Recording a 353 percent increase in the revenue for the first quarter of FY2021-22 at INR 29,510 million in comparison to the revenue generation of INR 6,510 million in the corresponding quarter of FY2020-21, Ashok Leyland is confident of a strong demand emerging post the second Covid-19 wave. Clocking export volumes of 1,437 units in the first quarter of FY2021-22, up 254 percent when compared to the export of 405 units in the first quarter of FY2020-21, the commercial vehicle manufacturer is concentrating on vaccination and the adherence of safety protocols to try and ensure that all its stakeholders stay protected from a potential third wave. Experiencing a 1,041 percent growth in domestic M&HCV volume in the first quarter of FY2021-22, which is almost twice than that of the industry growth volume at 562 percent during the same period, the company has reported a net loss of INR 28,20 million in the first quarter of FY2021-22 as against a net loss of INR 38.90 million in the corresponding quarter of FY2020-21. Selling 8,690 LCVs in the domestic market in the first quarter of FY2021-22, up 224 percent as compared to the sale of 2,686 LCVs in the corresponding quarter last fiscal, Ashok Leyland is closely observing the way the freight rates are shaping up. It is confident that freight rates will improve with higher availability of commercial vehicles once the Covid-19 subsidies and uncertainty fades. “We are hoping for the volumes to grow higher as the market gets better,” mentioned Mahadevan. “July (2021) has been a growth month,” he added. Stressing that they have had eight months of degrowth, Mahadevan said, “Economic growth will induce growth in CVs.”

CV trends
Working on a strategy for a robust domestic and exports growth, the commercial vehicle major is appointing dealers in Africa. Looking at gaining good traction in South East Asia, Ashok Leyland will launch new products in the LCV segment even though not in the immediate quarter. Buoyed by the international markets opening up and experiencing export thrust, the company is said to be testing an electric version of its LCV platform on which the Bada Dost is based in the UK. This vehicle is expected to be launched at the end of this fiscal or in the first half of the next fiscal. Of the opinion that electric vehicles are catching up, especially at the local point of use, on the encouragement of the governments, Mahadevan averred, “It is more to do with buses, but trucks will catch up.” Seeing a trend of petrol commercial vehicles in the low-tonnage segment of sub-1 tonne to 1.5 tonne, Mahadevan drew attention to the push on CNG. “We are ready in the LCV and ICV (segment),” he added. Of the firm belief that diesel vehicles will continue and the IC engine will coexist and not die overnight, Mahadevan said, “We are ready to cater to higher demand.” 
 

Watching closely how freight operators are able to pass on the fuel price hike to their end customers, Ashok Leyland is hoping that bus commute will pick up. A 40,000 units per annum market, according to Mahadevan, buses have been severely affected due to the Covid-19-led disruption. Delivering 40 electric buses to the city of Chandigarh recently (from where it has bagged an order to build and maintain e-buses with quick charging technology), Ashok Leyland is expecting pent-up demand to show up once normalcy returns. Also expecting demand to show up because of the need to ferry people without sacrificing social distancing norms, Mahadevan drew attention to their work towards further strengthening their position in the bus and LCV market segments. With the talk of schools reopening in regions where the Covid-19 infections are down, and the relaxation in Covid-19 norms in some region allowing more employees to return to their offices, bus demand is expected to improve post witnessing a sudden downfall mid-last year. Through the establishment of Switch Mobility, Ashok Leyland is keen to experience a speedier ride in the ‘cleaner and greener’ bus space. 
 

