile along with extrusion characteristics including dye, swell, shrinkage and surface appearance and optimisation of different variables. The performance characteristics of these tests stand out to be material evaluation, compound development, processing characteristics and advanced material mixing technology development.

PhySiCAL tEStinG OF VULCAnizAtES

The compound goes under stress to check the strain properties, also subjected to Hysteresis, checked for hardness, creep and dress relaxation, coefficient of air permeability, rebound resilience and testing compression

set. The performance determines material evaluation, compound development, durability, energy absorption, air retention performance of inner liner and tube along with state of curve.

WEAthERinG/AGinG tESt OF VULCAnizAtES

The compound is put to test where it is observed for the retention of stress-strain properties after ageing along with retention of adhesion with subject to hot air/humid/salt and ozone resistance. The performance of the compound determines development, evaluation, life prediction, durability and weathering resistance.

3D SCAnninG MAChinE AnD 2D L ASER PROFiLE MEtER

The machine scans tangible moulds for scanning and creating a model that can be reversed engineered for multiple usage. It has a capacity of 500 and 200 FOV and a range for all tyres. The test output creates point cloud data, profile measurement, monitors tyre growth under change in inflation. The performance characteristics include reverse engineering, inputs for simulation and measurements and 3D analysis.

PLUnGER t yRE tEStinG MAChinE

This is A fully automatic machine with controlled parameters like load, inflation pressure and speed. It is capable of measuring the plunger energy and tyre foot print as per National and International test Standards.

t yRE UniVERSAL tEStinG MAChinE (U tM)

UTM measures tyre stiffness characteristics (radial, lateral, longitudinal and torsional), static footprint (shape, size and pressure distribution), side wall profile through laser scanning, beat unseat and electrical resistance.

t yRE ROLLinG RESiStAnCE tEStinG MAChinE

A fully automatic machine with controlled parameters like load, speed, inflation pressure and measures parameters tyre rolling resistance by force and torque method as per various standards (SAE, ISO, etc.) and regulatory requirements (ECE R 117).

OnLEVEL t yRE tEStinG MAChinE

OnLevel tyre testing machine measures forces and moments; rolling resistance; high-speed uniformity; conicity and ply steer; Ply steer Residual Aligning Torque (PRAT); Conicity Residual Aligning Torque (CRAT); Rolling Radial Spring Rate; Revolution Per Kilometre (RPK) as per various standards (SAE, ISO, GMW, etc.).

MULtiFUnCtiOn LOAD DEFLECtiOn t yRE tEStinG MAChinE

Multi Function Loading Deflection machine can test tyres upto 24-inch on following test parameters on a single unit:

Load/Deflection

Stiffness

Bead Unseat

Footprint Analysis/Pressure Distribution

t yRE nOiSE tEStinG

State-of-the-art Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) testing facility and capability. testing Facility: Semi Anechoic Chamber, Pass by Noise

Testing Facility

Capability: Capable of doing following tests as per ISO, SAE, JASO, etc.:

Interior Noise and sound quality analysis

Tyre Noise Testing, pass-by noise testing as per ISO 362 and ISO 13325 (R117 Regulation)

Modal experimental analysis as per SAE 2710

Transfer Path Analysis (TPA)

Vehicle Ride Quality and Comfort Testing

SKiD tRAiLER

Used for On-Road Tyre characterisation (Force and Moment, Rolling Resistance dry and wet grip).

BRABEnDER PLASti-CORDER

To study the rheological behaviour (flow) and processing characteristics of rubber compounds (mixing and extrudability).

UniVERSAL tEStinG MAChinE

To measure the stress-strain properties of different cured rubber compounds, finished products, fabrics, wires, adhesion strength of composites, hysteresis etc. at ambient, high and low temperatures

tEAR FAtiGUE AnALySER

Characterisation of fracture mechanical behaviour of elastomer samples and determination of fatigue crack growth rate.

LAt 100 MAChinE

The Laboratory Abrasion Tester measure abrasion characteristics of rubber wheel under various test conditions (load, speed, slip angle, temperature etc.)

DynAMiC MEChAniCAL AnALySER (DMA)

DMA measures viscoelastic characteristics of cured rubber under different operational conditions (strain, temperature, frequency, waveforms) and different deformation modes (tension, compression and shear).

