Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA Celebrates 40 Years Of Partnership With Al Habtoor Motors In UAE

Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA Celebrates 40 Years Of Partnership With Al Habtoor Motors In UAE

Completing a journey of 40 years, the partnership between Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA and Al Habtoor Motors, UAE, has only turned stronger and more resilient. Al Habtoor Motors has been the top distributor of Fuso commercial vehicles – a Daimler Truck brand – in the Middle East and African region. 

It was in fact honoured by Daimler Truck as the ‘Top Distributor’ for Fuso in the Middle East and North Africa region in February 2024 during the EliteClass MENA 2023 Awards held at W Hotel in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. The Fuso ‘Top Distributor’ award was presented to Al Habtoor Motors for its overall excellence achievement with five gold awards and one bronze award in the area of sales, marketing, service, training, parts and facility. 

At the function organised to celebrate 40 years of partnership between Al Habtoor Motors and Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA, Andreas Deuschle our Director and Head of International Sales and Customer Services at Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation traveled to the former’s facility recently. He expressed heartfelt appreciation for our enduring partnership and presented a plaque in recognition of our four decades of cooperation. 
During the visit, Deuschle highlighted the mutual achievements and growth both companies have experienced together. "Our partnership with Al Habtoor Motors has been instrumental to our success in the region. We are deeply grateful for their unwavering support and look forward to more years of collaboration," he informed.  

Tata Motors Launches Intra EV Pickup At INR 1.19 Million

Tata Intra EV

Tata Motors, one of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, has expanded its electric-CV portfolio with the launch of the Intra EV Pickup at prices starting INR 1.19 million (ex-showroom). The EV is positioned as a high-payload solution for urban and regional cargo requirements.

The Intra EV is engineered for demanding duty cycles across sectors such as e-commerce, FMCG and dairy distribution. It features a purpose-built electric architecture designed to handle diverse Indian weather and terrain conditions.

The e-SCV has 1,750 kg payload capacity with load body options extending to 10.2-feet. It uses a 72kW electric motor generating 230 Nm of peak torque and 23 percent gradeability. It features an IP67-rated 28.2 kWh battery providing a certified range of 211 km on a single charge. The Intra EV supports CCS2 fast charging, enabling a 10-80 percent charge in approximately 55 minutes.

The EV integrates an Electronic Braking System (EBS) for stability and a three-level regenerative braking system to enhance energy recovery. Fleet management is supported via the Tata Motors Fleet Edge platform, which provides real-time tracking, vehicle health monitoring and predictive maintenance data.

The cabin is crash-tested and features Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) and a walk-through design to reduce driver fatigue during extended operating hours.

Tata Motors provides a 6-year or 200,000 km high-voltage battery warranty. It is supported by a network of over 25,000 charging points and 200 dedicated EV service centres across India. The launch follows the deployment of the company's electric buses and the recent introduction of the Ace EV 1000 and Ace Pro EV mini-trucks.

Girish Wagh, Managing Director & CEO, Tata Motors, said, “Our commitment to green mobility is focused on delivering sustainable solutions that are proven at scale and relevant to India’s diverse commercial mobility needs. Building on the strong market response to our electric mini‑trucks and the successful deployment of our electric buses serving commuters across 10 cities nationwide, we rolled out our next‑generation electric trucks earlier this year and are now advancing further with the launch of electric pickups. Through this progression, Tata Motors has established the country’s most comprehensive electric commercial vehicle portfolio across segments. This momentum is being enabled by progressive Government policies and strong collaboration across customers, partners and suppliers, accelerating India’s transition to cleaner and more sustainable mobility.”

Pinaki Haldar, Vice-President & Business Head – SCVPU, Tata Motors, said, “The all-new Intra EV Pickup has been developed with a clear focus on earning capability and everyday usability, combining one of the highest payload capacities in its segment with strong performance, long range and high uptime, all at a segment-beating price. Its comfortable, crash‑tested cabin, car‑like driving dynamics and thoughtfully integrated features are designed to reduce fatigue and improve productivity across long operating hours. As adoption of cleaner technologies accelerates, Tata Motors remains committed to raising industry benchmarks and making electric cargo mobility a practical, confident choice for businesses.”

Force Motors Reports 20% Growth In Domestic Sales For FY2026

Force Motors

Pune-headquartered automotive major Force Motors has reported its domestic wholesales of 36,536 units for FY2026, which marks a 20 percent increase compared to the 30,531 units sold in the previous fiscal year.

For the month of March 2026, the company registered a 14 percent growth with 4,126 units sold.

The company stated it witnessed growth across its product portfolio, supported by demand in passenger mobility, institutional and defence sectors.

Force Traveller continued to maintain a 70 percent market share in the light commercial vehicle segment, with applications in school and ambulance services.

The company’s premium passenger mobility platform Urbania recorded volume growth exceeding 100 percent, while Trax platform saw 70 percent growth with traction from Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets.

