Telco unveils new commercial vehicles range

Chennai: Even as the monsoon played spoilsport for economic growth, the commercial vehicles industry is expected to grow at least by 6 per cent this year.

Launching the company's new EX range of new commercial vehicles (CV), Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (Telco) executive director (CV business unit) Ravi Kant said: “The company logged a 47-per cent growth during the first quarter of this year, while the industry grew by 35 per cent. However, there is a marginal reduction is this month's sales. It is the multi-axle vehicles that drive the sales growth.“

About the company's new series EX available in the 16,26,30 and 35-tonne capacity, Kant said: “EX means extra, and the new range has several extras in it.“ Telco, he said, more or less effected a bumper-to-bumper change in its new models.

“We looked at two areas for growth — product improvement and focussed marketing. On the product side the company got the feedback of hundreds of its customers and truck drivers. So we decided to base the new design on three cardinal principles — improving vehicle reliability and reducing the downtime; reducing the operational cost by improving fuel efficiency; and providing the driver better cabin comforts,“ said Kant.

The EX range has a powerful engine to take more payload and offers better torque. It has a six-speed synchromesh gearbox and the engine has 2-lakh km/two-year warranty. The rear axle has been overhauled to offer longevity and it reduces expenses on grease and oil. Similarly, the driver's cabin has twin-sleeper cushion berths and a single-piece windshield with tinted anti-glare band for better visibility.

“This time we have taken into account even small particulars to offer better comforts for the driver and the cleaner. For instance, to help the cleaner to wipe the windshield glass, the front numberplate also doubles as a foldable step. The cleaner can unfold the number plate and step on that to clean the glass,“ said Kant.

When asked about the emission levels of the new range, Kant said the engines are Euro I-compliant and plans are afoot to make them Euro II-compliant. “Emission levels also depends on fuel quality,“ said Telco executive director (passenger car business unit and engineering research centre) Dr V Sumantran.

Though Kant said Telco has effected cost savings of around Rs 600 crore in the recent times by reorganising several processes, the EX range comes at an extra cost to the customers as compared to its existing range. “The price increase is just marginal. The market will decide whether the existing models are to be phased out or not.“

While that is on the product front, Telco reorganised its sales set-up on product lines to target the prospects in a better fashion. Speaking about exports, Kant said the company is redrawing its export strategy and the new plan will be ready in three months' time.