Tata Motors ILMCV Range Crosses 1.5 Million Sales Milestone

Tata Motors

Tata Motors, one of India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, has announced that it has attained a sales milestone of 1.5 million units in the Intermediate, Light and Medium Commercial Vehicles (ILMCV) segment.

The CV major claims it becomes the only truck manufacturer in the country to achieve this milestone. To commemorate this achievement, Tata Motors has unveiled new variants of the Tata SFC 407 Gold, Tata LPT, Tata SFC 709G, Tata LPT 1109G, Tata LPK 1112 and Tata LPK 1416 range of trucks and tippers. It has also introduced attractive financing schemes tailored for first-time buyers, alongside a six year extended warranty on all ILMCV trucks.

The ILMCV segment includes trucks with gross vehicle weight ranging from four to 19 tonne, catering to diverse customer needs across sectors including agriculture, e-commerce, construction and logistics, among others. It offers a wide range of fuel-efficient solutions in the segment, along with low cost of ownership and high vehicle uptime, boosting profitability for its customers.

Rajesh Kaul, Vice-President & Business Head – Trucks, Tata Motors, said, “Reaching the 15 lakh sales milestone is a moment of immense pride for us. It stands as a testament to the trust and loyalty of our customers and reinforces our commitment to providing innovative solutions that enhance their operations. Our new variants and extended warranty are designed to improve earning potential and ensure long-term peace of mind, keeping us ahead of their expectations. As we move forward, we remain focused on being customer-centric, reaffirming our role as a valued partner in driving long-term growth and success."

The ILMCV portfolio includes multiple cabin options like the LPT, SFC, Signa and the Ultra range, along with various deck lengths and body styles. The trucks are further complemented by Tata Motors' Sampoorna Seva 2.0 initiative, ensuring comprehensive vehicle lifecycle management, including breakdown assistance, guaranteed turnaround times, annual maintenance contracts (AMC), and easy access to genuine spare parts. Additionally, Tata Motors leverages Fleet Edge, its connected vehicle platform, to optimise fleet management and maximise vehicle uptime while minimising total cost of ownership (TCO). Across the country, Tata Motors has over 2,500 sales and service touchpoints to offer the highest uptime for its vehicles.

Ashok Leyland Bags Order For 715 Trucks & Buses From VRL Logistics

Ashok Leyland - VRL Logistics

Ashok Leyland, one of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, has secured an order to supply 715 vehicles from surface transportation company VRL Logistics.

The contract involves the supply of AVTR 3120 haulage trucks, BOSS 1615 trucks and Oyster staff buses to update and expand the logistics provider's fleet.

As part of the understanding, Ashok Leyland has handed over the first batch of 300 trucks, with the remaining 415 vehicles scheduled for deployment before the end of the year.

The vehicles are equipped with tracking technologies and electronic diagnostic features intended to decrease maintenance downtime, prevent unscheduled stoppages and manage fleet operating costs. Over the long term, the vehicles will support VRL Logistics' regional cargo operations and employee transit requirements across India.

Anand Sankeshwar, Managing Director, VRL Logistics, said, “We have absolute confidence in the quality, reliability, and performance of Ashok Leyland trucks. Their strong after-sales support enables uninterrupted operations, while the rapidly expanding service network gives us a clear operational advantage. The fresh order of 715 vehicles marks a strategic deepening of our partnership to drive higher logistics efficiency. Backed by Ashok Leyland’s relentless focus on innovation and our forward-looking transport strategy, we are confident of sustained success on the road ahead.”

Madhavi Deshmukh, National Sales Head of MHCV, Ashok Leyland, added, “We are delighted to strengthen our long-standing partnership with VRL Logistics. Over the years, VRL has worked closely with us in developing new products and features tailored to the emerging needs of customers in the logistics industry. This order win is a testament to the trust and confidence VRL Logistics have in Ashok Leyland’s technology and performance and it reinforces our dedication to creating efficient and technologically advanced products that exceed customers’ expectations. Our focus continues to be on developing advanced, safe, and efficient mobility solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

Tata Motors CV

Tata Motors, one of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers globally, has presented a portfolio of 11 products at an exhibition in South Africa.

The display includes a range of vehicle platforms and powertrain technologies, including electric vehicles and traditional internal combustion models, designed for international market applications.

Tata Motors displayed four zero-emission models developed for specific cargo and industrial duties, which include Tata Ace Pro EV, Tata Intra EV, Tata Ultra E.9 and Prima E28.K.

The display also featured next-generation intermediate trucks and mass mobility passenger buses – Intra V30 & V70, Azura 1918, Ultra Prime RE and long-distance buses, the LPO 1618 Magna (44-seater), LPO 1623 Nova (49-seater premium coach), and the LP 909 school and staff transport bus.