Managing costs and productivity 
Eyeing international markets like the US, Europe and Japan, the company, through the Switch Mobility subsidiary, has worked with a few consultants to make sure that its data points and numbers are on par with the current situation. Under Switch Mobility, it is developing new products to present an advantage of unique position in terms of value and premium positioning. For its Switch Mobility subsidiary that includes the erstwhile Optare of UK, Ashok Leyland has managed to get USD 18 million worth of investment from Dana Incorporated (Dana), a US-based manufacturer of drivetrain and e-propulsion systems. To do de-bottlenecking once enough demand is evident, Ashok Leyland, investing sufficiently in terms of capex, is confident of seeing early growth sprouts in LCVs. Therefore, if it were to do immediate capex investment, it would be in LCVs. Discussing with scrappage centres post the announcement of the scrappage policy, Ashok Leyland, the second-largest CV maker in the country, is witnessing good traction from its other business verticals like defence, power solutions and aftermarket. They are contributing to its top line. 
 

With the pace of vaccination picking up and positively setting in, Ashok Leyland is expecting a demand spike in commercial vehicles after the fear of a third Covid-19 wave is over. This, according to Mahadevan, could happen in the second half of this fiscal. Focusing on costs, productivity and middle level management, the commercial vehicle major is also concentrating on reducing its carbon footprint. Apart from announcing strategic steps to move towards net zero carbon mobility through Switch Mobility, Ashok Leyland, said Mahadevan, has formed an ESG committee of the Board. The committee will guide and propel the commercial vehicle manufacturer to achieve its sustainability agenda.
 

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German automotive major Daimler Truck Holding has further strengthened its Leadership and Supervisory Board with new appointments.

The company announced that John O’Leary (North America), Achim Puchert (Mercedes-Benz Trucks and BharatBenz) and Eva Scherer (CFO) have been reappointed till 2028, 2031 and 2032, respectively.

Furthermore, following the departure of four shareholder representatives, the board has added Wayne Eyre, Claudia Nemat, Britta Seeger and Vipin Sondhi to bolster expertise in digital transformation and global growth markets.

Interestingly, Sondhi joins the German truck major and is expected to further strengthen and counsel the company on its global boards. Formerly, Sondhi was the top boss at Ashok Leyland and JCB India. He currently serves as the Chairperson of National Board for Quality Promotion (NBQP) and is advisor to several companies.

Additionally, Kurt Sievers was appointed to the newly established role of Lead Independent Director to reinforce oversight and investor relations.

Daimler Truck shareholders also backed the ‘Remuneration System 2027+’, which aligns executive pay with the company’s ‘Stronger 2030’ strategy. The new framework, effective from FY2027, emphasises share-based long-term compensation and ESG-related targets.

A mandatory auditor rotation was also approved. KPMG will remain the auditor for the 2026 fiscal year, with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) set to take over the mandate starting in 2027.

“The reappointments of John, Achim and Eva provide the leadership team with the necessary time horizon to drive the company’s rewarding transformation with foresight and continuity,” said Joe Kaeser, Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

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German luxury and high-performance vehicle manufacturing company Porsche is reducing its Executive Board divisions from 8 to 7 as part of a strategic realignment. The Car-IT division will be suspended and integrated into the Research and Development division effective 1 July 2026. Dr Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development, will lead the expanded department.

Sajjad Khan, who managed the Car-IT division for two and a half years, will step down from the Executive Board on 19 June. He will continue to work with the company through a software partnership model.

During his tenure, Khan led the development of connectivity and infotainment systems, including the introduction of the Porsche Digital Interaction design language in the Cayenne electric. These technologies are being rolled out to other models, with specific versions for the Chinese market being developed in Shanghai.

The restructuring is intended to adapt the company to current market conditions and increase the speed of software development.

Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, said, “Porsche is in a challenging phase of transformation. We need to realign the company and are consistently adapting our structures under the leadership of Dr. Michael Leiters to the changed circumstances — including at Executive Board level. I would like to thank Sajjad Khan for taking on responsibility for the company. We will continue to benefit from his professional expertise and in-depth knowledge of our structures in the future.”

Sajjad Khan, stated, “I am proud of what we have achieved as a team over the past two and a half years. In a constantly evolving market environment, however, it is essential to continuously review and adapt structures and processes. Porsche’s outstanding engineering expertise, combined with agile, results-driven software development, provides an excellent foundation for the future development of software components.”

