Tata Motors has launched the BS6 emission standard compliant Winger van in Nepal in association with its sole authorised distributor Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd. It is aimed at applications like cargo, school, staff and tours and travel.

Powered by a 101.2 bhp, 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine that is couple to a 5-speed manual gearbox, the Winger is capable of seating 12+driver in its standard configuration. Such a configuration should be suitable for staff and tourist application with an amount of customisation if the need be.

A stylish looking vehicle that is fitted with an ‘eco’ switch which facilitates superior mileage against every litre of diesel, the Winger has a gradeability of 25.8 precent which should make it easy manoeuvre on steep inclines and flyovers. Euipped with a gear shift advisor which aids improve the fuel efficiency further, the van is easy to manoeuvre on steep inclines and flyovers. An ample glass area ensures good visibility.

Fitted with an independent front suspension, anti-roll bars and hydraulic shock absorbers, the Winger has good refinement levels too. In the school van guise, the van, equipped with ABS and FDSS (Fire
Detection and Suppression System) makes for a safe and attractive proposition. It is also fitted with
powerful fog lamps to aid visibility.

In the cargo avatar, the vehicle is built to cater to the last-mile segments and for deliveries across the mofussil regions. With good aesthetics to match a good payload capacity of 1680 kg, the loading bay of the Winger is large and flat.

Anurag Mehrotra, Vice President, International Business & Strategy, Commercial Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors said, “Tata Winger BS6 is an ideal vehicle for customers who seek profitability and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). We remain certain of the dedication and zeal with which Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd. will commence the sales and services for the all-new Winger BS6 in continuation of the support they have extended for many decades. We believe that the Tata Winger will provide its customers a best-in-class experience, building on Tata Motors’ legacy of providing highly efficient and reliable products that ensure utmost customer satisfaction and profit.”

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Electric commercial vehicle leasing platform DRIVN and private intercity bus operator Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions, operating as Purple Bus, have expanded their electric fleet agreement to 276 buses.

The agreement increases the initial commitment of 100 electric buses, utilising an operating lease model and fleet management software.

The initial deployment covered intercity routes in Western and Southern India, including the Mumbai–Pune, Bengaluru–Chennai and Hyderabad–Vijayawada corridors. The expanded fleet under the Letter of Intent will cover additional routes, including Nagpur–Chandrapur, Nagpur–Amravati and Bengaluru–Tirupati.

DRIVN will supply asset financing, leasing, charging infrastructure management, real-time battery diagnostics and route performance analytics to support the deployment.

Alpna Jain, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, DRIVN, said, "Expanding our partnership with Purple Bus marks an important milestone for us at DRIVN. Increasing the initial agreement from 100 buses to a commitment of 276 reflects the strength of the relationship we have built with the team. Our focus is to simplify the transition to electric commercial vehicles by bringing together the financing, vehicles and tech capabilities operators need to run their fleets effectively. We look forward to continuing our work with Purple Bus as its requirements evolve."

Saurabh P Patwardhan, Director, Purple Bus, said, "Our experience with the initial deployment has reinforced a key learning: scaling electric mobility requires not only putting more electric buses on the road, but also building the right ecosystem around them. A nearly three-fold growth in the commitment from our partner reflects our confidence in that approach and our intention is to make electric mobility a larger part of our operations. DRIVN combines operational expertise with a strong technology platform, using real-time data and insights across routes, vehicles and fleet performance to support smarter deployment. We believe this combination will be critical to scaling electric intercity mobility sustainably and efficiently."

The partnership combines Purple Bus's route operations with DRIVN's leasing and data infrastructure to support the transition to electric intercity passenger transport in India.

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Mumbai-headquartered automotive major Mahindra & Mahindra has commenced commercial production and supply of the MAXSEEDER, a precision zero-till, multi-crop seeding machine manufactured under licence from Canadian firm Clean Seed Technologies.

Built at Mahindra's farm machinery plant in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, the machinery will launch initially through dealerships in Punjab and Haryana before expanding to other domestic and international agricultural markets.

The MAXSEEDER operates as a tractor-trailed unit compatible with tractors rated at 35 horsepower and above. Engineered for multi-crop seeding across wheat, rice, soybean, maize and cotton, the machine enables direct sowing into paddy residue to eliminate stubble burning.

It features five independent row units with adjustable spacing, multiple metering options and an Electronic Control Unit controlled via a smartphone application to regulate seed and fertiliser dispensing. The unit places urea approximately 1.5 inches below the seed line to improve nutrient uptake and lower input consumption.

Field trials conducted in Punjab and Haryana demonstrated the machine's ability to operate in heavy crop residue with minimal soil disturbance, reducing fuel, labour, and field preparation requirements ahead of planting cycles.

Veejay Nakra, President of the Farm Equipment Business at Mahindra & Mahindra, said, "Mahindra is proud to partner with Clean Seed to deliver sustainable, mechanisation solutions to farmers world over. The patented and innovative ‘zero-till’, multi-crop seeding machine – the MaxSeeder, combined with Mahindra’s world-class manufacturing, ensures benefits for both farmers and the environment. The collaboration also underscores Clean Seed’s confidence in Mahindra’s capabilities and our shared commitment to advancing access to modern farm machinery globally and in India, while showcasing Indian manufacturing excellence on the world stage."