Tata Motors maintains a presence across 29 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with cumulative regional sales exceeding 340,000 commercial vehicles. The company provides a lineup of over 60 models supported by a network of more than 320 service touchpoints. To support its regional supply chain, the company utilises seven local assembly operations located in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Asif Shamim, Head of International Business, Tata Motors, said, “This showcase reflects our continued focus on developing relevant, application‑led mobility solutions for our international markets. The portfolio presented here demonstrates the range of platforms and technologies we are building across segments, including electric vehicles, tailored to different use cases and operating conditions. It also reflects the strength of the engineering and development capabilities behind these products, enabling us to deliver solutions that are practical, reliable and built to support customer productivity.”

Bosch, Brakes India and Wheels India Form JV For Commercial Vehicle Air Systems

Bosch - Wheels India - Brakes India - TSF Group

German technology company Bosch has announced a new joint venture with Brakes India (BIPL) and Wheels India (WIL), both companies of the TSF Group, to advance the development and manufacturing of air systems for commercial vehicles.

The partnership is structured as a 50:50 joint venture between Bosch and the TSF Group companies and is expected to begin operations by end-2026, pending regulatory approvals.

The joint venture will concentrate on the engineering, manufacturing and sales of electronically controlled and software-driven modules. The product portfolio will include systems for – air compression, air processing, air suspension and air parking brakes.

The entity will be headquartered in Chennai, with supply chain management integrated across Bosch, Brakes India and Wheels India.

Guruprasad Mudlapur, President, Bosch Group in India and MD, Bosch, said, “This joint venture is a decisive step to shape the future of advanced air systems. By integrating premier engineering and manufacturing prowess, we are co-creating state-of-the-art, intelligent modules that will empower our customers globally to build more advanced commercial vehicles.”

Sandeep Nelamangala, Joint MD, Bosch and President of Bosch Mobility India, said, “The commercial vehicle industry is at a pivotal moment, shifting from mechanical hardware to software-driven architecture. With air systems being an important portfolio extension, the planned joint venture enhances Bosch’s overall commercial vehicle motion management portfolio, strengthening its role in software-driven mobility.”

Sriram Viji, MD, Brakes India, said, “This milestone marks a step towards building a more integrated, system-level approach for OEMs in the commercial vehicle space. We bring our strengths as one of the leading suppliers of pneumatic braking systems. Through this joint venture, we will be able to offer air braking system parts for e-enabled future mobility to customers. We look forward to supporting the industry’s shift towards more advanced, electronically controlled and software-driven systems.”

Srivats Ram, Chairman & Managing Director of Wheels India, added, “Wheels India has been a pioneer in air suspension systems for buses in India for over three decades. Over this period, we have built strong relationships with both OEMs and end users through consistent product quality and service. We are pleased to collaborate with Bosch on this development initiative to advance electronic air suspension systems for the global customers.”

Bus Body

The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), a leading automotive R&D organisation set up by the automotive industry with the Government of India, has launched a series of administrative and technical initiatives to support bus body builders navigating the national certification framework.

The updates are structured to lower compliance expenses, minimise paperwork and reduce the processing timeline for vehicle type approval.

Under the updated framework, ARAI has established a Support Cell to assist manufacturers with documentation and pre-application design verification. The association has also introduced a website containing regulatory guidelines and simplified data templates, such as standardised variant lists and checklists, to address Worst-Case Selection Criteria.

Applicants must follow a three-level compliance architecture that incorporates physical safety verifications and mandatory video inspections.

The system enforces the Bus Body Code, implemented under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), to standardise vehicle construction and safety metrics across the manufacturing sector. The rules require compliance with distinct Automotive Industry Standards (AIS):

  • AIS 052 (Rev.1): Governs structural requirements and design safety for all buses with a seating capacity of 13 passengers plus the driver (13+D) and above, as mandated by GSR 159 (E).
  • AIS 153: Sets safety criteria, fire protection rules, emergency exit locations, and passenger comfort standards for buses exceeding a 22-passenger capacity, excluding the driver (22+D).
  • Specialised Standards: Includes AIS-119 (Rev.1) for sleeper coaches and AIS-063 for school buses.

The operational updates follow a regulatory directive issued by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH). Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) are restricted from registering new inter-city and sleeper buses until completed safety checklists are uploaded directly to the government’s VAHAN portal by manufacturers, body builders and inspecting officers.

Dr Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI, said, “ARAI has always been committed to empowering ecosystem stakeholders be it legacy corporations, start-ups or MSMEs. We want to assist the bus body builders in their certification process at all stages including development and testing before they apply for certification. This will ensure that safety remains our utmost priority and consequently a reliable transport system for the public is built in our country. To encourage widespread adoption of these services, we have also introduced substantially optimised pricing structures. We aim to make it easier, faster and cost-effective for all stakeholders to uphold the best standards of passenger safety. The type approval cost had been drastically reduced to INR 1.4 million + GST, which is about 50 percent reduction from a normal case. Additionally, time for type approval process can be fast forwarded to anywhere between 60 days – 90 days, depending upon the readiness of the applicant.”

The revision limits the baseline type approval fee to INR 1.4 million plus GST for applications containing up to 100 vehicle variants, while the processing window has been adjusted to run between 60 and 90 days depending on initial applicant documentation.