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Tata Motors to focus electric mini trucks &  developing hydrogen tech

 

 

While Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle division has been witnessing strong consumer demand for many months, it’s now the turn of the commercial vehicle division to come to limelight. After all, 70 percent of the company’s standalone revenue comes from selling trucks and buses.

 

Now the focus for Tata Motors  is to grab large share  of future-generation vehicles such as electric and hydrogen trucks. Tata Motors is already the biggest supplier of electric buses in the country. 

 

So far Commercial vehicles are concerned , the e-commerce segment was doing well because the lockdown made consumers order from home. Rural demand also picked up; the mining sector, construction and infrastructure projects pushed up demand for tippers. This is a good rebound. 

 

 

Elaborating the plans of the company for electric vehicles,Girish Wagh, President, Commercial Vehicle Business unit, Tata Motors,indicated  the small commercial vehicle in last-mile distribution lends itself well to electrification. There are a few e-commerce customers with whom the company is  holding discussions because they have such plans on their agenda. Cost of batteries is coming down and the cost of IC engine vehicles has been going up due to stringent regulatory norms.

 

Electrification is going to be the way forward and here there are two types of technology available — battery electric and fuel cell. Battery electric is suitable for a low range, about 300-400 km or below. For ranges above that it better to go with fuel-cell technology. Tata motors is also working on hydrogen fuel technology. Recently a government agency came up with a tender for such vehicles and Tata Motors has participated in that tender.