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The 47th International Vienna Motor Symposium concluded at the Hofburg Palace, gathering 1,000 industry professionals and 50 exhibitors to discuss the future of propulsion. The event featured 100 presentations focused on achieving carbon neutrality through a range of technologies rather than a single solution.

A highlight of the symposium was the European premiere of China SAE’s Roadmap 3.0, a strategy charting China's automotive direction through to 2040. Professor Xiangyang Xu of Beihang University detailed the plan, which anticipates that 1/3rd of new vehicle registrations in 2040 will still feature electrified combustion engines.

Madame Ruiping Wang of Geely Auto supported this view, stating that every technological solution is required to reach neutrality goals.

In the electric vehicle segment, Mercedes-Benz demonstrated the range of the new EQS, completing a 620-kilometre journey from Stuttgart to Vienna with 21 percent battery charge remaining.

PowerCo SE, the battery subsidiary of Volkswagen, reported that serial production of its ‘standard cell’ began in Salzgitter in December 2025.

Stefan Pischinger of RWTH Aachen University projected that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) could reach a 45 percent global market share by 2035 under favourable conditions.

The symposium also highlighted advances in internal combustion engine efficiency and alternative fuels:

AVL List presented an engine achieving 48 percent thermal efficiency.

Porsche detailed a direct oil-cooling system for high-output electric motors in the Cayenne Electric Turbo.

Horse Powertrain introduced a petrol engine platform designed specifically for range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs), a segment that saw 1.2 million sales in China last year.

Alpine CEO Philippe Krief discussed the potential revival of in-wheel motors.

Hydrogen remains a focus for both direct combustion and fuel cell applications. Professor Helmut Eichlseder of Graz University of Technology emphasised the importance of hydrogen research for industrial resilience.

Industry leaders expressed concerns regarding European competitiveness. Niklas Klingenberg of TRATON noted the need for harder work to remain competitive in Europe, while Matthias Zink of Schaeffler and CLEPA spoke on the challenges of navigating EU legislative environments. The 48th International Vienna Motor Symposium is scheduled for 21–23 April 2027.

Professor Bernhard Geringer, President of the organising Austrian Society of Automotive Engineers (OVK), and host for the annual symposium, said, “The big picture – from cradle to grave in terms of energy and propulsion – is what matters most.”

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Ferrari has secured the highest distinction from Germany’s Red Dot Award organisation, as the Ferrari SC40 earned the Red Dot: Best of the Best honour within the Product Design category. Additional triumphs for the Ferrari Amalfi, 849 Testarossa, 849 Testarossa Spider, 296 Speciale and 296 Speciale A further reinforced the manufacturer’s design prowess.

Now in its 72nd year, the Red Dot Award stands as a premier industrial design competition celebrating breakthrough work. Ferrari’s cumulative tally over the past 12 years has reached 35 Red Dot wins, a feat no other automaker has matched since the prize was established in 1955. Since 2015, the jury has presented Ferrari with 13 Best of the Best awards, including for the FXX-K, 488 GTB, Ferrari J50, Portofino, Monza SP1, SF90 Stradale, Daytona SP3, Purosangue, Vision GT, Roma Spider, 12Cilindri and 12Cilindri Spider, F80 and the SC40.

This year’s Best of the Best accolade also draws attention to the exclusivity and remarkable value of the Special Projects programme, where a limited number of clients work directly with Maranello’s designers and aerodynamicists to create a personalised One-Off Ferrari.

Visitors to the Museo Ferrari in Maranello can currently view the car’s full-scale styling buck, a key artifact from the design process. The display reveals how the model’s proportions and surfaces took shape before production, emphasizing the defining volumes and graphic details that give the vehicle its identity. The buck serves as a tangible bridge between the initial design phase and the final One-Off creation.

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