By Moses Akaigwe
There was celebration recently in India when Ashok Leyland, the flagship of the Hinduja Group and the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, made history by delivering the first batch of the first ever locally produced liquefied Natural Gas-powered haulage truck.
The first batch of LNG-powered haulage AVTR 1922 truck was delivered to Mahanagar Gas Limited in Hosur, Tamil Nadu.
With this development, Ashok Leyland, the commercial vehicle giant, becomes the first Indian Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to unveil an in-house LNG engine compliant with BSVI Stage II emission standards.
This is a significant step from Ashok Leyland towards a sustainable and eco-friendly future of the Indian transportation industry, the company said.
The feat is one that will be of interest to the auto sector in Nigeria where Ashok Leyland commercial vehicles, including mass transit buses, trucks and light commercial variants, are assembled by the Stallion Group at a plant {VON Automobiles} in Lagos operated by one of its divisions, Stallion Motors.
The news of Ashok Leyland’s milestone in India with the LNG-powered haulage truck is coming to Nigeria at a time when emphasis has shifted from petrol and diesel engine to the use of vehicles that run on alternative and cheaper auto gas, especially LNG and Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, following government’s removal of fuel subsidy.
Interestingly, Ashok Leyland is the main subsidiary of the Hinduja Group of Companies, a conglomerate with a total asset portfolio exceeding $100 billion, which last month pledged invest billions of dollars in Nigeria’s automobile industry.
Delivering the first batch of the LNG-powered haulage truck to Mahanagar Gas Limited in Tamil Nadu, Ashok Leyland, said, “We are delighted to deliver the first batch of AVTR 1922 LNG-powered haulage truck to Mahanagar Gas Limited. Our steadfast commitment revolves around the dynamic needs of customers in the ever-evolving world of sustainable transportation.
“For over a decade, we have been at the forefront of the alternative energy landscape, beginning with our ground-breaking CNG buses. We firmly believe that our innovations in alternate energy space will not only provide eco-conscious solutions but also ensure long-term profitability for our esteemed customers.”
The AVTR 1922, powered by Liquefied Natural Gas, is built on the AVTR platform and shares a high degree of commonality with Ashok Leyland’s existing diesel truck range. This ensures that the customers benefit from the streamlined service and maintenance processes, the company said in a media release.
With this significant milestone, Ashok Leyland further strengthens its extensive product portfolio by venturing into the alternative fuel segment, setting new standards in the Indian commercial vehicle industry.
.On September 5, 2023, Indian billionaire and Chairman of Hinduja Group, Gopichand P. Hinduja, expressed readiness to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government after meeting with visiting President Bola Tinubu.
The Hinduja Group Chairman said the Indian firm was willing to invest “into the billions of dollars.”
It was learnt during the visit that both the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, as well as that of Industry, Trade & Investment, were directed by the Nigerian government to finalise details of the investment in Nigeria’s automotive industry with the Hinduja Group.
Ashok Leyland is the 4th largest manufacturer of buses in the world and the 12th largest manufacturer of trucks globally.