Mahindra Launches All-New Veero LCV

Mahindra Launches All-New Veero LCV

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, India's leading manufacturer of utility vehicles and leaders in the LCV <3.5 t segment, today announced the launch of the Mahindra Veero, starting at INR 799,000. It comes with a standard 3-year/100,000-km warranty with 20,000-km regular service intervals.

Based on Mahindra’s Urban Prosper Platform (UPP), India’s first ground-up multi-energy modular CV platform, the Veero sets a new industry standard with first-in-segment tech and features such as a driver-side airbag, reverse parking camera, a 26.03 cm touchscreen infotainment system, steering-mounted controls and power windows.

Mahindra Veero is powered by a 1.5-litre mDI diesel engine that delivers 59.7 kW and 210 Nm of torque or the Turbo mCNG engine with its best-in-class power of 67.2 kW and 210 Nm of torque. Furthermore, the Veero offers customisable cargo options, making it ideal for a wide range of business needs. It offers a payload capacity of 1,600 kg for diesel and an impressive 1,500 kg for CNG variant, 3035 mm cargo length, 18.4 km/l mileage for diesel and a 5.1-metre turning radius.

Mahindra Veero adheres to the AIS096 compliance crash safety standards. Other advanced safety features include a False Start Avoidance System and an immobilizer to prevent unauthorised starts. The Veero is equipped with iMAXX connected solutions, with over 50 features that allow customers and fleet owners to conveniently monitor their vehicles using the iMAXX application on smartphones. The application is available in six languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam.

Veejay Nakra, President – Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, said, “The Mahindra Veero will further strengthen our leadership in the LCV <3.5 t segment. Built to help customers maximise earnings, it offers best-in-class payload, exemplary mileage and superior manoeuvrability. With multiple segment-first technology and features, the vehicle ensures a premium cabin experience, unmatched safety, exceptional performance and capability. The Mahindra Veero is designed to be a category disrupter ahead of all other offerings in this segment, truly living up to the promise of being ‘Soch Se Aage’."

R Velusamy, President – Automotive Technology and Product Development, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, said, “The Mahindra Veero, built on the all-new Urban Prosper Platform, is a testament to our commitment to innovation and versatility. Designed to support multiple powertrain options, including electric in the near future, it addresses the diverse operational needs of businesses, offering flexibility like never before. Safety has been a top priority in its development, with industry-leading standards ensuring maximum protection for all occupants. Engineered to excel in even the most challenging conditions, the all-new Veero sets new benchmarks in its category, especially in comfort, performance, safety and long-term reliability."

Price details (ex-showroom) are given below (Airbag option on V2 and V4 at additional INR 15,000):

VariantV2V4V6
Deck TypeCBCSDHDSDSD

XL

(2765 mm cargo)

INR 799,000INR 849,000 ---

XXL

(3035 mm cargo)

INR 854,000INR 869,000INR 889,000INR 899,000INR 956,000

Eicher Trucks And Buses Launches AI-Powered Uptime NXT Services

Uptime NXT

Eicher Trucks & Buses, a division of VE Commercial Vehicles, has introduced Uptime NXT Services supported by an AI-enabled (artificial intelligence) Uptime Centre. The initiative expands the company's aftermarket service ecosystem through connected vehicle data, predictive analytics and service support infrastructure to manage fleet operations.

The Uptime Centre functions as an operational hub connecting transport operators, technicians and engineering teams. Services delivered through the platform include fuel management advisory, driver performance scorecards, vehicle operation insights, remote immobiliser controls and proactive maintenance alerts.

The system integrates with the My Eicher application, which currently connects over 460,000 commercial vehicles across 200,000 fleet accounts to provide real-time vehicle tracking, trip tracking and maintenance monitoring.

B. Srinivas, MD and CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles, said, "For our customers, uptime directly impacts productivity, profitability and business continuity. At Eicher, our vision has therefore been to create an ecosystem that helps keep vehicles operating at their best - everyday. By bringing together connected technology, predictive insights, a responsive service network and strong aftermarket support, we are moving towards a more proactive approach to uptime — one that anticipates customer needs, minimises disruptions and enables customers to run their businesses with greater confidence and predictability. Our ambition is to make uptime a defining part of the Eicher ownership experience."

S S Gill, Chief Commercial Officer, VE Commercial Vehicles, said, "The new Uptime Centre brings together the people, technology and intelligence needed to manage uptime more proactively and at scale. The Uptime Control Tower gives our teams greater visibility across vehicle and service operations, while our Gen AI-powered platform bring actionable intelligence closer to our service teams and technicians. This enables faster diagnosis, better coordination and stronger First-Time-Right performance, helping us reduce disruptions and deliver a more seamless service experience for our customers."

The company first established a centralised Uptime Centre in 2019. The upgraded Uptime NXT architecture introduces an Uptime Control Tower for real-time monitoring of service operations and deploys generative artificial intelligence tools, designated as the Service One platform, to assist dealership technicians with fault diagnostics and repair procedures.

Ashok Leyland Partners Union Bank Of India For Commercial Vehicle Financing

Ashok Leyland - Union Bank of India

Chennai-headquartered commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland, the flagship company of the Hinduja Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Union Bank of India to establish a vehicle financing agreement for purchasers of its commercial vehicles.

The agreement was signed by Neelakantan, Vice-President of Finance at Ashok Leyland and Alok Kumar, General Manager and Zonal Head at Union Bank of India, in the presence of D S Madhusudhan, Head of Sales Finance and Kapil Pandya, Head of Retail and Inventory Finance for Light Commercial Vehicles at Ashok Leyland.

As per the arrangement, Union Bank of India will provide end-to-end vehicle loans with structured repayment schedules across Ashok Leyland's line-up of trucks and buses.

K M Balaji, Whole-Time Director and CFO, Ashok Leyland, said, "Ashok Leyland is delighted to partner with Union Bank of India (UBI) to offer attractive and accessible financing solutions to our customers. This strategic partnership leveraging on UBI Network will further strengthen our market presence by enhancing access to our innovative range of commercial vehicles for businesses across the country. Built on advanced technology and engineered to deliver industry-leading total cost of ownership, our products are designed to drive greater efficiency, productivity and profitability for our customers."

Madhavi Deshmukh, Senior Vice-President and National Sales Head for Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles, Ashok Leyland, said, "At Ashok Leyland, we are committed to enabling our customers' growth through innovative products and seamless ownership experience. Our partnership with Union Bank of India (UBI) is a significant step towards making our industry-leading commercial vehicles more accessible with attractive and convenient financing solutions. Together, we aim to empower fleet operators and businesses with greater financial flexibility, while delivering superior value through our technologically advanced products and best-in-class total cost of ownership."

Alok Kumar, General Manager and Zonal Head, Union Bank of India, said, "Union Bank of India is pleased to partner with Ashok Leyland to offer seamless vehicle financing solutions. This collaboration underscores our commitment to enabling businesses with accessible and tailored financial solutions that simplify commercial vehicle ownership and facilitate sustainable growth. By enhancing access to convenient and customer-centric financing solutions, we aim to make vehicle ownership more seamless and accessible, while empowering our customers to strengthen their businesses and pursue new growth opportunities."

The partnership utilises Union Bank of India's national branch network to improve credit flow for transport operators, fleet owners and commercial enterprises acquiring vehicles ranging from light commercial models to heavy-duty trucks and passenger buses.

DRIVN And Purple Bus Expand Fleet Partnership To 276 Electric Intercity Coaches

DRIVN - Purple Bus

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.

Mahindra Commences Production Of MAXSEEDER Precision Zero-Till Seeding Machine

Mahindra MAXSEEDER

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."