Ashok Leyland has ruled out any immediate impact of the proposed EV policy in Delhi on commercial vehicle demand, even as it acknowledged that customers are increasingly evaluating fuel choices more closely amid shifting economics and regulatory signals.
Speaking at a media roundtable held during the launch of twin-fuel variants of the DOST and DOST+ XL, Amandeep Singh, President – LCV, IO, Defence & Power Solutions, and Viplav Shah, Head – LCV Business, said that while the policy has triggered conversations in the market, it has not led to purchase delays. “Policy will play a role, but total cost of ownership will ultimately drive the customer’s decision,” Singh said.
Executives indicated that customer decision-making is becoming more application-led, with operators evaluating fuel options based on total cost of ownership rather than a fixed preference for a specific powertrain. “Nearly 46 to 50 percent of the customer’s expense is fuel. The profit that a customer makes largely comes from there,” Singh said.
During the interaction, a question around diesel being cheaper than CNG in some markets drew attention to the narrowing cost gap between the two fuels. Responding to this, Singh said, “A lot depends on how global fuel prices evolve. The gap is not very high right now, and these trends will keep changing,” he said.
Ashok Leyland maintained that fuel preferences are now influenced by a combination of regional price dynamics, infrastructure availability and usage patterns. “These are evolving conditions. Customers will decide based on what works best for their application,” Shah said.
Against this backdrop, the company has introduced CNG-petrol twin-fuel variants of its DOST range, aimed at providing operational flexibility in an uncertain environment.
The technology allows vehicles to run on CNG for cost efficiency while retaining petrol as a backup, helping operators manage range limitations and fuel availability concerns. “The objective is to eliminate availability anxiety and give customers flexibility to optimise their operating cost,” Shah said.
The DOST twin-fuel offers a payload of 1,218 kg and a range of about 400 km, while the DOST+ XL twin-fuel delivers 1,410 kg payload and up to 500 km range. Prices start at ₹8.20 lakh and ₹8.75 lakh, ex-showroom.
CNG Push
Despite increasing complexity in fuel economics, Ashok Leyland remains committed to expanding its CNG portfolio. The company indicated that it is targeting a meaningful share of its LCV volumes from CNG, with internal expectations around the 20 percent level over time, as adoption widens beyond traditional markets. “CNG demand is now expanding beyond Delhi NCR into states like Gujarat and Maharashtra as infrastructure improves,” Shah said.
India currently has around 9,000 CNG stations, with plans to double this network over the next four to five years. Rising fuel cost uncertainty and global developments are also nudging customers to explore electric options, particularly in last-mile applications.
“There is some anxiety in the market due to global developments. Customers are evaluating options that can reduce operating costs, including electric vehicles,” Singh said. However, the company emphasised that EVs will be part of a broader multi-fuel ecosystem rather than a standalone solution. “Diesel, CNG, EV, LNG and hydrogen will all have their place depending on application and ecosystem readiness,” Shah said.
The company maintained that underlying demand trends remain stable despite ongoing uncertainties. “The economic momentum continues to be strong. We have not seen any disruption in demand so far,” Singh said.