COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDIA MARCH 2022

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Volume 16 Issue 06 • March 2022

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Long-Haul On Hydrogen

Catering To India nD

uty Cycles

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Ashish Bhatia

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A

War Crisis Spares None

Wars have all the makings of a case study for businesses, and are a reiteration of the need to have in place, a plan B that can be pressed into action with agility to limit the losses.

month back who would’ve thought, the world would be dealing with the repercussions of a war crisis in the 21st century! The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine deemed as World War III is a stark reminder of what it takes to disrupt a state of equilibrium. The large scale military conflict when not looked at, in isolation, shows that the present day attempt at invasion is not a unique occurrence either. The degree of aggression and the humanitarian impact differing in each instance. Wars have all the makings of a case study for businesses, and are a reiteration of the need to have in place, a plan B that can be pressed into action with agility to limit the losses. This #RussiaUkraineWar, in particular, has hit the growth trajectory of nations including the EU, the West and South Asian countries like India that found itself in the advanced stages of a recovery cycle in the aftermath of the pandemic. Nearing two weeks of the conflict at this point and time, ~330 businesses are forced to suspend production and trade in Russia cutting production of vehicles by millions; leading chip manufacturers to divert chips; companies to relook at supply chains to address new shortages like the wiring systems sourced from Western Ukraine; deal with spike in metal prices, fuel and gas prices, and zero in on alternate import destinations for their energy needs. Not to forget the migration of homeless refugees seeking a new haven causing a labour force realignment.

Ashish Bhatia ashish@atashishbhatia.com a.bhatia@nextgenpublishing.net

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Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other material. All material published in COMMERCIAL VEHICLE is copyright and no part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the express prior written permission of the publisher Printed by Marzban Jasoomani Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013.

Published by Marzban Jasoomani on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013.

All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Commercial Vehicle does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services.The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.

Editor Ashish Bhatia

This Month In CV

MARCH 2022

Cover story

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THE BOTTOMLINE Ashish Bhatia

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Long-Haul On Hydrogen Real World tests are proving the long-haul potential of hydrogen fuel cell powered CVs. Prateek Pardeshi looks at India’s first fuel cell technology-driven bus from Sentient Labs to study the claim.

H2X and ADVIK have collaborated to meet the requirements of Indian duty cycles.

Deepti Thore looks at the key strengths of this joint venture.

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NEWS  Exports spike; Imports grow marginally  GST reduction on EVs and chargers  Funds infusion for IREDA  Phased Manufacturing Programme  India partners Denmark on hydrogen  Industry doyen no more  Semicon India Programme  E-mobility CoE at IIT Bombay  Hikvision India Onboard video systems  ALL supplies 200 trucks to Bangladesh  DICV partners CERO  400 bio-CNG buses in Indore  Three Wheels United and Euler partner  MEML partners with CSC  IndianOil ‘Servo Defrost’  Murugappa Group to focus on electric CVs

Write to us at cvonline@nextgenpublishing.net with your feedback and suggestions or visit us at www.commercialvehicle.in to access the digital first content.

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Catering To Indian Duty Cycles

Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

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R YOUCE VOI

SANY CEV-IV motor grader Pinnacle Industries forays into emobility Talent deficit in semiconductor industry Ricardo e-LCV motors Volkswagen CV mobile camping units Eaton’s low voltage power components

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This Month In CV

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Allison Transmission AT280 Allison Transmission recently powered a fleet of 100 buses with the Allison T280.

26

Smart Tyre Generation

44

Champion OEMs Receive PLI Approval

50

Effective Contract Manufacturing

52

The Wonder Women

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The future of mobility is dependent on advanced wheels. Sumesh Soman looks at the JK Tyre smart generation.

Keravan Kerala: While Kerala Tourism may need no introduction the new efforts to stimulate a higher footfall must be given its due.

39

20 Champion OEMs of the 115 companies that filed under the PLI scheme have got their approval.

Layam Group emerges as the prime mover in providing best-in-class contract manufacturing services.

The wonder women of the CV industry continue to make their presence felt with exemplary commitment and will to deliver against the odds.

Plugged-In: Social media highlights.

20

Mitigating Safety Risks: Road safety is seldom taken seriously unless life is lost. vision zero accidents.

GST Overhaul And Compliances: After the rollout of GST back in 2017, the landmark one nation one tax continues to evolve.

46

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Form IV (See rule 8) (Press and Reg. Of Books Act, 1867) Place of Publication : 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, India.

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Editor’s Name : Ashish Bhatia, Nationality: Indian, Address: Next Gen Publishing Pvt.Limited, 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, India.

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Exports spike; Imports grow marginally in 2022 The overall (Merchandise and Services) export in January 2022 is valued at USD 61.41 bn.

This marks a 36.76 per cent spike on a Yearover-Year (YoY) basis in comparison to the same period last year (2021). It also marks a 38.02 per cent growth over January 2020.

In comparison, imports grew at a marginal rate. Imports grew at 30.54 per cent over the same period last year and at 30.19 per cent in January 2022. Looking at commodities, it is learnt that exports of petroleum products grew by 95.23 per cent in January 2022 (compared to January 2021). Plastic exports grew by 32.16 per cent. Organic and Inorganic chemical exports grew by 25.84 per cent. Engineering goods exports grew by 24.11 per cent. Notably,

GST reduction on EVs and chargers Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been reduced on Electric Vehicles (EVs) and chargers in a bid to boost demand and in response to the impending industry demand.

On EVs, GST has been reduced from 12 per cent to five per cent; on charging stations it has been reduced from 18 per cent to five per cent. With the backdrop of EVs covered under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, the move comes as a big relief to the industry. In addition, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has also advised the states to waive off road-tax on EVs. Out of the total EV pool of 966,363 vehicles, Uttar Pradesh leads the pack with 276,217 EVs followed by Delhi with 132,302 EVs. Maharashtra comes in at a distant 58,815 EVs and is expected to catch up.

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

iron ore exports de grew by (-)56.51 per cent.

Iron and steel exports grew by 27.73 per cent.

Machine tools exports grew by 13.46 per cent.

Funds infusion for IREDA

A fund infusion of Rs.1500 crore was approved for the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IRDEA) by the cabinet. Besides claims of generating employment by direct creation of 10,200 jobs, it is deemed crucial to reduce the carbon footprint. Carbon equivalent emission reduction of an estimated 7.49 mn tonnes could be achieved on an annual basis. The move will help IREDA to lend Rs.1200 crores to the RE sector which in turn will facilitate the debt requirement of RE. It is expected to support an additional capacity of 3500-4000 MegaWatt (MW). Set up in 1987 under MNRE, IREDA is Non-Banking Finance (NBFC) agency for the RE sector. This again is expected to boost the confidence of financial institutions (banks) to lend to the sector.

Bulletin

Phased Manufacturing Programme The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) through the Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) is looking to promote the indigenous manufacture of Electric vehicles (EVs). This extends to assemblies, subassemblies, and parts, sub-parts, inputs of subassemblies. It is understood that a graded duty structure will be crucial to attaining this objective in a phase-wise

manner. PMP for hybrid/ electric vehicles (xEV) parts will help firm up an effective date for the indigenousness of xEV parts. The incentives will be availed under FAME-II. Under the FAME-II programme, an estimated 2.31 lakh EVs have been supported till February 01, 2022. This is by way of the demand incentive estimated to be valued at Rs.827 crore.

India partners Denmark on green hydrogen India and Denmark have agreed to work together on green fuels including green hydrogen. Under the aegis of a Joint Committee (JC) investment strategy for green research, technology and innovation were discussed. Climate and green transition as agreed upon in line with the Green Strategic Partnership - Action Plan 2025 had the two sides promote proposals for green fuels, including green hydrogen. Progress of ongoing projects was also reviewed.

Industry doyen no more The passing away of Rahul Bajaj, Chairman Emeritus of Bajaj Auto is a huge loss to the business community as a whole.

Hailed for his contributions to commerce and industry, his demise marks the end of an era. “Synonymous to establishing ‘Hamara Bajaj’ in the heart of every India, Rahul Bajaj was instrumental in forging the strategic powered two-wheeler cooperation between our two companies and was fundamental to KTM becoming a truly global player,” reminded Stefan Pierer Chief Executive Officer, PIERER Mobility. Bajaj was a great industrialist who built an empire on sound principles and left a legacy that makes India proud with presence in several countries, read a statement from Kenichi Ayukawa, President - SIAM and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. As a pioneer of the Indian automotive industry, he led the quest for quality and technology, standing for high integrity in business and as someone who stuck to his principles as per Venu Srinivasan, Chairperson, TVS Motor Company. Dr Pawan Munjal, Managing Director of Hero Motorcorop sharing it to be a personal loss expressed that the late Rahul Bajaj inspired generations of young people in the country to turn entrepreneurs and contribute towards wealth generation. Your footprints on the sands of Indian Business will never be extinguished,” tweeted

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

Anand Mahindra, Chairperson, Mahindra Group as tributes continue to pour in from

different parts of the globe on the passing away of the Industry doyen.

Bulletin

Semicon India Programme The Semicon India Programme is aimed at strengthening the electronic manufacturing ecosystem in the country. With a Rs.76,000 crore outlay, the programme approved by the Union Cabinet late last year has received five applications for semiconductor and display fabs. With an investment outlay of Rs.153,750 crore

E-mobility CoE at IIT Bombay International Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay last week inaugurated a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for e-mobility. Automotive Components Manufacturer Association (ACMA) President, Sunjay Kapur, hailed it as a “huge step forward in terms of a joint effort between industry and academia collaborations, which is extremely important in today’s disruptive scenario.” Citing that emobility in two and three-wheeler segment will reach a crucial milestone given that the market has responded positively to the efforts for a sustainable future, he opined, the new CoE comes as an important addition to the contributing ecosystem.

The interconnection of service and non-service enterprises and business emerging as a result also found a mention on the sidelines of the virtual launch.

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

the applications involve Vedanta Foxconn JV, IGSS Ventures pte, Singapore and ISMC. The applications extend to 28 nm and 65 nm semiconductor fabs with an expected capacity of 120,000 wafers on a monthly basis.

The projected investment stands at USD 13.6 bn. On Display fabs, the projected

investment is USD 6.7 bn.

