Eicher unveils BS VI range of Pro 2000 series light-duty trucks

With BS VI emission norms kicking in barely nine months from now, the race is on the Indian market to lauch BS VI-compliant products. Eicher Trucks & Buses, part of VE Commercial Vehicles, today revealed the new range of BS VI Eicher Pro 2000 series light-duty trucks comprising the Eicher Pro 2049 and Eicher Pro 2095XP.

VECV has invested Rs 800 crore, comprising Rs 400 crore in setting up the new Bhopal plant and Rs 400 crore on the new Eicher Pro 2049 and Eicher Pro 2095XP light-duty trucks. 

Designed to address a wider range of applications and enable VECV to enter new segments, the Pro 2000 series’ USP are significantly higher profitability and industry-first features for enhanced reliability, safety, comfort and efficiency.

The Eicher Pro 2000 series comes with two new engine platforms – E474 and E494 – which the company says are built to deliver best-in-class fuel efficiency and a range of power options. According to the company, the E474 BS VI engine platform is the most fuel-efficient engine with extensive use of aluminium, plastic and other composite materials. The engine is designed to stretch every litre of diesel to the maximum, says Eicher. 

The trucks also get all-new 1.8m and 2m tiltable cabins equipped with industry-first features like 18cm touchscreen infotainment, Bluetooth and telematics connectivity.  

The Eicher Pro 2049 mini truck gets a high legal payload of 2.7 tonnes, dual-model M-Booster technology and larger loading area. Meanwhile, the Eicher Pro 2095XP, which has the highest payload of 7.2 tonnes in the category, comes with five cargo body options – 14.1, 17.6, 19, 20 and 21.5 feet – and is targeted at fleet operators.

Speaking at the product reveal in Mumbai, Vinod Aggarwal, MD and CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles, said: “We have always believed in investing rigorously in R&D to stay ahead in the industry by improving transportation efficiency. The Pro 2000 series is a testament to that mission. With a strong blend of technology and engineering innovations, we are yet again bringing in a new benchmark for the industry, offering our customers a radically differentiated experience in the CV space. We have superior and longstanding expertise in manufacturing and exporting base engines for Euro 6 requirements of the Volvo Group for the past six years. This extensive experience with Euro 6 allows us the first-mover advantage to deliver products engineered to cater to the new emission norms in India. The select models we have unveiled will be fueled by our two new BS VI engine platforms, equipped with an all-new state-of-the-art cabin and industry-first features.”

Aggarwal added, "We are leaders and innovators of the Indian LMD (light and medium duty) trucks market. The new Eicher Pro 2000 series takes logistics and intra-city distribution to the next level, focusing on the driver and his comfort. we believe the winning combination of best-in-class fuel efficiency, better turnaround, more payload, superior cabin aggregates and a competitive price-point will help reduce the operating costs for customers, resulting in higher profitability."  

The new Pro 2000 Series will also be sold in South East Asian markets under the UD Trucks brand and will compete mainly against Japanese trucks in these markets.

Also read: Vinod Aggarwal: ‘I think the CV market turnaround will happen around September.’