Exclusive! VE Commercial Vehicles lines up new truck launches for 2015

As India’s economic growth hints at ‘achhe din’, VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), an equal joint venture between Eicher Motors and the Volvo Group, is all set to roll out a number of medium and heavy duty commercial vehicles (M&HCVs) in CY 2015.

The new trucks to be launched by the company across platforms would range from gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 5 tonnes to 49 tonnes, and would be rolled out under Eicher Trucks and Buses, a business unit of VECV. Notably, VECV has four other business units as well – Volvo Trucks India, VE Powertrain, Eicher Engineering Components and Eicher Engineering Solutions.

From the lighter, Pro 1000 platform, which ranges across a GVW of 5 to 14 tonnes, VECV plans to launch a 14-tonne truck in January 2015. The said model will be powered by company’s proven 3.3-litre diesel powertrain, named as E483.

That will be followed by a 10.5-tonne truck, which is slated for a June 2015 launch. The model from VECV’s Pro 3000 platform (ranges across 9 to 14 tonnes GVW) will be powered by an all-new 3.8-litre diesel engine, named as E494.

Talking exclusively to Autocar Professional, Shyam Maller, senior vice-president (sales and marketing), Eicher Trucks and Buses, VE Commercial Vehicles, said: “The 3.8-litre powertrain for the 10.5-tonne model from the Pro 3000 series is a new engine developed in India with the help of Volvo technology. Volvo’s engine management system and other inputs have gone into the development of this engine. This truck model will also feature an all-new plush cabin for driver comfort.”

According to Maller, the company had recently done a soft launch of two truck models from the new platform. VECV had rolled out a 13-tonne model around five months ago and a 15-tonne model two months ago, both based on the Pro 3000 platform.

From the Pro 6000 series, which ranges from 16 to 40 tonnes of GVW, the company plans to launch two 25-tonne truck models next year – one with 6X2 haulage application and another with 6x4 tipper application. The Pro 6000 series of models are powered by engines ranging from 5.2 litres to 8 litres.

“We had recently done a soft launch of the 6031 model, a 31 tonne, 8x2 haulage truck based on the Pro 6000 series. The model, which is powered by 5.2-litre engine, was provided to select customers,” added Maller.

Furthermore, VECV is also planning to launch a 49-tonne 6x4 tractor-trailer in 2015 from its Pro 8000 series, which ranges from 25 tonne to 49 tonne GVW.

Giving details on the models based on this series, Maller said that “the upcoming 49-tonne 6x4 tractor- trailer will be powered by a 280hp engine. We have also developed a 6x2 tractor trailer in the 49-tonne segment, which is India’s first in its category. Among other models we have developed under this series include a 31-tonne 8x2 haulage truck as well as a 25-tonne 8x4 tipper truck. We rolled out a 31-tonne 8x4 tipper for soft mining applications in November 2014.”

It is to be noted that the company is gradually stepping into the higher tonnage segments with various haulage, mining and other applications. According to Maller, the company follows a very high level of localisation in the development of all its CVs in India.

According to SIAM figures, the total M&HCV goods carrier segment sales between April-November 2014 stands at 116,483 units as against 104,685 units sold during the same period last year. However, for VECV (Eicher Trucks and Buses) in this category, the company has sold 13,160 units during the same period this year as against 13,809 units during April-November 2013, registering a drop of 4.7 percent.

On the export front, the company has cumulatively for the same period this year, sold 2,444 units as against 1,342 units a year ago, which marks a substantial growth of 82.11 percent albeit on a low base. The company sees 2015 as a better year in terms of growth in domestic sales in the M&HCV segment.