SPEL Semiconductor Ltd., HCL, Syrma Technology and Vlenkani Electronics have registered under the semiconductor packaging scheme. Terminus Circuits, Trispace Technologies, and Curie Microelectronics have submitted under the Design Linked Incentive Scheme.

Hikvision India Onboard video systems

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in a statistic drew attention to an estimated 1.3 million people who die each year due to road accidents. Hikvision is claimed to have developed the mobile onboard video system to improve vehicle security in a range of methods. These include everything from reliable footage recording to route deviation or speeding alarms, as well as emergency alerts and analysis of abnormal driving behaviour. The technology provides real-time awareness for safe driving by offering 360° video coverage both inside and outside the vehicle. In the event of a traffic collision, video footage is securely recorded and archived, and it can be utilised as forensic evidence. It also generates insights, such as passenger flow on a public bus, so that passenger distribution can be improved to optimise passenger comfort. Hikvision’s onboard video security system ensures that typical types of vehicles are well protected, on commercial vehicles such as school bus, trucks, taxis and ride-hailing cars.

Bulletin

ALL supplies 200 trucks to Bangladesh Ashok Leyland Ltd. (ALL) supplied 200 trucks to the Government of Bangladesh. These trucks are part of the project from India under a USD two billion line of credit announced

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking on the milestone order Amandeep Singh, Head, International Operation, Ashok Leyland Ltd., said, “We are enthused by the various export facilitation measures taken by the Indian government, and we plan to further increase our volumes and footprint in overseas markets especially SAARC, GCC and Africa. Exports have been a strong focus for us to de-risk from cyclical Indian market, and this is a significant step in that direction.” Ashok Leyland had won the tender floated by the Bangladesh Government for 135 numbers of fully built trucks comprising three-tonne trucks, hydraulic beam lifter and sewerage sucker known to have already been handed over from India to the Bangladesh roads and highways department in current fiscal.

The order for another 65 units of truck mounted wrecker, a specialised vehicle to be deployed for various highway applications. This order book gains significance as the trade relation comes on the back of Ashok Leyland assembling a range of trucks, buses, and LCVs locally at the IFAD Auto Dhamrai plant in Bangladesh.

New dedicated plant for EVs

Ashok Leyland, is looking to establish a new manufacturing facility in the country dedicated to the production of EVs. The OEM has earmarked Rs.500 crore for the development of commercial vehicle powertrains that are expected to cater to the need for alternative fuels like CNG, hydrogen, and battery electric. The commercial vehicle manufacturer intends to expand its electric vehicle portfolio as well as develop new engines in response to changing market demands in both domestic and international markets.

“We are looking at all the opportunities and options available, so that capacity never becomes an issue if the market requires more products. So, I wouldn’t put a date to it right now. But we are keeping all our alternatives and options open,” said Executive Chairman Dheeraj Hinduja. The company has already announced a nearly Rs.1,500 crore (USD 200 mn) investment in emobility under the umbrella of Switch Mobility which could turn independent in the future.

DICV partners CERO Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has partnered with CERO, the scrappage and steel recycling facility owned by Mahindra MSTC Recycling Pvt. Ltd. (MMRPL). Through this partnership both the companies aim at providing support and hassle-free service to their owners. It enables them to scrap and replace their End of Life (ELV) commercial with new BharatBenz trucks. Talking

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

about the partnership, Satyakam Arya, Managing Director and CEO said, “This is an opportunity for customers to replace their old fleet with new, BSVI BharatBenz trucks, manufactured locally in India with a high standard of safety, quality, comfort and state of the art technology.” He further commented, “We see great potential for new truck sales with the effective implementation of the Scrappage Policy.”

Bulletin

400 bio-CNG buses in Indore Nearly 400 buses in Indore will soon run on Bio-CNG. Generated from byproducts at a plant that Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated in Madhya Pradesh on February 19, the 15 acre plant of the Indore Municipal Corporation’s trenching ground in the Devguradia area is built with a Rs.150 crore investment. This is through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) route.

According to the civic body, it is expected to be the largest

Bio-CNG plant in South Asia.

The plant can produce 19,000 kg of Bio-CNG per day from 550-tonne, wet waste (from

Three Wheels United partners Euler Motors Three Wheels United (TWU) has partnered with Euler Motors to accelerate the adoption of electric three-wheelers in India and promote sustainable mobility. On the back of this collaboration, both the companies plan to deploy over 1000 EV three-wheelers across Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad by the end of the financial year 2023. Both the companies will work together for accelerating the adoption of ‘Euler HiLoad EV’, the electric cargo three-wheeler. Three Wheels United will help resolve the financial barrier which most of the drivers face while making a switch to electric threewheelers by offering loans covering upto 100 per cent of the asset cost. Euler Motors, on the other hand, will be helping the drivers with access to charging infrastructure, maintenance, and service of the vehicles, ensuring minimal downtime for operations. Through this partnership, TWU and Euler Motors aim to create ‘first generation EV driver entrepreneurs’ by helping them transition from renting to owning their own vehicles.

MEML partners with CSC

To promote the adoption of electric vehicles(EVs) across the nation, Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited (MEML) has collaborated with Common Service Centers (CSC). Banking on CSC’s rural reach, MEML is eyeing penetration in rural markets especially with its EV range including Treo and Alfa. Suman Mishra, CEO, MEML, said, “We are committed to expanding our electric three-wheeler range in rural India.” “Through partnerships, collaborations and innovations, we aspire to create more job opportunities and simplify mobility across India,” she added. According to Mishra, the earning ability with Mahindra electric three-wheelers is quite high while the maintenance is the lowest when compared to conventional fuel vehicles and the benefit to the environment is significant.

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

fruits, vegetables, raw meat, stale food, green leaves, and flowers), out of which the Bio-CNG buses will be fueled.

IndianOil ‘Servo Defrost’ Indian oil’s latest product ‘Servo Defrost’ is claimed to be an efficient defrosting and de-icing fluid that will aid in melting ice and snow on windshields during the harsh winters.

Servo defrost also prevents formation of ice on the windshields, and is claimed to be nonreactive to rubber and plastic sub-assemblies found on windshields. It is also non-corrosive to metal parts, allowing drivers to drive with enhanced vision. The new product can also be used on window panes, wipers, window lenses besides in aviation on grounded aeroplanes.

Launching the product, S M Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil, said, “This unique offering would significantly ease the life of vehicle drivers and owners in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. I am proud to share that the efficacy of Servo Defrost is proven, and this is the first Indian product to be launched to cater to this niche need.” Further commenting on commercial customers V Satish Kumar, Director (Marketing), IndianOil, said “Servo defrost will not only aid local populace but will also be helpful to commercial and institutional customers operating at high- altitudes in sub-zero temperatures.” Servo defrost will be available in convenient 500 ml packs with a spray nozzle for easy application. It works in ambient temperatures up to (-) 15 degree Celsius.

Bulletin

Pinnacle Industries’ EV foray Pinnacle mobility solutions, an arm of Pinnacle industries, will invest Rs.2,000 crore for production of electric commercial vehicles.

Pinnacle focuses more on electric buses, and electric mini trucks which cater to last mile delivery.

Further, Pinnacle has also entered into partnership with VDL Groep, an international industrial and manufacturing company from Europe. In Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, the company plans to build a 5,000-unit electric bus manufacturing facility. In Pune, a 15,000-unit plant for 1-2 tonne e-mini vehicles will be built. The company will

hire approximately 1,000 people in two locations. Over the next two years, it will produce a range of 9-12 metre electric buses and 1-2 tonne mini-trucks. Commenting on the new mobility project, Aaditya Thackeray, Minister of Tourism and Environment for the Government of Maharashtra said, “Witnessing their EV Bus & last-mile delivery vehicle up close, I am truly proud to see indigenous companies launching great products & sharing our commitment towards a pro-earth change.”

The entire product line is being developed in India, with several patents already obtained or in the process of being obtained.

SANY CEV-IV motor grader

The new SANY CEV-IV complaint, Motor Grader, STG210C-10 is out.

It is claimed to provide an excellent adaptability to work across construction sites where it has the potential to offer a significantly higher performance. The motor grader is specially designed to meet the needs of customers seeking increased productivity, fuel efficiency, and high performance. This is courtesy of a 225 hp Cummins engine that is said to be fuel efficient, powerful, and reliable for those operators seeking increased customer earnings. The engine is mated to the portable ZF composite transmission. Overall the dependable drive line is matched with modern cabin aesthetics, and an integrally casted swing frame. Inside the cabin, a clear view to the moldboard heel and rear tyres are claimed to enhance productivity and safety of operation.

The 12 ft. heavy duty mould board comes with a 14 ft. blade as optional.

Additional features on board include an advanced display monitor, adjustable operator seat, horizontal sliding window, sun visors, curtains and fan for higher operator comfort.

Murugappa Group to focus on electric CVs Murugappa Group’s clean energy business, TI Clean Mobility Pvt Ltd. (TCMPL), has indicated a shift in focus on electric three-wheelers and tractors from the erstwhile focus on electric two-wheeler space after witnessing a good traction for both segments in terms of EV disruption. The products have undergone extensive testing over the last one year and there are prototypes on the final version that are undergoing reliability tests at different stages, mentioned Kalyan Kumar Paul. President TI Cycles of India. TCMPL, a subsidiary of Tube Investments of India Ltd., is eyeing more on the productive end of the spectrum where the vehicle is an asset and earns income for the owner. The Group is initially looking at introducing its electric three-wheelers in the southern region and would gradually move to western and northern markets.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | March 2022

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Bulletin

Talent Deficit In Semiconductor Industry There is a great emphasis on localising semiconductors the world over amidst the wafer shortage crisis hitting the supply-side of the business hard. The industry, it is learnt, despite demand in select segments, is not in a position to meet its obligations with the waiting timelines having to be extended. Some might say, it is not the best time for a purchase. With this backdrop, a recent ‘104 Bank Job Survey’ on talent shortage in the semiconductor industry has come out with interesting statistics. As per the survey, the semiconductor industry faced a shortage of 34,000 people per month. In a case study, Taiwanese market faced its most severe shortage in the fourth quarter in about seven years. As per the survey,

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

October-December, 2021, due the shortage of people, there were 3.7 offers per job seekers in December 2021, compared to 2.6 offers in December 2020. The number was 2.3 a year ago (December 2019).