OzOnE ChAMBER

The precise control of Ozone concentration helps to check the Ozone resistance power of cured rubber compounds and finished products in different modes and wide test conditions or as per specific requirement.

AnEChOiC ChAMBER

A room designed to stop reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves. They are also often isolated from energy entering from their surroundings. This combination means that a person or detector exclusively hears direct sounds, in effect simulating being outside in a free field. The chamber is quite big enough for testing a truck’s NVH levels.

Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act, Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemical (REACH), and compliances for End of Life Vehicles (ELVs). Then there is Labeling of Tyres: Tyre Rating/ AIS 142/ECE R117, End of Life Tyre(ELT), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Uniform Tyre Quality Grade(UTGQ) to name a few.

tyRE MAtERiAL tREnDS

From raw materials to nano materials, a new trend is manifesting around the globe and reaching the Indian shores as well. Environment-friendly process of manufacturing is encouraged by the government, thus OEMs are pro-actively resorting to new trends. Mukhopadhyay said, “our labs and researchers are dedicated to finding alternate sources and perfecting the permutation in way that it does not compromise on performance.”

Currently, OEMs are pursuing alternate source of NR along with modified NR. The pursuit also covers Functionalised Solution-

polymerised Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SSBR), Hydrogenated Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR), Bio Source Synthetic Rubber (BR, SBR, ethylene propylene diene monomer, EPDM, and Engineered Elastomer). For fillers, OEMs are resorting to austin black, latex-C black/silica master batch, functionalised C-Black, carbon black from biomass, silica from rice husk, lignin and corn powder starch to name a few.

Reinforcing materials like high tensile, low weight steel cord, recycled polyester, eco-friendly dip solution, polyster from bio source, carbon nano fibre, hybrid cord, celluosics are now in demand considering their sustainable characteristics, informed Mukhopadhyay. Similarly, chemicals and process aids are also following the suit. Mukhopadhyay averred, “practices like the elimination of zinc, REACH compliance is now the norm for OEMs. Pre-dispersed rubber chemicals, reversion resistance cure systems, resorcinol-free resin, chemically modified bio-oil and process aids-natural sources like soya, corn, sunflower, palm, neem

and castor oil are a priority for our industry.” All these interventions lead to a simple goal of curbing emissions in every way possible.

Currently, the global rubber raw material trend stands at around 71 per cent dependency on petrochemicals, this includes SR/C-Black/chemicals/orginal tyre chords, 24 per cent on biosourced materials including NR/ eco-oil/silica and about 5 per cent on recycled materials. And at JK Tyre, these figures stand at 64 per cent for petrochemicals, 33 per cent for bio-sourced materials and three per cent on recycled materials. For 2024-25, the company looks at reducing the dependency on petrochemicals to 59 per cent, increasing bio-sourced material dependency to 35 per cent and recycled materials to six per cent, hailed as significant.

Mukhopadhyay quipped “Fuel efficiency, safety, ride comfort, noise, vibrations, handling are the primary parameters that went on before construction of a tyre, up until now. Henceforth, we have a new parameter and that is resource-saving, one that will be looked after quite diligently.”

COMING tOGetHeR tO RaISe tHe BaR

To realise the inherent growth potential, at the 62nd SIAM Annual Convention, stakeholders of the CV industry agreed to raise the bar of aspirations. Ashish Bhatia shares the key takeaways.

@atashishbhatia

with the festive season underway, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) among other stakeholders of the automotive industry hailed the recent reversal and upturn of the commercial vehicle industry as a whole. The 62nd SIAM Annual Convention, held in New Delhi, had the industry come together in full attendance. The reunion at the very forum, for the first time, in a post-Covid-19 era, had the industry sentiments at an all-time high. The pleasant exchanges were against the backdrop of the realisation of commercial vehicle sales registering a 24 per cent

growth in August 2022. These also touched upon a record turnover of Rs.4.2 lakh crore (USD 56.5 bn) for FY2022, registering a 23 per cent growth. A testimony to the OEMs and suppliers working closely is the latter registering a 23 per cent growth in sales to the former on the back of the recovery. The convention had Prime Minister Narendra Modi, set the tone as he hailed the mobility sector in his virtual address. While congratulating the industry for its contribution to the nation’s economy, he urged the industry to raise the bar of aspirations. He emphasised the need to accomplish a higher degree of self-sufficiency in the

automobile sector during the ‘Amrit Kaal’ by availing of the benefits of his government’s initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to boost manufacturing.

