Mahindra Logistics will provide a dedicated fleet of heavy commercial vehicles, assistance in route management and network operations, and advanced analytics for Flipkart’s pan India operations.
In the first four months of the ongoing fiscal year, India’s commercial vehicle industry has witnessed a contraction of 2% in volumes. The September quarter is typically a subdued one on account of the monsoon. Volumes are expected to revive subsequently supported by a stable macroeconomic situation and a pickup in construction activity.
The Indian subsidiary of Daimler Truck, the world’s largest truck maker, bats for crash test norms in India. According to the company, a good TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) model can help convince Indian customers to pay a higher price for better comfort and safety.
CY 2022 was the best year of growth as DICV sold a total of 29,470 domestic and export units of trucks and buses in the calendar year, the company said.
The new model range comes with a more powerful 320 HP BSVI diesel powertrain, providing high wheel-end torque required to negotiate tough, gradient mining roads. The vehicles come with industry-leading body capacities, benefiting customers in the mining sector. Also on display at the exhibition is the new BharatBenz 48T rigid tipper and 28T RMC, and a Simulated Driving Trainer programme, the company said.
Agreed Satyakam Arya, MD & CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV). “E-mobility will start with three wheelers and then two wheelers and city buses in India. There is still some time before it comes to the segments we currently cater to in CVs. When that time comes, we will be there,” he said.
Once the transaction is completed, SAMIL will own the assets (including long-term leasehold rights for land) and will run end to end operations for frame manufacturing and assembly and supply to DICV under the long-term supply contract, the company said.
Under this MoU, DICV will partner with IITMIC to identify, mentor and provide opportunities to Indian technology startup companies that will work to find futuristic solutions for the Indian mobility space, in the years ahead, the company said.
Arya said Daimler had placed a long-term bet on hydrogen fuel cell or EVs, but the company is watching the transition to CNG very closely. "CNG was not part of our global plan, but it appears in a country like India, CNG will have a role to play in the coming 10-20 years, so we will have to work on our solution too," he added.
DICV is planning to launch new products in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) segment to fill the white spot. It is also readying to launch electric buses and electric light commercial vehicles and small commercial vehicles (SCVs) to cater to the emerging demand, MD & CEO Satyakam Arya told ETAuto recently.
The DICV plant in Chennai is the only location worldwide producing engines, transmissions, trucks, and buses at the same site catering to four brands – BharatBenz, FUSO, Mercedes-Benz, and Freightliner.
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