In comparison, across all job sectors, the offers stood at 1.7 per job application, up from 1.3 offers in December 2020 and 1.1 per applicant in December 2019. This is despite, the market, in comparison to India, having dedicated semiconductor institutes such as the National Taiwan University, National TSing Hua University, and National Cheng Kung University.

Notably remote learning since the emergence of Covid19 has also seen an increase in demand for electronic devices, among emerging technologies

like electric vehicles, 5G applications and artificial intelligence. In other regions, Netherlands is looking to hire 4000 people worldwide including 1000 from Taiwan alone. US based companies are also looking at Taiwan to plug the void. As per HR consultancy Intelligent Manpower Corp, the annual wages of graduates from top schools has also seen a sharp rise from NTD 1.6 mn to NTD 2 mn (USD 57,554 to USD 71,762) which represents a one-third rise compared to pre-Covid19 levels. Taiwan is expected to witness a 17.7 per cent hike in total out, from NTD 4.08 mn to NTD 4.80 mn. The global semiconductor industry is expected to witness a 8.8 per cent hike in output.

Bulletin | international

Ricardo e-LCV motors Ricardo PLC has won two UK Government-backed innovation competitions to support the UK’s transition to zero emission vehicles. It aims to develop sustainable motors for electric light commercial vehicles with the help of government funding. It plans to improve the take-up of battery electric light commercial vehicles by enhancing its efficiency, making them cost effective and

Volkswagen CV launches mobile camping units Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has launched a range of mini-mobile camping units. This modular camping unit provides kitchen area, bed, water supply, and storage space to give owners complete flexibility. To be made available for ordering via local Van Centres with the range starting from £495 (including VAT), these units can fit into existing luggage compartments and provide travel essentials. The purpose of this vehicle is to meet the growing demand for camping equipment witnessed last year with an influx of Brits holidaying at home due to the pandemic. This new camping accessory makes travelling more convenient for its customers by offering essentials from utilities to water supply, in a smartly designed, comfortable, and compact space. These products are the latest addition to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ complete range of camping options offered for compact Caddy to the iconic California, and the range-topping Grand California.

more sustainable. It will do so will the help of the first funding award received from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) in partnership with Innovate UK. With the help of second funding, along with its partners, Ricardo will be upgrading it’s light commercial vehicle motor concept to another level of manufacturing readiness.

Eaton’s lowvoltage power components

Eaton has introduced low-voltage power components for commercial vehicles and off-highway applications. The newly introduced electrical components address the growing need for power and control including conversion, protection and distribution for commercial vehicles and offhighway applications. Designed for multiple segments including commercial vehicles as well as military, construction and agriculture applications, these components are capable of withstanding harsh environments.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | March 2022

19

Product Launch

Keravan Kerala

While Kerala Tourism may need no introduction the new efforts to stimulate a higher footfall must be given its due. Prateek Pardeshi looks at the ‘Keravan Kerala’ initiative banking on custom caravans.

T @Prateek2101

20

he world is opening up and the traveller is hungry to explore the beautiful trails this country has to offer! Ready to move out of their comfort zones after being forced to stay indoors for a better part of the last two pandemic marred years, the tourist hotspots are drawing in traffic. To boost tourism several state tourism boards across the country are leaving no stone unturned.

Then why would ‘God’s Own Country’ with its pristine surroundings including the

Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

famous backwaters fall out of the reckoning. Responding to the call for safer personal mobility options, caravans are fast turning the preferred mode of option for a group of travellers looking at these minivans with personalised options across price points.

Tweeted P. A. Mohamed Riyas, Minister of Tourism, Kerala, “Caravan Tourism is a new experience that will put Kerala’s pandemic-battered tourism on the growth trajectory, and the response from the stakeholders to the initiative has been

encouraging. Tourist Caravans are also a safe mode of travel for holidaying families in a world where safety is the most important aspect.”

Following suit after the State tourism Board Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) announced they ‘Motorhome’ tasking its authorised caravan vendor to in turn lease the vehicles for customised itinerary Motorhome, the Kerala tourism Board has also drafted a Caravan tourism policy. The

Product Launch Caravan incentives 1. First 100 Caravans Rs.7.50 lakhs or 15 per cent of the total expenditure, whichever is lesser.

2. 101st to 200th Caravan - Rs.5.00 lakhs or 10 per cent of the total expenditure, whichever is lesser.

3. 201st to 300th Caravan - Rs.2.50 lakhs or five per cent of the total expenditure, whichever is lesser.

policy aims to establish a broad framework for the development and promotion of caravan tourism in Kerala, primarily in the private sector, by incentivising the purchase of caravans. The business potential includes establishment of caravan parks, by standard operating processes and procedures for its operations, approval mechanisms, and so forth.

Kerala Tourism has found a partner in Pinnacle Industries Limited, known for automotive seating systems, interiors, and building vehicles like ‘Office On Wheels’. The company will work in synergy with the State Board to launch a premium range of vehicles tasked with helping to promote and revitalise tourism in the state akin to the pre-Covid19 era. Several motorhomes will be released over the coming months under this partnership.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Kerala Keravan launch, Sachin Deshmukh, Executive Director,

Pinnacle Industries Ltd., opined, “Caravan and recreational vehicle tourism is set to bring in exponential growth to the much-affected travel and tourism industry.” Of the opinion that the vehicles offer not just a variety of amenities, comfort and luxury as key USPs, but also offer unmatched flexibility and freedom to travel at one’s own pace, explore, and minimise the perceived risks associated with being other modes of public transport for transit. “We have designed this motorhome keeping in mind the comfort and convenience of end-users while ensuring the highest design and functional aesthetics,” he claimed.

The caravan configurations The Pinnacle Motorhome is based on the Force Traveller model T2 4020 and has been approved by ARAI under AIS 124 requirements. Claimed to offer a smaller turning radius compared to other

conventional caravans, it is designed to allow a better driving experience so that tourists can enjoy God’s own country in its full glory. Be it the pristine backwaters or the narrow approach roads.

The Recreational Vehicle (RV) offers a provision of seating arrangements and sleeping provision that can hold nine seats convertible into two beds.

The objective is to provide greater comfort while travelling and staying in the vehicle on the go.

As per Deshmukh, the caravans offer an unmatched class of quality that is built to complement one’s taste matched by a combination of modern and attractive interiors and exteriors. The RV contains a back couch that can be transformed into a queen-sized bed, as well as a convertible bed at the front for sleeping. Focused on prospects and usability, Pinnacle Industries projects an estimated 250 vehicles to be delivered to Kerala Tourism Board over the next 12 months.

“Overall we expect to do 400500 motorhomes /caravans/ recreational vehicles this year,” he informed.

Caravan policy Kerala tourism has two major objectives under the caravan policy. The ‘Tourism Caravans’ and ‘Caravan Parks’.

The vehicles are known to be specially built for travel, leisure and accommodation fall under the category of Tourism caravans. places have been earmarked as caravan parks for tourists park the Caravan either for a night or an extended stay cation.

The Tourism Caravans

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | March 2022

21

Product Launch

P. A. Mohamed Riyas, Minister of Tourism, Kerala.

Kerala Tourism has found a partner in Pinnacle Industries Limited, known for automotive seating systems, interiors, and building vehicles like ‘Office On Wheels’.

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include rigid as well as towed/trailer caravans. In the case of rigid Caravans, the propelling mechanism and accommodation facilities will be built as a single unit. However, in trailers, the accommodation facilities shall be made up of a separate unit which will be towed by a suitable vehicle for transportation. The ideal length for the Caravan shall not exceed 8.5 m. Further, these caravans must be legally certified. A specific approval mechanism has been put in place to the commercial operation of caravans under the aegis of the Motor Vehicles Department, Government of Kerala. The latter shall formulate all the necessary procedures for approval.

The Automotive Research Association Of India (ARAI), Pune with the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public

Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

Enterprises, Government of India has also finalised procedures that states like Kerala must adhere to in line with the AIS:124 regulation and for compliance to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) act notified under CMVR. The CMVR Type Approval of specific make and model of Caravans, for compliance to AIS 124 notified under the CMVR rules, need to be directly obtained either by the OEM or the caravan application bodybuilder concerned, from the approved testing agencies as per Rule 126 of CMVR. Further incentives for investments are expected to be introduced by the Government to encourage and promote the niche tourism by product, (Refer box-Tourism Caravan Incentives) Caravan parks Caravan Parks will be equipped with the required infrastructure to suit the needs of caravans and tourists and end-users.

These are expected to be created under the PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) model with the configuration varying from location to location however the core qualities would stay the same.

The overall goal of the creation of caravan convertible to maximise the tourism potential of new and undiscovered regions.

Care will be taken to ensure that the parks are built at a safe and secure location to provide a hassle-free and stress-free atmosphere for tourists and visitors. For the parking of caravans and towing vehicles, a drive-in area and platform with sufficient dimensions and free of general traffic flow must be provided. Turning circles must be built such that a caravan and the towing vehicle can turn without interfering with the general caravan park area.

Product Launch | Suppliers

Allison Transmission T280 Allison Transmission recently powered a fleet of 100 buses with the T280.

Sumesh Soman looks at the automatic transmission in greater detail.

T @SumeshSoman

he first automatic transmission can be traced back to the 1920s when Alfred Horner Munro, a Canadian steam engineer, is known to have designed the first automatic transmission.

Designed in 1921, he patented the transmission in 1923. Here, the planetary transmission was hailed as a

crucial development aiding in the arrival of automatic transmissions. Fast forward to 2021, the already reliable gearboxes continue to evolve with tier1 suppliers like Allison Transmission playing their part with aplomb. Recently, the Allision T280 automatic transmission made it to a fleet of 100 JBM CITYLIFE lowfloor AC buses in a testimony

of its real world capabilities.

