Tata Motors to hike pick-up truck capacity at Pantnagar by one lakh units

ata Motors, India's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, is increasing the annual capacity for production of new small commercial vehicles, Magic, Iris and Ace Zip, at its Pantnagar facility in Uttarakhand by 1 lakh units to 3.5 lakh units.
 
The company today launched two new small commercial vehicles -- Magic Iris and Ace Zip, both four-wheel 600 cc vehicles aimed at the three-wheeler CVs in the segment.
Company officials declined to offer details related to investment for increasing the plant capacity and the research and development of the two products.

Around 5 lakh three-wheelers were sold last year in the country and the figure is expected to more than double to 12 lakh over the next five years. The company is looking to gain entry into this segment of the market with its four-wheelers.
The company created a new segment of four-wheeler small commercial vehicles in 2005, to take on the three-wheeler commercial vehicles and has sold over 5 lakh Ace SCVs launching several variants like the Ace Magic, passenger vehicle in 2007 in the process.

With the Magic Iris, the company is now directly targeting auto rickshaws that currently ply in cities and towns. Magic Iris is a four-wheel fully metal body covered passenger vehicle, with a capacity to seat 4-5 people. It is also taking on the sub one tonne three-wheeler cargo vehicles with its Ace Zip, which is also a four-wheeler.

The Tata Magic Iris carries a price tag of Rs1.95 lakh, ex-showroom Thane and the price of the Ace Zip is Rs1.90 lakh, ex-showroom Thane.

While the two vehicles would be currently sold in petrol and diesel variants, a CNG version is also in the pipeline, according to Ravi Pisharody, president, commercial vehicles business unit.

Meanwhile, the company will launch a new range of LCV (light commercial vehicles) trucks and buses under the Y1 platform in July, according to Sandeep Kumar, head - sales, commercial vehicles business unit.