Ashok Leyland Ltd (ALL) is looking at launching electric variants of its passenger and commercial vehicles, using indigenous technology, the country’s leading commercial vehicle major said on Friday.
The city-headquartered company is planning to introduce electric vehicles across the spectrum (both buses and commercial vehicles), including the recently launched LCV Dost, according to its board director V Sumantran.
The technology might be developed by Defiance Technologies (a company under the London-headquartered Hinduja Group which also owns Ashok Leyland), a leading provider of engineering, ERP and IT services to global customers leveraging the global delivery model, he told reporters at the sidelines of an event organised by SAEINDIA.
Sumantran, also executive vice-chairman of Hinduja Automotive and chairman of Nissan Ashok Leyland Powertrain, noted the world around has been witnessing a growing demand for alternative fuels, especially electric and hybrid technologies. The three-day Asia Pacific Automotive Conference is being organised by SAEINDIA.
Ashok Leyland’s Japanese partner Nissan has introduced LEAF, an electric vehicle. The 1948-formed Ashok Leyland has a joint venture with Yokohama-based Nissan to launch light commercial vehicles. “But we will go with our indigenous technology for electric variants,” said Sumantran. In one-and-a-half years, Ashok Leyland would look at launching Dost in electric version, he added.
Both the partners have said they are betting big on the new premium-segment vehicle and have set a target to sell 1.40 lakh vehicles over the next three years. Talks are on with Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers to develop standards for electric vehicles with respect to charging and battery replacement systems on lines of similar patterns existing in Europe, Sumantran said.
As for frugal engineering, Sumantran pointed out that its high-tech nature would put a question mark on its affordability in a developing country like India. “The challenge is to develop products that are frugally executed, using lesser materials and resource,” he added.
SAE International CEO David L Schutt said the national adoption of common standards would reduce costs for the consumers.