“The highlight of the fully automatic transmission is that fleet owners can experience a greater overall economic value with reduced downtime and the ability to get more work done. We are delighted to share that all low-floor CNG buses in Delhi NCR, over 4,500 currently in operation which are from leading OEMs in India,

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | MARCH 2022

23

Product Launch | Suppliers Key Specifications Physical Parameter

Basic Model

With Retarder

Installation Length

738 mm

738 mm

Dry Weight

243 kg

279 kg

Depth below transmission

274 mm

274 mm

328 mm

328 mm

centreline (Shallow Oil Sump) Depth below transmission centreline (Deep Oil Sump) Anshul Gupta, Commercial Director, Allison Transmission India. trust Allison units,” said Anshul Gupta, Commercial Director, at Allison Transmission India.

The transmission is claimed to be equipped for applications up to ~260 hp (194 kW power ) and up to 1000 Nm of gross input torque. The basic application it finds a marriage with includes city buses and tour coaches. The drivetrain interface that idles at around 500-800 rpm, gives a maximum output of 105 kmph at 3600 rpm and is said to cruise at 1950-2800 rpm on a fully loaded engine. The dry weight of the unit is about 243 kg. Here the base model installation length is 738 mm which is also made available with a retarder. This inclusion increases the dry weight by 36 kg.

The Allison T280, a fully automatic transmission comes with claims of the torque converter experiencing very little wear and the transmissions require only periodic fluid and filter changes to maintain a peak performance. Manual transmissions and AMTs both are known to rely on a clutch that eventually burns out and requires more downtime for maintenance.

With the Allison Torqmatic® Series especially designed for city buses, it is claimed to further reduce downtime by increasing the brake longevity.

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Commercial Vehicle MARCH 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

Increased driver control and passenger comfort On Indian roads which have all kinds of vehicular and non-vehicular movement, the buses equipped with Allison’s fully automatic transmissions such as the T280 are claimed to be easier to drive.

Drivers benefit from precise handling and improved comfort. Once behind the wheel, drivers are more alert and in tune with the vehicle, leading to increased driver retention and better safety records. When factoring in life cycle costs, including decreased maintenance and increased productivity, an Allison transmissionequipped vehicle is claimed

to offer a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) than a comparable, competitively equipped vehicle. Designed to deliver reliability and durability while helping to protect the vehicle drive line, the torque converter of the transmission is said to multiply engine torque, and deliver the required power to the wheels. By multiplying the engine power, drivers are expected to gain faster acceleration, operational flexibility and increased productivity. The Allison T280 is claimed to outperform manual and AMT units found to lose power and torque with every shift, resulting in wasted fuel and time.

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Product Launch | Suppliers

Smart Tyre Generation The future of mobility is dependent on advanced wheels.

Sumesh Soman looks at the JK smart generation TYRES.

T @SumeshSoman

yres are turning smart too. JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. (JK Tyres) has gone down that route to get the early mover’s advantage. Its smart tyre generation is claimed to be a segment first. With a cloud-based monitoring system as its building block, the smart tyres warrant the maintenance through timely diagnostics. It makes use of sensors integrated into the Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). The sensors relay updates on parameters crucial to assessing tyre health via multiple digital platforms like the company’s indigenous ‘TREEL Care’ app. and web page.

Averred V.K. Misra, Technical Director, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd., “Our objective was to have a sensor fitted within the tyre as one whole unit.”

The working principle An ID sensor fitted in to the smart tyres, captures and relays crucial big data. This feedback is relayed in real-time.

The Bluetooth enabled data on pressure and temperature makes the data available on the smartphone providing easy access. The tyre technology paves the way for early prognosis over the prevailing practice of diagnosis. In effect, this allows for early detection of issues and the deployment of timely preventive measures to avoid downtime. The tyre is also claimed to deliver higher fuel efficiency of up to four to five per cent leading to carbon

emissions reduction. In addition, through this technology, the tyre life is expanded thereby minimising operational expenses.

Monitoring all aspects of the tyre, the smart tyre screens the

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

tyre’s vital statistics, including pressure and temperature. The information collected by this smart monitoring system is further relayed on a real-time basis to the vehicle owner’s smartphone via Bluetooth on to a mobile application. Additionally, the sensor-enabled technology helps the customers maintain optimal tyre pressure ensuring better on-road safety.

The technology is compatible with cars, bikes and heavy commercial vehicles like trucks and buses. It is available in three variants for cars ﹣Smart Tyre Sensor Car Kit Valve; MTrac Smart Sensor Car and Truck Kit Valve and MPower Smart Sensor Car Kit Valve. Similarly, it is available in two variants for bikes ﹣Smart Tyre Sensor Bike Kit Belt and MTrac Smart Sensor Bike Kit Belt. Commenting on the launch of the smart tyre, Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyres & Industries Ltd. said, “JK Tyre has always been on the forefront of innovation and technology. Being the market leaders in the Indian tyre industry, we have once again lived up to our leadership role by delivering ‘Smart Tyre’ - an extension of our promise of providing advanced mobility solutions to our customers.”

Referring to aggregates, he added, “This technology provides an enhanced value proposition to vehicle owners, particularly fleets, by reducing their operational costs.”

Product Launch | Suppliers JK Concept Tyres

n Puncture Proof Tyres: Punctures are common on Indian roads. This unfortunate situation can jeopardise a driver’s safety.

Tyre puncture repair is a tedious task and to address this issue, JK Tyre has introduced puncture-resistant technology. A concept developed for cars and two-wheelers, the puncture-proof tyre has unique sealants known to form a protective layer that repairs puncture on its own and thereby claimed to ensure a hassle-free and safe drive.

Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Vice-President, JK Organisation, and,Chairman & Managing Director of JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. Future of tyre technology With Bluetooth, smart tyres can be used to track cars for fleet owners with GPS. The company is on talking terms with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Misra stated, “We are also approaching OEMs to fit this in their vehicles and working closely with them. We are approaching each one of them to make the sensor-enabled compatible with the vehicle system, for example.” Misra further explained that all the sensors can be connected to a pod, and that pod is connected to the cloud. So, one can track the vehicle, performance of tyres, pressure, the position of the tyre remotely.

There is an in-built antitheft mechanism to alert on tyre theft attempts too. The company is confident of its ongoing developments paving the way for new inclusions in the system going forward. To back its claims of benefits, the company undertook surveys where a majority of the owners were found to run tyres with low-pressure and or running on

n EV Tyre: The electric vehicle industry in India is evolving and JK Tyre is ready to cater to the needs of the EV industry. These next-gen tyres have an optimised tread pattern which is ideal for EVs. Loaded with features like low rolling resistance, low noise emission and superior wet traction, these EV tyres offer a greener and environment-friendly drive. n Coloured Tyre: One of the most attractive and eye-catching products from the JK Tyre stable, the coloured tyres are for the auto enthusiasts who do not think conventional. These coloured tyres are made from the specially formulated coloured rubber compound and are available for cars and two-wheelers. n Fuel-Saver Tyre: The next generation of fuel-efficient tyresthe XF series, is built on the cutting edge advanced JETOCT technology, which helps improve tyre efficiency by saving up to eight per cent fuel in comparison to normal radial tyres. n Tubeless Radials: Designed to meet the emerging needs of fleets, these next generations of tubeless Truck and Bus Radials (TBRs) are developed with a new silica compound, which provides longer life, fuel savings and lower cost of operations.

high-pressure. Those driving at the prescribed OEM pressures were far and few. The smart tyre generation will be manufactured

in Pune at a dedicated JK Tyre plant. It’s all claimed to be indigenous with 24 x 7 after sales assistance on offer.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | March 2022

27

Industry Talk

Industry Talk Tyre Technology

In an upfront conversation, V.K. Misra, Technical Director, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. spoke to Sumesh Soman on the tyre technology to watch out for.

28

Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

Industry Talk

Q. How different truck and bus radials from car radial sensors?

A. Only the sensor size is smaller in the former. For trucks and cars, where the sensor size is similar, the mounting arrangements are different. Elements are different too, for example, how the sensor is fitted on the tyre is different while the technology in principle remains the same.

Q. What is Fuel Saver technology?

A. We came up with the concept of ‘Fuel Saver’ owing to the pressure on rolling resistance. Primarily, we came up with the fuel saver technology for a commercial vehicle. The biggest cost for any commercial operator is fuel. So, if you can give somebody the benefit of fuel-saving, and if you can demonstrate and prove it, then people are willing to adopt and buy the product. Since we’ve come up with this product we reduced the Runflat System Component (RSC) to an extent along with some other changes in the product.

Changes in the design, the construction, the material, and the compounds brought down the fuel consumption to about eight per cent. And, and it was humongous, we are still doing some more work on bringing this technology. So far, we’ve brought this technology

into two TBR categories of products, particularly in 20inch size tyres. We’ve also introduced this into tubeless TBS. The idea behind this is primarily giving the customer a product, which can bring

“ The biggest cost for any commercial operator is fuel. So, if you can give somebody the benefit of fuelsaving, and if you can demonstrate and prove it, then people are willing to adopt and buy the product.” their cost of operations down.

Of course, the only thing that one has to ensure is not to compromise on any other performance parameter.

For instance, the mileage might vary by five per cent or so, but that’s nothing compared to the eight per cent saving during the life of a tyre that runs an estimated 80,000-100,000 kms. You can imagine the kind of savings; your tyre cost is recovered. In fact, we have calculated, the whole set of tyres are paid for if you apply this tech to your vehicle.

Q. How soon can the fuel saver technology be made available on tubeless tyres?

A. We have initially launched it in the tube-type tyres, and we are ready with the tubeless tyres as well. It’s only a matter of time before we launch it in the tubeless range as well. So, the mileage must be either the same or a little better. That is our target and the product is under evaluation. Fuel-saving is confirmed and you know, in between there was the pandemic and the vehicles were not running. We have to run up to 50,000 or 50,000 plus kms to establish the mileage.

Q. Could you explain the steering robot technology?

A. There is a variation from driver-to-driver when you’re

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | March 2022

29

Industry Talk “We were looking at uniformity in rolling behaviour. Secondly, the material behaviour should not be subject to temperature change and the third was noise reduction.” doing an instrumented test. So, to eliminate this the steering robot came into existence.

We were the first company to buy this. It basically eliminates the impact of a driver, so the steering robot actually takes over and you can almost consider that the car turns autonomous. So, the driver doesn’t have control, it’s the steering robot that has control and provides input. So, the input is perfectly accurate sans the human intervention. You will give that important input and the robot will control the steering, that’s why it is called the steering robot.