ViSiOn 2047

Speaking at the first plenary session, set on the theme, “Indian Auto Sector’s Journey in the “Amrit Kaal”: Vision @2047”, Anurag Jain, Secretary, and Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade, Government of India (DPIIT) cited India’s expected growth from a three to 32 trilliondollar economy by 2047. “The Auto industry is extremely

CommerCial

crucial for India’s economy and manufacturing sector.

The vision is to create a strong ecosystem where the industry can thrive, which necessitates adequate investment in R&D, skilled manpower, technological advancements, and focus on knowledge and emphasis on sustainability,” he mentioned. Acknowledging the viewpoint, Kenichi Ayukawa san, President, of SIAM and Executive Vice Chairman at Maruti Suzuki, was quick to express support for the Government’s vision and raised pertinent concerns that need to be addressed for the industry to live up to the expectations. “The Automotive Industry is facing a deep structural slowdown even before Covid-19 and now in the aftermath of the pandemic and conflict in the Ukrainian Industry has been facing a severe strain on the supply chain, he expressed.

ACMA President, Sunjay Kapur congratulated the industry on behalf of members for the CV industry’s performance after a

nearly three-year slump while also thanking OEMs for hand holding partner suppliers during the pandemic-marred fiscal.

For India’s economic growth Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways hailed the industry as the “growth engine” of the economy. He drew attention to the industry employing nearly four crore people; bringing in maximum Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue for both the centre and the states. At this juncture, he cited the need to lower the logistics cost at ~14 per cent of the GDP in comparison to China at eight to 10 per cent and the European Union (EU) at 10-12 per cent. “The need of the hour is to lower the logistics cost by ~four per cent to the 10 per cent mark,” he opined. Here, the government’s Gati Shakti National Programme was hailed as the tool to realise this ambition. It would help the industry further its GDP contribution from 6.2 per cent at present and manufacturing

contribution upwards of 39 per cent, he added. Gadkari laid down the vision to take the industry to 15 lac crore valuation and make India a global manufacturing hub. He urged the manufacturers and suppliers in attendance to be “quality centric and not cost-centric”. Reiterating the importance of such an alignment, he further stressed the need to ensure high levels of quality and safety. He highlighted the role of Bharat NCAP in attaining export growth. Shifting the focus to emission standards, Gadkari cited the Bharat Stage VI transition made by the industry. He urged stakeholders to discourage the use of petrol and diesel engines after careful study and undertaking a feasibility analysis. He also lauded the industry for 15 lakh EV registrations with overall industry sales witnessing a 422 per cent jump. The role of ~52 startups in this shift was praised. The minister hailed the CV industry where e-buses have shown a 1600 per cent jump in comparison.

Speaking against the bus tender of 5500 buses, Gadkari cited the need to attain a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) compared to the running costs of non-AC buses at Rs.39 per kilometre; AC at Rs.41 per kilometre, and diesel at Rs.115 per kilometre. Urging stakeholders to build the EV industry further, he also explained the potential for export that the industry stood to benefit from. He expressed his hope of India turning into a manufacturing hub for all alternative fuel solutions.

“The incentives under the FAME I and FAME II schemes have helped increase electric vehicle penetration in the country. The government should continue it until a threshold has been achieved,” opined Girish Wagh, Chairman, SIAM Commercial Vehicle CEOs Council and Executive Director (CVBU), Tata Motors Ltd. while committing support to the government’s vision. He concluded by sharing his perception on the outlines of the 7Cs of electric mobility

– Common, Connected, Convenient, Congestion-free, Charge, Clean and Cutting-edge. Gadkari also cited the life cycle cost of Lithium at USD 130 per kilo Watt hour to put his point across.