Graeme Lempriere, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Clean Seed Capital Group, said, "Seeing our SMART Seeder MINI-MAX enter production at Mahindra is a proud milestone and a testament to years of innovation, collaboration and belief in our vision of delivering sustainable seeding and planting solutions for farmers in India and around the world. I am deeply impressed by Mahindra's scale and manufacturing capabilities and inspired by the commitment and passion the Mahindra team has brought to this project."

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Chennai-headquartered commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland, the flagship company of the Hinduja Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank to provide financing solutions for purchasers of its trucks and buses.

The agreement was executed by Neelakantan, Vice-President of Finance at Ashok Leyland and R. Ananda Ganesan, Executive Vice-President and Country Head of Credit at Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, in the presence of Salee S Nair, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank.

Under the partnership, Tamilnad Mercantile Bank will extend end-to-end vehicle loans with structured repayment schedules across Ashok Leyland's range of light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles.

The partnership leverages Tamilnad Mercantile Bank's network of over 600 branches, with coverage across rural, semi-urban and commercial hubs in Tamil Nadu and South India. The initiative aims to increase credit accessibility for transport operators, fleet owners, small and medium enterprises and agricultural businesses purchasing commercial vehicles.

K M Balaji, Whole-Time Director and Chief Financial Officer, Ashok Leyland, said, "We are pleased to partner with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) to provide accessible and convenient financing solutions to our customers. Financing plays an important role in enabling customers to invest in commercial vehicles and grow their businesses. This partnership will further strengthen our customer-centric approach by facilitating greater access to finance for customers purchasing Ashok Leyland trucks and buses. We look forward to a meaningful and long-term association with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB)."

Madhavi Deshmukh, Senior Vice-President and National Head of Sales for Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles, Ashok Leyland, said, "Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and ensuring easy access to financing is an important part of supporting their business journeys. By joining hands with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB), we are extending another avenue for customers to access timely financing support. The partnership will help improve vehicle penetration across regions and ensure that customers can benefit from faster turnaround times and tailored financing offerings that suit their operational requirements."

Salee S. Nair, MD and CEO, Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, said, "We are delighted to partner with Ashok Leyland, a leading name in India’s commercial vehicle industry. Through this partnership, TMB will offer tailored financing solutions backed by seamless processes and customer-centric service. By leveraging the combined strengths of TMB's robust banking network and Ashok Leyland's extensive market presence, we aim to support business growth and drive greater mobility for transport operators and fleet owners."

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India’s transportation sector recorded growth across vehicle categories in September 2026, driven by festive dispatches and core sector demand, according to the Shriram Mobility Bulletin.

Truck rentals remained stable across key trunk routes, remaining above levels recorded during the same period in the previous year.

The company finds that on a MoM basis, rentals on the Bengaluru–Mumbai–Bengaluru route grew by 1.3 percent, followed by the Delhi–Mumbai–Delhi route at 1.1 percent and the Delhi–Hyderabad–Delhi route at 1 percent.

The YoY perspective showed increases on all monitored routes, led by Delhi–Kolkata–Delhi at 13 percent, Bengaluru–Mumbai–Bengaluru at 11 percent and Kolkata–Guwahati–Kolkata at 10 percent.

Vehicle dispatches reflected sequential expansion in core industries. Construction equipment sales rose 31 percent MoM, earth-moving equipment increased 17 percent and goods carriers grew 13 percent. Passenger cars and two-wheelers each recorded a 4 percent sequential rise, whereas agricultural tractors fell 15 percent and commercial tractors declined 22 percent.

On a YoY basis, maxi cab sales grew 75 percent, three-wheeler goods vehicles rose 63 percent and goods carriers increased 40 percent. Agricultural trailers recorded a year-on-year decline of 27 percent.

Electric vehicle adoption increased across all monitored segments. Electric two-wheelers recorded a 13 percent MoM rise and a 111 percent YoY gain. Electric passenger cars grew 12 percent sequentially and 143 percent YoY, while electric three-wheelers increased 8 percent MoM and 113 percent YoY.

Sudarshan Holla, Joint MD & COO, Commercial Vehicles, Shriram Finance, said, "Firm truck rentals amid festive dispatches, strong two-wheeler demand, accelerating EV adoption, and healthy sales of heavy-duty trucks and construction equipment all point to resilient economic activity. Importantly, the strength seen in commercial vehicles and construction equipment indicates continued momentum in infrastructure and core sectors, reinforcing a positive outlook for the broader economy. Concerns of a potential interest rate increase during the festive season may be a sentiment dampener."

Interestingly, fuel consumption data showed a 2 percent sequential rise in diesel use alongside a 5 percent decline in petrol consumption. On a YoY basis, petrol and diesel consumption increased by 7.2 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. FASTag collections fell 3.9 percent in volume and 1.2 percent in value MoM, though YoY collection value increased by 11 percent.

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