Q. How much of a help is the steering robot when it comes to testing tyres?

A. From an objective data point of view, it’s apt for repetitive tasks and very consistent. This makes it suited for the task.

We have found that the results we are able to give are very consistent in terms of output.

Q. Could you explain the workings of the punctureproof tyre?

A. It was my pet project. We’ve been working on it for about two years and now we are almost ready for the launch of the product. The target was to come up with a technology that enhances the performance of the product while making it puncture less. Now, whatever that is put into the tyre, it adds to the weight. And we were

30

Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

“ There is a variation from driver-to-driver when you’re doing an instrumented test. So, to eliminate this the steering robot came into existence.” looking for a few things, firstly, we were looking at uniformity in rolling behaviour. Secondly, the material behaviour should not be subject to temperature change and the third was noise reduction. We have achieved that and it took us some time.

We’ve tested the material by puncturing it at 12 different locations and running it for 10,000 kms without a pressure drop. And then we took the same tyre and punctured it 250 times and ran that for another 20,000 kms to establish no air leaks. We are ready with the product. Now we just have to wait to be ready to cater to the demand and surplus production to be up and running before the launch.

Q. Will it be applicable on just cars with a yellow plate?

A. For the time being it is for passenger cars but we are going to be doing it for bikes very soon. Because technology will be the same.

Only the spring techniques, the machines, the sizes of the rims are different. The type of

spray system will be slightly different too but the principle will remain the same. Primarily for tubeless tyres because the principle doesn’t apply to tube tyres.

Q. What does the transition from ICE to EV mean for the company?

A. We are very well working in parallel to align with the EV technology. There are a few important aspects though that we must consider. It should have a resistance to high torque, actually instant torque.

It should have low rolling resistance and lastly, it should have low noise because apart from the tyres and steering there isn’t anything that moves in an EV.

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cover story

Long-Haul On Hydrogen

Real World tests are proving the potential of long-haul hydrogen fuel cell CVS. Prateek Pardeshi looks at India’s first fuel cell technology-driven bus from Sentient Labs to study the claim.

@Prateek2101

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

T

echnology company, Sentient Labs is aggressively pursuing their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This includes contributing to vision zero-emission as a boost to sustainable mobility through technology suited for commercial vehicles including both buses and trucks. Working

cover story on moving away from older generation Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) to cleaner powertrains that are BSVI compliant in India to looking at pure Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) to hydrogen fuel cell electric drivetrains, the company, with support from policy interventions like FAME-II and the PLI schemes, joins the industry evolution, which in hindsight has done exceedingly well to meet the many challenges thrown its way.

To give a perspective, a significant portion of Intermediate and Light Commercial Vehicles to the tune of 45 per cent are known to have shifted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). In FY21, CV OEMs have seen the share of sales of CNG I&LCV trucks (five to 16-tonne GVW) catapult in double-digit. CNG penetration alone in Light & Medium Duty (LMD) trucks is expected to rise from nine per cent of the Total Industry Volumes (TIV) to about 30 per cent by 2030. Then there are levers of conversion from diesel to LNG cited by experts in the case of large trucks and tipper fleets. In this mix, notably, by 2023-24 or 2024-25 Hydrogen could establish itself

as the fuel of choice for long-haul trucks and buses. This explains why technology companies like Sentient Labs (Sentient) are betting big on Hydrogen to offer open access solutions to OEMs looking to offer a hydrogenbased fuel cell powered solution.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell powered vehicles match BEVs when it comes to their claim to offer net zero tailpipe emissions. On the flip side, pure EV OEMs have been working hard to address range anxiety and charge time.

Albeit acquisition costs continue to be work under progress.

According to Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, Member of Board of Directors, Sentient Labs, the Hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles outdo BEVs by a fair margin. With its new product, claimed to be India’s first hydrogen fuel cell technology powered bus integrated on a Eicher manufactured nine meter platform christened Celesta, developed in Pune, the R&D innovation lab based on KPIT Technologies Ltd.-incubated technologies, has developed the technology in collaboration with CSIR-NCL (National Chemical Laboratory) and CSIR-CECRI (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) (Central

(L to R) Dr Ashish Lele, Director, National Chemical Laboratory, Ravi Pandit, Chairman, Sentient Labs, Dr R A Mashelkar, Member of the Board of Directors, Sentient Labs.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | March 2022

33

cover story

The Drivetrain is at the heart of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus and is open to access by multiple OEMs. .

34

Electrochemical Research Institute). Commenting on the significant development, Dr Mashelkar explained how the effort by Sentient Labs stands out from similar attempts the world over. “At Sentient, challenges that are core to India are understood, and solutions are developed.

Digitalisation, decentralisation and decarbonisation is what India needs for sustainable mobility and these innovations from Sentient will go a long way,” he asserted. Notably, CV major Tata Motors showcased the Tata Starbus Fuel Cell bus back at its Pune plant in 2017.

The OEM recently bagged an order of 15 hydrogen-based fuel cell buses from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. The two (IOCL and Tata Motors) are known to jointly undertake projects and collectively study further the potential of fuel cell technology

Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

for commercial vehicles testing, maintaining and operating these buses for public transport in real-world conditions. The buses will be refuelled with hydrogen generated and dispensed by IOCL. As per reports, Ballard Power Systems has received a purchase order for 15 of the Company’s 70kW FCmoveTMHD fuel cell modules from Tata Motors. Ballard is known to be working closely with Tata Motors to ensure seamless integration of the eighth-generation engine into its FCEB design.

Setting it apart In comparison to Tata Motors, Sentient Labs, to ensure the complex technology’s longevity has sourced high-tech fuel cell filters from Freudenberg Filtration Technologies. The micronAir® filters are claimed to keep the fuel cells running despite tough weather conditions and exposure to pollutants such as ammonia.

Sentient Labs is banking on a framework built around hydrogen storage cylinders, liquid cooled battery packs, fuel cells and an alternate powertrain which runs on energy developed by the fuel cell to stand out. The fuel cell generates electricity for the bus by combining hydrogen and air. The bus’s only effluent is water to stake a claim on being the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation.

The fuel cell comes into the picture as a key cog in the wheel that is the backbone of chemical energy in the form of hydrogen converting to electricity to in turn power the electric motor that ultimately propelled the vehicle. The efficiency of the fuel cell is said to be an estimated 50 per cent.

The powertrain is mounted under the chassis, just like a normal ICE bus. Battery packs used in this vehicle comply with Indian as well as European standards from the homologation perspective.

Dr Mashelkar shared that the battery packs have been tested on roads, covering over six lakh kilometres. The powertrain, claimed to have been entirely developed and integrated in India, has helped Sentient to introduce an additional 20 per

cover story Key Specifications Parameter Battery size Range

Specification <40 kWh 9M FCEV with 450 kms using 30 kgs of hydrogen Charging time 15-20 mins No. of passenger 32 nos. cent efficiency, overall.

Sentient Labs has designed and developed key components such as the balance of plant, powertrain, and battery pack entirely in-house, in addition to the localised hydrogen fuel cell technology as per Dr Mashelkar.

All of these elements have been installed on a nine-metre long, 32-seater, air-conditioned bus.

The bus is claimed to clock a 450 km range on 30 kilograms of hydrogen. It can be fullycharged in under 20 minutes.

The company expects to benefit from a modular architecture that is said to allow any design changes pertaining to custom needs of range and operating conditions. Elaborating further on the modularity, Ravi

Pandit, Chairman of Sentient Labs, said, “We are not bus manufacturers, we develop sustainable technologies and this system is modular and can be fitted to any OEM bus.” Citing the example of over a million single diesel buses travelling long distances and emitting 100-tonne CO2 per year, Sentient as per the Chairman has successfully combined its technologies for not only an environment friendly but economically appealing proposition to operators. Of the opinion that hydrogen generation technology can provide farmers with an alternative source of income, the replacement of diesel buses with fuel cell buses will help Indians go a long way on attaining the SDGs for transportation. “We envision that the solution will see widespread adoption powered by several partnerships. Our efforts will also be pivotal in enabling vehicle makers and suppliers to build a net-zero

carbon path in India,” he stated.

Nascent stage in India Fuel cell technology has been an area of research for decades worldwide, but still fuel cell technology is in its nascent stage in India. Per kilogram production cost of green hydrogen in India is estimated to be Rs.500 (factory-gate cost of Rs.4-7) in comparison to grey hydrogen at Rs.150 per kg. India can take a cue from several global initiatives to lower production costs. Late last year, Germany put Euro 900 mn (USD one bn) into a funding scheme to support green hydrogen. If the vision to establish hydrogen as a long-haul fuel is to be attained by 2024-25, companies like Sentient Labs building stable, road-ready solutions and the desired ecosystem must find support. The recent green hydrogen policy could be the stepping stone if it succeeds to bring down production costs by 40-50 per cent.

(Clockwise): Interiors, dashboard, and the Hydrogen refueling inlet..

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Cover story

Catering To Indian Duty Cycles H2X and ADVIK have collaborated to meet the requirements of Indian duty cycles. Deepti Thore looks at the key strengths of this joint venture.

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he demand for hydrogen-powered equipment and vehicles is growing rapidly in India. In 2021, the Government of India(GoI) launched the National Hydrogen mission to mitigate environment made issues and make India a green hydrogen hub. It is supported with a budget of Rs.800 crores for FY22. A step in this direction, the Green Hydrogen / Green Ammonia policy aims at reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and significantly curb crude oil imports. Driven by this mission, ADVIK HiTech Pvt. Ltd. and H2X Global

Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

Aditya Bhartia, Managing Director, ADVIK Hi-Tech Pvt. Ltd. Ltd. in an important, strategic collaboration will supply hydrogen-powered products and vehicles in India. The partners will also build a global supply chain of products and components to meet

this requirement. Speaking about the growing stature of hydrogen as a primary fuel in India, Aditya Bhartia, Managing Director for ADVIK Hi-Tech Pvt. Ltd. said, “India is destined to be a leader in the Hydrogen drivetrains with strong support from Government and industry.

As a company which has always been ahead of the curve, we are aggressively pushing into the Hydrogen space as a core growth area for our company.”