Force Motors’ Special Vehicle Division delivered its first batch of 600 Gurkha units to the Indian Army.

At present, Force Motors operates five manufacturing units and an R&D centre in Pune. The company produces and tests engines for all Mercedes-Benz and BMW cars and SUVs manufactured in India.

Additionally, Force MTU Power Systems, a joint venture with Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG, produces 10 and 12-cylinder engines for global power generation and rail applications. Overall exports for the company's four-wheelers grew by 13 percent during the year.

Prasan Firodia, Managing Director, Force Motors, said, “Our performance this year reflects the way we are steadily shaping the business – being more focused, disciplined and aligned to the segments where we know and believe that we can lead. The Force Urbania is setting new benchmarks in premium shared mobility, while the Trax platform is helping improve connectivity across the country. Our Traveller range continues to anchor our presence in the segment, with its market leadership reflecting the deep trust customers place in the brand. At the same time, our continued work with the defence sector reflects the strength of our engineering and our ability to deliver in demanding conditions. We also saw steady growth in our export business, with overall exports growing by 13 percent (4-wheelers only). Given our strong exports’ presence in Gulf markets, we remain mindful of the evolving geopolitical situation and are closely monitoring the developments. As we look ahead, staying close to our customers and paying close attention to their needs & shaping our products and solutions accordingly—will remain a key focus for us. We will continue to build on our strengths with consistency, while staying responsive to evolving market needs”.

ZF Commercial Vehicles Secures ADAS Contract For Indian Bus Platform

ZF ADAS

ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India has been awarded a business nomination by a mobility OEM to develop and supply an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) suite for an upcoming bus platform. The project encompasses system supply, vehicle integration, and validation, with the start of production targeted for Q1 FY2027.

The awarded solution centres on ZF’s OnGuardMAX platform, which utilises multi-sensor fusion including a front camera, mid-range radar and an image processing module. This system is integrated with Short-Range Radar (SRR), an Electronic Braking System (EBS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) to provide comprehensive active safety.

The platform enables Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning (DDAW). It also features SRR units address blind spots to protect vulnerable road users, supporting Blind Spot Information Systems (BSIS) and Moving Off Information Systems (MOIS). The integration of EBS and ESC provides faster braking responses, shorter stopping distances and improved rollover resistance for electric vehicle platforms.

The ADAS suite is engineered to meet GSR 184(E) requirements. The technology has undergone 450,000 kilometres of testing on Indian roads and has received ARAI certification. The architecture is scalable to SAE Level 2 and is designed to support future automation requirements.

Paramjit Singh Chadha, Managing Director, ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India, said, “ADAS was and remains a strategic priority for ZF Commercial Vehicles in India. With a legacy of deep customer understanding and proven technological competence that make commercial transportation safer, smarter and more efficient, we also offer ADAS solutions that fit the specific driving conditions in India and at the same time have the backing of our global expertise.”

Akash Passey, Non-Executive Chairman, ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India, added, “We see a rapid acceleration in India in the adoption of advanced driver assistance technologies that enhance road safety and operational efficiency. ZF Commercial Vehicles Division offers made-to-fit market solutions that address the specific needs of leading and new-age e-mobility OEMs with the strength of ZF’s global engineering expertise and combining it with deep regional insights.”

VE Commercial Vehicles Surpasses 100,000 Annual Sales Milestone In FY2026

VECV

VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), the joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, has announced sales of 103,495 vehicles in FY2026, up 14.8 percent YoY, as against 90,161 units sold last year.

This marks the company’s highest-ever annual sales volume since the inception of the partnership in 2008.

The sales performance was distributed across several key commercial vehicle segments, which includes 47,789 Light & Medium Duty (LMD) Trucks (46.1 percent of total sales), 27,867 Heavy Duty (HD) Trucks (25.9 percent of total sales) and 19,363 buses (18.7 percent of total sales).

At present, VECV operates eight manufacturing plants in India, including an Industry 4.0-enabled facility in Bhopal and an engine manufacturing hub (VEPT) in Pithampur that supplies global Volvo Group requirements.

The company maintains a 100 percent connected vehicle portfolio through the Eicher Live telematics platform. Lifecyle support is provided through a pan-India network of over 1,250 touchpoints.

Furthermore, a new Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) plant is under development in Ujjain to focus on drivability and fuel efficiency.

B. Srinivas, MD & CEO, VECV, said, “Crossing the milestone of 1,00,000 vehicles in a year is a significant achievement for VECV and reflects the trust our customers have placed in our products and solutions. This milestone also fulfils a key part of the original vision set at the inception of the Volvo–Eicher joint venture, underscoring the strength and long-term strategic direction of our partnership. As we move forward, we remain committed to driving the next phase of growth through innovation, sustainability, and deeper customer engagement.”