Coaxing the industry to stretch beyond its comfort zone, Gadkari also cited the potential for developing luxury electric double-decker buses to CV OEMs gathered. Straying from conventional CVs, the minister called upon the industry to use their automotive experience and help the government look at electric trolley buses, and e-highway apart from novel solutions like hyper loops, skybuses on routes like Daula Kua to Manesar for instance, and rope ways where he claimed an estimated 206 projects were in the sanctioning stage. He went a step ahead and offered a 120-acre land parcel for the development and called for the need to put in place a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Apart from e-buses, the

minister also focused on the need to develop electric trucks. The stress was on the electrification of public transportation as a whole. Besides electrification, he highlighted the scope of bio-fuel mechanisms with the country producing surplus sugar (~360 lakh tonne against a demand of Rs.280 lakh tonne). Given that farmers are said to be profitable with the increased sugar acreage, the minister called upon the industry to focus more on ethanol-based flex-fuel engines. He cited the Flexi-Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FFVSHEV), Toyota Corolla Altis car developed to push his case of it being possible on a mass scale across segments. The role of LNG in the future was also touched upon. With LNG at 50 per cent of the cost of diesel, he promoted its use beyond long-haul vehicles into Construction Equipment Vehicles (CEVs) to make a case for import substitution. He also made a case for green hydrogen in the overall mix. Deeming solid

and liquid waste management as a rupees five lakh crore industry, he encouraged stakeholders for greater participate more. Admitting to power accounting for 70 per cent of the cost in green hydrogen production, he took the example of a homegrown, Bengaluru firm known to export electrolysers to the United States to convince the industry of its potential in turning mainstream akin to petrol as an example.

The industry was urged to cooperate with the government even more on the vehicle scrappage policy. The components industry was urged to play its part and leverage the scrappage centres for the required input material for manufacturing components supplied to the OEM. In other ways to incentivise owners to scrap their vehicles voluntarily, he sought a higher incentive and/ or discount with a GST incentive. He also encouraged them to look at semiconductor manufacturing to secure the Indian supply chain relying on imports. Hoping for the worse to be behind the industry, the cautious optimism, had the industry revel in its

success as well as address the pain points during the session.

DECARBOniSinG thE CV SECtOR

The significance and ways to decarbonise the Indian CV segment to help India accomplish its goal of net zero by 2070 was the focal point at the summit.

Dr J. R. Bhatt, Advisor/Scientist, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, said, “Climate change is one of the most important environmental challenges today. India’s vision for transport must be based on low carbon emissions and affordability.” The role of Brazil and India to work on sustainable development was highlighted.

Andre Aranha Correa Do Lago, Brazilian Ambassador to India, said, “Brazil and India are the two largest sugarcane producers and have the potential to produce enormous amounts of ethanol.

Brazil will work with India on flex-fuel technology, sustainable aviation fuels, second-generation ethanol, hybrid flex-fuel vehicles, and fuel cells to name a few areas

of collaboration.” To attain this level of maturity, the solution to key concerns must be sought.

Sharad Verma, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group, said, “India needs to solve three key considerations, which are carbon footprint reduction, economic affordability of vehicles, and selfsufficiency of the industry while ensuring continued competitive advantage.”

nAtiOn BUiLDinG

The industry also deliberated upon the need to tap the opportunities from technology advancements and unconventional approaches.

Arun Goel, Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, commented, “We need to encash the disruption of modern technologies and innovative approaches such as EVs, biofuels, and others. The FAME II scheme of the government helped in catapulting EV adoption. The Government and the industry need to make dedicated efforts to help India achieve the target of net zero by 2070 while making the country an auto manufacturing hub for the world.” Echoing a similar sentiment, Sumita Dawra, Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, said, “Our country is making great strides in every segment including the automobile sector. As manufacturing is the backbone of the economy, we are constantly working to improve our ease of doing business by removing or integrating the approval and compliance requirements.” “PLI scheme by the government is providing the necessary support to the automobile sector to grow swiftly,” she concluded.

COmmeRCIal VeHICle

Ganesh Agurla Mumbai Ankush Gandhi Mumbai

Aruj Ashish Gurav Mumbai Hardik Chaudhari, Mumbai

Pratap Jagdale, Mumbai Sudhakar Mannai Chennai