Optimistic about the future of Hydrogen as a primary fuel in India and the success of the partnership, Brendan Norman, Chief Executive

Cover story

Brendan Norman, Chief Executive Officer, H2X.

Officer of H2X said, “We have long believed India is one of the great manufacturing powers of the world and we have found a great player in the automotive Industry in ADVIK. The cooperation between our companies gives us great strength in being able to address India but also to provide us with a strong manufacturing backbone to support our production ecosystem in Australia and other parts of the world as well.” Pure Hydrogen, a major stakeholder in H2X, is also looking at entering into a deal with ADVIK to explore hydrogen-based opportunities within the Indian market,

confirmed Scott Brown, Managing Director at Pure Hydrogen. The other arm of Pure Hydrogen, PureX with H2X will work on creating fuel cell businesses such as the Warrego, trucks, and buses including special application vehicles like garbage disposal trucks and concrete agitator trucks. According to Pure Hydrogen, the global demand is projected to rise to 100 million tonne by 2030 and exceed 500 million tonne by 2050. With transportation identified as one of the largest sources of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions globally and among the early adopters of hydrogen-based energy, the Hydrogen consumption is on the rise! Asia-Pacific alone is expected to witness the fastest growth moving forward as the largest hydrogen market.

Tapping growth potential While representing a major entry into the massive Indian market, the Australian-Indian joint venture will majorly focus on manufacturing fuel-cells, generators and vehicles.

Designed and developed by the H2X Global design team, the vehicles and components derived from the partnership are scheduled for production in the near future. To support development and production of solutions for Hydrogen Power and Hydrogen Mobility in India, H2X and ADVIK, in the first phase of production, will produce H2X’s series of fuel cell powered generators known to currently being deployed in Australia. The H2X pick-up Warrego, for example, harnesses hydrogen power, and is one of the first pick-ups launched by H2X in Australia. Confident of H2X’s product range, Bhartia said, “We have great confidence in the product range from H2X as being one with several key opportunities to support to the deployment of Hydrogen in the Indian Market and together with our local knowledge and expertise we see great opportunity to develop this for the acceleration of the Indian clean energy movement.”

Power H2 Units The first generators

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Cover story

manufactured by the partners will be put into service with a large-scale power system providing emission-free power for ADVIK’s state of the art Research and Development Centre located in Pune, India.

Pure Hydrogen and H2X together have launched a range of hydrogen fuel cell power generation units that can be used for back-up power or continuous electricity supply.

Available in 5kW, 20kW, 50kW and 100kW capacities as standard, the Power H2 units can generate electricity, claimed to be zero-emissions using a small hydrogen storage tank. The target is to sell 10000 units in five years at an estimated valuation of AUD 28,000 per unit. According to Brown, anyone who has solar, wind or another renewable energy grid will need a backup like Power H2. “The Power H2 units are a way of making a clean energy investment really work,” he advocated.

The road map Working together over the past year to explore opportunities for

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hydrogen in the Indian market, the two companies are looking at positioning themselves as key players in ‘Green Hydrogen Revolution’ envisioned for India. As a leading supplier in the automotive space, ADVIK will supply products.

It will also launch distribution activity for products from H2X under the JV, capitalising on the local knowledge and its networks. Speaking on the future of hydrogen in the country, Brendan opined that the Indian Market is critical to the long-term success of the Hydrogen Industry and that the partnership with ADVIK will

be critical to the growth of the company.

The first products from the JV will be delivered to the market within the coming few months, with the power system in Pune being the highlight of the launch. By doing so, both the companies aim at claiming a leadership position.

“The opportunity for us to be able to launch a product to the Indian market at this early stage is reflective of the passion we have at ADVIK to lead our country and the world in terms of being active in new technological advancement,” concluded Bhartia.

Transportation And Logistics

Mitigating Safety Risks

Road safety is seldom taken seriously unless life is lost. Sumesh Soman looks at the pro-active stakeholders working towards vision zero.

@SumeshSoman

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ndia ranks first globally in road accidents with one accident taking place every four minutes, as per the World Bank reports.

According to the World Bank, although India has only one per cent of the world’s vehicles, 11 per cent of the global deaths from road accidents occur in the country. A report by Marks and Harrison in 2018 brought to light how commercial vehicle accidents are distinctly different compared to passenger vehicle ones. Apart from the loss of human capital, there is collateral damage at stake too.. In an ecosystem where seldom an owner cum driver takes to the road, fleet

operators, small or large, are well aware of the risks involved.

Besides the loss of human capital and collateral damage, a road accident can bring upon the transporter a cascading effect resulting from deviation in contract, on deliverable.

A hit to the company’s credibility whether or not the driver is directly or indirectly responsible is perhaps the more severe aftereffect.

The root cause The majority of the commercial vehicle drivers are known to struggle with a lack of basic awareness on maintaining a healthy vision. It has a direct correlation to endangering

on-road safety on the job in the absence of timely intervention for corrective measures. Sagar Doshi, Chief Business Development Officer at Stepper Eyewear India LLP explains how the majority of commercial vehicle drivers do not undergo a regular vision test. Infact, some put off the visit to an optician deliberately despite noticing a deteriorating vision. “This behaviour is the cause of many road accidents and casualties primarily due to poor vision,” he asserted. In a pertinent observation, Doshi blamed the powerful xenon headlights as the biggest obstruction in night driving.

He advised the use of anti-

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Transportation And Logistics reflective optics by drivers to combat the strain. “Optician tested and approved eye wear addresses the stressful vision challenges when driving,” he opined.

Seconding Doshi’s observation to address vision impairment, Ella Rain Gudwin, Chief Executive Officer at VisionSpring Global cites a study of 275 truck drivers who acquired their first pair of glasses through the company’s ‘See to be Safe’ Program, VisionSpring found that one in four drivers did not meet the visual acuity requirements for their licensing. In other words, they could not see road signs and hazards just 20-30 meters away. As per India Vision Institute Chief Executive Officer, Vinod Daniel, an estimated 24 per cent of uncorrected drivers have attributed it to lack of time from the daily grind for being unable to pro-actively seek eye care. Another 25 per cent said they were unaware of suffering from vision impairment altogether. RN Mohanty, CEO of Sightsavers is known to have stated that road crashes claim 1.3 million lives each year globally and of those 90 per cent are from developing countries.

An independent global survey shows similar statistics.

Over 1.5 million license holders never had an eye test and one in five drivers have never undergone a vision test since passing their driving test. The report also revealed almost 3000 road casualties each year owing to poor vision. Over 50 per cent have admitted to not wearing vision correction while driving. Around 20 per cent put off visits to an optician

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Sagar Doshi, Chief Business Development Officer, Stepper Eyewear India LLP

since noticing trouble with their vision. Notably, over 60 per cent of drivers in need of glasses or contact lenses are found to have had an accident in the past two years. The report evidently shows how healthy vision is seldom taken seriously while it is the core sense required for a safe drive.

Public Private Partnership Addressing the road safety hazard with timely intervention through a Public Private Partnership, both government and private organisations are doing their bit. There are many contributing better road safety by integrating better road sense. Recently, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) decided

to enhance compensation to victims of hit and run motor accidents from Rs.12,500 to Rs.50,000 for grievous hurt and from Rs 25,000 to rupees two lakhs for death. This will be effective from April 01, 2022 and apply to all roads and highways across India.

Supporting MoRTh, the Indian Road Safety Campaign’, an active community formed

by IITians is also doing its bit to improve road safety. The community recently held a Road Safety Hackathon with the motive to spread awareness and bring forth innovative ideas in turn to help better the current state of road safety in the country.

Standing out with its efforts, HumSafer, an NGO , is relying on its digital approach for the same motto. Their app. available on app stores like Google Play Store can be downloaded by every driver. It is designed to help the fellow truckers and fleet managers to be road safe. The app has a feature called ‘HumSafer uplift Biradree’ through which the driver can get a cover of upto one lakh covering hospital expenses for just Rs.200 a month. It also comes with

Transportation And Logistics

Jehaan. A. Kotwal, Chief Executive Officer at HumSafer Driver Safety Foundation and CEO, JFK Transporters on a drive to solve grass root level issues. features like 24x7 navigation support, on-call doctor, OPD checkup, and an easy claim settlement. HumSafer app monitors the driving of the vehicle throughout the journey.

It relays information like total distance, time duration, rewards points for clean driving along with violations as well.

The drive mode keeps a tab on speed, over speeding and other vital information while it alerts the driver in case of any apprehensive vehicle behaviour.

Apps like these can come in very useful to make the drivers aware and more skilled in their craft. It is a long stride in the path to minimal truck accidents.

The organisation works with communities and government for executing projects and campaigns that spread awareness and educate fleet owners, drivers, pedestrians and major logistical companies on the importance of road safety. “My father was

a truck driver who told me about painful anecdotes of accidents and the harsh time he witnessed on the road. I wanted to make a difference for him,” Jeehan Kotwal, Chief Executive Officer at HumSafer Driver Safety Foundation is quoted to have said in his blog. He adds, “He has been able to bring down accident occurrences from three to four in 10 vehicles in 2013 to one in 110 vehicles. If my trucking company can bring the accident ratio close to 0 then every trucker can do it.

A survey done by HumSafer shows that 4.60 lakh people are severely injured or disabled in India. About three per cent of the GDP is affected in countries with higher instances of public transportation accidents according to Kotwal.

An estimated 1.70 lakh people die on the road every year with India leading the stats. The survey also stated that over 400 deaths happen a day in

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Transportation And Logistics

road accidents. 50 per cent of that is under the age of 35 and 65 per cent of these accidents involve truck collisions.

The company is confident that 80 per cent of the accidents can be avoided if the focus is channelled to three basic factors, bad driving, tiredness and emergency access. The company states that 60 per cent of the accidents are caused due to the lack of formal training and 20 per cent of drivers are driving in a state of fatigue to meet time lines. This is coupled with lack of emergency services that are required in case of an accident to act upon with the desired sense of urgency.

