Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland on Thursday (June 4) launched AVTR, a range of medium and heavy trucks based on a new modular platform, equipped with the BS-VI technology. The virtual launch of the new vehicles under the modular platform was held on Thursday as the company could not do a physical release due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
The modular platform is a first of its kind in the Indian commercial vehicles industry with multiple options of axle configurations, loading spans, cabins, suspensions, and drivetrains on a single platform for the entire range of rigid trucks, tippers and tractors in the 18.5T to 55T category.
“The customer-centric AVTR, will take our customers to the next level of trucking and they will reap the benefits of modularity. This unique modular platform puts us on the global map of CV manufacturers and will help us in our journey of realising our vision,” Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman, Ashok Leyland, said.
The new platform, which has been developed at a cost of Rs 500 crore, will help Ashok Leyland expand its reach in the international market. “We have had very limited left-hand (driving) products and this modular platform is a gamechanger not just for the Indian market, but for the other markets that we are aspiring for,” he said, at the virtual launch.
Ashok Leyland MD and CEO Vipin Sondhi said the development of the BS-VI technology took just three years in India, whereas developed countries were involved in it for over seven years. “Modular platform for commercial vehicles is the first-of-its-kind initiative in India and it was developed by 450 engineers of Ashok Leyland over four million man-hours,” he said.
To a question from DH, Sondhi said the industry will recover slowly from the after-effects of slowdown and COVID-19 lockdown. “We need to wait for the economy to open up completely. And it will be quarter by quarter and one quarter will be better than the other. Ashok Leyland is absolutely ready to absorb any opportunities that come its way,” he said.
Explaining the salient features of the AVTR platform, Ashok Leyland Chief Technology Officer (CTO) N Saravanan said customers will be able to customise the vehicle as per their choice, similar to ordering a pizza with the needed toppings.
“A customer can choose what he wants from the AVTR truck and it is similar to ordering a pizza. He will have the option to customise the truck as per his need based on load, terrain, application and operational requirements,” he said.
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