Montra Electric Delivers India's First PM E-DRIVE Certified Heavy-Duty Electric Truck

Montra Electric, the electric commercial vehicle business vertical of the Murugappa Group, has achieved a landmark milestone by becoming the first heavy-duty electric truck manufacturer in India to receive certification under the Government of India's PM E-DRIVE Scheme. The company delivered the country's first PM E-DRIVE certified electric heavy truck, the Rhino 5538 EV 6x4 Tractor trailer, to UltraTech Cement Limited, India's largest cement and ready-mix concrete company.

The certification under the ₹10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme unlocks direct customer benefits of up to ₹9.6 lakh per vehicle for the Rhino 5538 EV, significantly improving the business case for electric heavy-duty truck adoption. The scheme has allocated ₹500 crore specifically for e-trucks, aimed at accelerating the transition from conventional fuels across logistics, mining, infrastructure, and manufacturing sectors.

The milestone was commemorated in the presence of Arun Murugappan, Chairman of Montra Electric (TI Clean Mobility), Jalaj Gupta, MD of Montra Electric, and Sathia Raj, Chief Procurement Officer of UltraTech Cement Limited. Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy commended the achievement, stating that the PM E-DRIVE scheme demonstrates India's growing capabilities in the heavy-duty electric vehicle segment.

"The PM E-DRIVE scheme is a testament to the growing prowess of Indian innovation in the heavy-duty electric vehicle segment," said Minister Kumaraswamy. "Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are committed to decarbonizing our logistics and making India a global hub for EV manufacturing."

Arun Murugappan emphasized the importance of policy support in driving the energy transition. "Decarbonising freight is one of the most critical challenges in India's energy transition," he said. "We are grateful to the Government of India for introducing forward-looking policy frameworks such as the PM E-DRIVE Scheme, which represent a transformative step in accelerating this shift, particularly in heavy commercial vehicles where emissions intensity is high."

The Rhino 5538 EV is designed specifically for Indian operating conditions and is available in 6x4 and 4x2 tractor trailer variants. The 4x2 variant offers both battery swapping and fixed battery options, featuring six-minute battery swaps, a 282 kWh LFP battery delivering 380 HP and 2000 Nm torque, with a range of nearly 198 km under standard test conditions. These specifications make the vehicle suitable for high-utilization, fixed-route applications across ports, mining operations, cement logistics, steel plants, and long-haul freight corridors.

The certification is expected to expedite electric truck adoption by improving long-term fleet economics through lower operating costs, reduced fuel price volatility exposure, and compliance with evolving sustainability and emission norms. Heavy-duty trucks account for a disproportionate share of freight emissions, making the electrification of this segment critical to India's net-zero targets.

Montra Electric operates under four business verticals covering heavy commercial vehicles, mid and small commercial vehicles, last-mile three-wheelers, and electric tractors. The company's portfolio includes India's first 55-ton electric truck trailer Rhino, the 3.5-ton small commercial vehicle Eviator, last-mile passenger vehicle Super Auto, delivery solution Super Cargo, and India's first electric tractor E-27.

The Murugappa Group, with a 125-year legacy and revenues of ₹90,178 crore, has diverse interests across agriculture, engineering, and financial services, employing 94,041 people across India and globally.