Third party findings 3M conducted a third-party independent research across 11 countries, including India, to identify the top concerns of transportation on the words, as well as collate views on the

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Safety and visibility concerns Around the world, people are highly concerned about the behaviors of other drivers, visibility issues and road conditions. According to the survey, the top seven concerns for Indians include: 1. Drivers texting or speaking on the phone while driving (91 percent) 2. Negligence of other drivers (90 percent) 3. Night Visibility (90 percent) 4. Large vehicles (buses, trucks, and trailers) (89 percent) 5. Curved roads or sharp turns (89 percent) 6. Traffic congestion (89 percent) 7. Signs or road markings that are difficult to see (89 percent)

Dan Chen, President of 3M Transportation Safety Division

current state of transportation safety in their communities.

Seventy-three percent of survey

respondents from India have a family member or close friend who has died or been seriously injured in a car crash, and eightytwo percent of these incidents occurred during the pandemic.

“The results of our global survey reaffirm that improving road and transportation safety around the world must remain a top priority, especially as the number of traffic collisions rises in many countries,” said Dan Chen, President of 3M Transportation Safety Division. “Helping

Transportation And Logistics families get home safely has never been more important and we are committed to continuing our work in improving access to safe transportation and developing safety solutions across the globe.”

Vision zero post pandemic The survey results for India revealed an elevated concern on transportation and roadway safety since the start of the global pandemic. In fact, more than three out of four respondents (78 percent) believe transportation access is an issue in their community. 67 percent of respondents believe road safety is more important as more people travel by road instead of aeroplane or train, for vacation/trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Open access People in India believe their communities should do more to help people safely access a variety of transportation options. Seventy eight percent of respondents believe transportation access is an issue in their community and 67 percent of respondents think COVID-19 has made it more important to improve road safety so that vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians can safely coexist as people avoid public transportation. More than half (52 percent) feel they do not have reliable and safe access to roads for driving and nearly half (49 percent) feel they do not have reliable and safe access to public transportation.

Ranking high among community transportation safety concerns, three-quarters of parents are concerned about getting their children to and from school safely.

3M’s Transportation Safety Division invented reflective sheeting and installed the first fully-reflective sign more than 80 years ago,. Pawan Kumar Singh, Country Business Leader for Transportation Safety Division, 3M India says “Around 150,000 fatalities occur on Indian roads every year, 3M India is dedicated to working with relevant stakeholders to improve road safety through our innovative and customized products for Indian road conditions. Our mission is to help authorities build the safest roadways to help bring families home safely.”

3M transportation safety solutions 3M reflective sign sheeting, ink, and overlays increase visibility and driver recognition of these signals. Studies have found that where more-visible signs are installed, crash numbers have fallen up to 46 percent within three to six years. Pavement markings help guide drivers and keep roads safe, but in dark and wet conditions, standard reflective pavement markings can disappear. 3M reflective technology makes road markings visible from longer distances and in wet

conditions as well. In India, 3M launched 3M Young Change Agents in Road Safety (3M Y-CARS) in 2019, a CSR program that aims to educate children on road safety, keeping children at the heart of change.

The program, now in its third year, leverages 3M’s global expertise and experience as a promoter of road safety, in partnership with United Way of Bengaluru and CoRPS. The program enabled children to become observers of the roads around their school and provide an audit of how safe the school is, which was a guided process. The observations from the children went into implementation of a Safe School Zone.

With new and improved innovations slowly integrating itself into the driving picture and road safety, we can foresee a future where collateral damage to life could be mitigated and loss of life could be a chapter in history and that comes with small steps taken by stakeholders of the ecosystem including the government, drivers, pedestrians, fleet owners and logistical companies alike. A road to recovery begins with the first of many such steps to on road safety.

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Game Changer

Champion OEMs Receive PLI Approval 20 Champion OEMs of the 115 companies that filed under the PLI scheme have got their approval. Ashish Bhatia shares the details of companies that cut above the rest.

@atashishbhatia

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he Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme had 115 companies filing applications to avail incentives under the scheme with an Rs.25,938 crore outlay. This was till the set deadline on January 09, 2022. The companies had applied to be eligible for incentives applicable under the scheme for the determined sales of Advanced Automotive Technology (AAT) products (vehicles and components) manufactured in India from April 01, 2022, onwards for the next five years. On processing the applications, it is learnt, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) processed the applications.

20 applicants (along with their 12 subsidiaries) have

The companies approved under the Champion OEM Incentive scheme: Champion OEM (Except 2W & 3W) Sr.No Applicant Name 1

Ashok Leyland Limited

2

Eicher Motors Limited

3

Ford India Private Limited

4

Hyundai Motor India Limited

5

Kia India Private Limited

6

Mahindra & Mahindra Limited

7

PCA Automobiles India Private Limited

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Pinnacle Mobility Solutions Private Limited

9

Suzuki Motor Gujarat Private Limited

10

Tata Motors Limited

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Harsha Kadam - Managing Director & CEO - Schaeffler India

Sudhir mehta, Chairman and Managing Director at Pinnacle Industries Ltd.

been approved under the Champion OEM Incentive scheme. Applications for the Component Champion Incentive scheme are being processed separately and will be notified soon.

The PLI scheme for the Automobile and Auto Component Industry has been hailed as a huge success. Apart from Indian business groups, approved applicants for the Champion OEM Incentive scheme include groups from countries such as the Republic of Korea, USA, Japan, France, Italy, UK and Netherlands. On hearing the news, industry reactions started to pour in.

Tata Motors’ spokesperson expressed delight in availing the opportunity. He said, “Tata Motors is delighted with the opportunity provided to participate in the progressive and transformational Auto sector PLI scheme that aims to drive self-sufficiency and world-class competitiveness

through the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. We are committed to shaping India’s vehicular landscape with smart and sustainable mobility solutions powered by newage technologies to address the evolving needs of both personal and commercial mobility and this opportunity will help us drive this with even greater vigour.” “The policy push with the right levers of PLI scheme is likely to further spur the development of the entire EV ecosystem in the country,” opined Harsha Kadam, Managing Director & CEO, Schaeffler India Ltd. According to Sudhir Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director at Pinnacle Industries Ltd., in less than 10 years, India could be the largest EV and Hydrogen vehicles producer in the world, in numbers. “The infection point is coming. This will become the single largest manufacturing industry in the country,” he expressed.

Game Changer Champion OEM 2W & 3W Sr.No Applicant Name 1

Bajaj Auto Limited

2

Hero MotoCorp Limited

3

Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited

4

TVS Motor Company Limited

New Non-Automotive Investor (OEM) Sr.No Applicant Name 1

Axis Clean Mobility Private Limited

2

Booma Innovative Transport Solutions Private Limited

3

Elest Private Limited

4

Hop Electric Manufacturing Private Limited

5

Ola Electric Technologies Private Limited

6

Powerhaul Vehicle Private Limited

Opining that the EV adaption of commercial vehicles including buses will be driven by the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), Mehta expects it to become more favourable with a higher daily run, especially for intercity buses. As a derivative of improving the availability of charging infrastructure and product availability, sales will explode, he stated. Citing the PLI approval as a game-changer, for the entire sustainability mobility ecosystem, Mehta expects the development-focused initiatives to ensure an ecosystem of local manufacturing for advanced and green technologies at global scales. It could filter down the entire value chain, and boost the MSME sector, he mentioned.

The Government approved the PLI scheme for the Automobile

and Auto Component Industry in India for Enhancing India’s Manufacturing Capabilities for Advanced Automotive Products (AAT) with a budgetary outlay of Rs.25,938 crores. The PLI Scheme for the Automobile and Auto component industry proposes financial incentives to boost domestic manufacturing of Advanced Automotive Technology (AAT) products and attract investments in the automotive manufacturing value chain.

Its prime objectives include overcoming cost disabilities, creating economies of scale and building a robust supply chain in areas of AAT products. The scheme is expected to aid the CV industry, in moving up the value chain into higher value-added products.

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Game Changer

GST Overhaul And Compliances After the rollout of GST back in 2017, the landmark one nation one tax continues to evolve. Prateek Pardeshi checks on the need for overhaul and compliances.

W @Prateek2101

ho can forget the rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on July 01, 2017, flashing on screens nationwide? Nearing the fifth anniversary, the ‘One Nation One Tax’ regime continues to evolve with different tax slabs and the bifurcation of essential, luxury and sin goods. A recent joint webinar hosted by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) and law firm Trilegal, focused on the most recent developments in the GST regime and their implications. Direct and Indirect!

Building on the foundation is six major pillars. These span the recent developments in indirect taxes, inverted duty structures, RoDTEP, intermediary services, the establishment of distinct persons, draft policy of the data centres and change in rates. Presided by subject matter experts, the session focused on key aspects of the GST known to have a direct impact on day-to-day business operations.

Moderator Sabina Pandey, Regional Director Kolkata, IndoGerman Chamber of Commerce set the tone of the discussion. She said, “One of our main tasks is to assist Indian and German member companies in settling trade disputes.”

Implications of IDS Applicable to mining and EPC for example, the controversy around the retrospective amendment to rule 89(5) of CGST was cited at the forum. A reference was made to the denial of refund of

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Industry Focus Areas Inverted Duty cycle The Inverted Duty cycle (IDS) refers to the rate of tax on inputs that is higher than the rate of tax on output supplies. Here, the refund of unutilised Input Tax Credit (ITC) on input services is unavailable.

Implications of IDS ITC on account of input taxes keeps on accumulating resulting in higher cost of prices. The accumulated ITC adds to the Cost Of Goods or Services (COGS) as ITC remains unutilised. Retrospectively, the amendment to Rule 89(5) CGST, resulted in denial of refund of unutilised, accumulated ITC availed on input services. Select sectors like mining, and EPC in case of large infrastructure projects.

RoDTEP Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP), the Government of India has recently replaced its old incentive structure the Merchandise Exports From India Scheme (MEIS). The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is known to have declared our old MEIS system to be a WTO violation.

Data Centres Recently, the government has introduced a data localisation policy, meaning all the data collected by the usage of mobile phones, social media, needs to be stored within the jurisdiction of India. Moreover, the government is in the process of notifying data protection law which will apply to various sectors such as automotive. the unutilised, accumulated ITC availed on input services. Shashank Shekhar, Counsel at Trilegal opined, “ITC on account of input services

keeps on accumulating resulting in higher cost of goods and services.”

Explaining the background, it was said, such an accumulation can be

Game Changer Procedure To Generate An E-script

 Every individual has to make a declaration on the Shipping Bill (S/B).  It is then processed in the ICEGATE system from the customs department.  Claim is only allowed after filling out the export general manifest.  Further a scroll will be generated, which contains all the details of the shipping bill and duty credit associated with those.  After this electronic duty credit ledger containing details of S/B one can generate an E-script with a one year validity.

Shashank Shekar, Counsel at Trilegal

Pain Points Of RoDTEP

 RoDTEP is restricted to only input embedded taxes, thus the rate of rebate is lower than MEIS.  The range varies from 0.5 per cent to 4.3 per cent depending upon the sector.  All sectors belonging to iron and steel and pharmaceuticals are excluded from this scheme.  Also if any individual faces higher duties which are higher than the rebate which is granted in that aspect, representations can be made to trade bodies/ export councils and RoDTEP committee for determination of ceiling rates.

Tushar Joshi, Senior Associate, at Trilegal

carried forward to the next financial year and until such time it can be utilised by the registered person.

The claim is known to be settled (refunded) in two scenarios: if the credit is accumulated on account of zero supplies or on the account of an inverted duty structure with a few exceptions under the law.

RoDTEP Tushar Joshi, Senior Associate

at Trilegal mentioned “RoDTEP came into effect from January 2021. MEIS violated 3.1A and 3.2 of the agreement subsidies and countervailing measures.”

“RoDTEP aims to reimburse taxes and duties incurred by exporters such as local taxes, coal cess, mandi tax, electricity duties, and Value Added Tax (VAT) besides the state excise on fuel crucial for transportation,” he explained.

These are not refunded under any other existing scheme, he pointed out. The salient features of RoDTEP include the amendment

by Foreign Trade Policy 201520, concerning para 4.01 (e).

Additionally, informed Joshi, rebates under this scheme will be granted as a percentage of the export value. “The rebate will be given in the form of duty credit or e-scripts, which will be transferable,

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Game Changer comparison to AAR Maharashtra levying IGST. The committee was urged to issue clarifications to avoid discrepancies.

and can be used for basic payments in the form of customs duty only,” he stated. Moreover, a committee has been constituted by the government known as the RoDTEP Committee to look into priority interventions in the sectors covered under the scheme.

Draft data centre policy As per GoI, the draft data protection policy aligns with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy known to have come into force across Europe in May 2018. With fleet management increasingly reliant on dedicated data centres (uptime centres) under the umbrella of telematics solutions on offer by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), ‘Big Data’ is crucial for fleet owners to base actionable business decisions on them. The data centres assume significance as they hold confidential business data. Speaking on the amendments to India’s data centre draft policy announced in 2020, Pranav Bansal, Senior Associate at Trilegal, said, “The proposed benefits suggested in the draft data policy can be divided into five divisions also applicable to the commercial vehicles sector as a subdivision

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of the automotive sector as a whole.” “A favourable environment, conducive ecosystem, data centre economic zone, capacity building, and institutional mechanism are deemed crucial to its seamless transfer,” he opined. The GoI will undertake a mid-term evaluation of the policy and propose any modifications/ amendments if required. It will be followed by an end of policy period evaluation wherein such an evaluation will be carried out by an independent agency appointed by the Inter-Ministerial Empowered Committee/ Data Centre Facilitation Unit (DCFU).

Impact On Intermediaries Intermediaries are seeking clarity.

For example, in the instance wherein Integrated Goods and Services Tax is known to be paid as the Inter-State supplies of goods and/or services, governed by the IGST Act. Applicable on any supply of goods and/or services in both instances of import and exports Here the CGST and SGST is payable on the services paid by an intermediary. The forum sought clarity on the Authority of Advance Ruling (AAR). For example, in Gujarat, clarity on applicability of CGST and SGS Tin

Establishment of distinct persons Under GST, to qualify as export of services, one of the conditions entails the supplier and recipient of service to not merely be the establishment of a distinct person. “Establishment of distinct persons” can be defined by two explanations to section 8 of the IGST Act. For example, in case there is an Indian company, and the branch office is situated outside India, or there is a branch office of a foreign company in India, these would constitute the establishment of distinct persons.

According to the latest circular 161/17/2021 dated September 21, 2021, a clarification informs that out of the two entities, both of them have been incorporated, one of which is in India, and the other entity has been incorporated under the foreign laws implying the respective entities to constitute as separate persons.

Thus failing to count as an establishment of distinct persons.

The forum also sought clarity on recurring rate changes.

Clarity on slabs/rates On the GST slabs, the recurring changes took centre stage. Pranav Bansal cited the recent changes in rates. For example, solar-powered based devices (solar modules) that command a six per cent SGST and CGST with a 12 per cent IGST are up marginally by one per cent compared to 2017. GST on specified renewable energy devices and parts has increased from five to 12 per cent in a major change. GST on ores and concentrates of metals such as copper, aluminium.

TAX PROPOSALS

Game Changer

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | March 2022

Dec-21

Oct-21

Aug…

Jun-21

Apr-21

Feb-21

Dec-20

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Aug…

Jun-20

Apr-20

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Rs lakh crore

Key Changes New GST Reforms While many challenges are GST reforms have come to the fore again. Ashish Bhatia with inputs to have been overcome Prateek Pardeshi2 highlights Allowingknown taxpayers to file Updatedfrom Return within years the forimplications. correcting errors under the aegis of the GST Hailed as a landmark reform by GoI, Goods and Services Tax (GST) councils, a lot more remains challenges came to the fore once again in Union Budget 2022-23. The FM lauded the GST council for enabling the GoI to overcome an initial set of to be done. As a recent with • Tax relief to per persons challenges and building a fully IT-driven and “progressive” GST regime. notification, for supplies by Like the industry, the FM admitted challenges remain.

Resorting disability Increasing taxthat deduction limit on ecommerce operators, for to overcome them in 2022-23, the FM lauded the buoyant growth in collections and hailed taxpayers for their cooperation. Notably, 16 per cent • Reducing Alternate Minimum Tax example, to a restaurant, the employer’s contribution to NPS of the government revenue is attributed to GST and the net can be widened onus of tax rests with the Rate and Surcharge for of state government in all probability.account Claiming to have struck the right balance between e-commerce operator. The facilitation and enforcement, the FM, credited it for resulting in better Cooperatives. employees operator and the registered compliances person is now expected Buoyant GST collections during 2021-22 report taxable supplies Extendingtoperiod of incorporation notified under section 9(5) (Rs lakh crore) of eligible startups for providing of CGST Act, 2017 and similar Nationwide Second 1.6 tax incentives provisions in the IGST/SGST/ lockdown COVID wave 1.4 UGST act in the following 1.2 manner.from Effective Januaryof 01, • Income transfer 2022, a monthly filer failing 1 virtual assets to be for taxed to file the GSTR-3B the at 0.8 preceding30% month will not be 0.6 allowed to file GSTR-1 for • Better litigation management 0.4 the subsequent month. To 0.2 to avoid repetitive appeals be implemented through the 0 GST portal, the checks for Anythe same will be automated requiring taxpayers to comply Surcharge orRule 59 of the CGST with • crucial Customs administration to be fully IT driven in SEZs rulebook. It is also to Cess on avail the E-Way Bill (EWB) • Phasing out concessional rates in capital goods and Income generation and facility to be blocked project imports gradually and apply a moderate tariff of Profits not otherwise.

On the availability of input tax 7.5% allowable as credit, any availment of input tax • Review of customs exemptions and tariff simplification business credits by the recipient contrary Customs duty rates are being calibrated to provide a expenditure to legal provisions•in GST will be subjected to action bygraded the tax rate structure to facilitate domestic electronics administrations in accordance manufacturing with the law. Efforts have been • to also Rationalisation ofBoth exemptions on implements andgas tools petrol, and natural are yet to possible. enrollment and made in the past improve reach any conclusion.

Recently, e-KYC are now mandatory. the filing experience with for agri sector manufactured in India Pankaj Chaudhary, MoS, Ministry Taxpayers with an aggregate the revamped and enhanced • Among Extensionturnover of customs to steel scrap of Finance, in a reply to the Rajya exceedingduty rupeesexemption five version of GSTR-1/IFF. Sabha, is known have drawn crores are required to file ITC-04 the module wise• functionalities Reduction of duty on certain inputs required fortoshrimp on a half-yearly basis. To account now made live on the GST aquaculture attention to the GST Council not recommending the inclusion of for the merger of banks, only portal span across registration, • payment, Unblended fuelbanks shallareattract additional differential petroleum products and natural 17 agency now made returns, advance ruling, gas under the GST. Explaining available on the excise portal for duty easing refund and more. For example, that the inclusion of petroleum the filing of returns. taxpayers have been mandated products was dependent on the Among underlying demands to authenticate Aadhaar failing GST Council which also includes of the industry, the inclusion of which files revocation application representatives of the state. petroleum products, including in form REG-21 would not be

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Special Reads| Game Changer

Effective Contract Manufacturing Solutions Layam Group emerges as the prime mover in providing best-in-class Contract Manufacturing services. G.S. Ramesh, Founder and Chairman of the Layam Group shares how.

C

ost, Quality and Productivity have emerged as prime movers in the aftermath of globalisation wherein there is a pervasive environment of stiff competition. In the present times for any industrial establishment to succeed, one must follow the unwritten rule of ‘Low-Cost High Productivity’ with a philosophy of ‘Do More with Less’. Most of the industries have become used to managing competitiveness by conducting business with low-cost manpower due to which we saw the arrival of a migratory workforce. In addition, to this, we have experienced the impact of the pandemic in 2020 and the subsequent reverse migration aspect that resulted in a shortage of manpower. The industries are left with no choice but to revisit their style of operations to keep themselves alive in the system. This situation became critical and after revisiting and reengineering themselves, the concept of ‘Contract Manufacturing’ was conceived.

Contract Manufacturing is not an easy business or a comfortable solution to be adopted immediately because the client hands over part of his operations to a third party expecting him to perform more professionally with a concept of ‘Do More with Less’ with a focus on quality and productivity. So, it has to be understood that the foundation for contract manufacturing is professional trust and quality delivery which would result in a win-win situation.

Taking into consideration a holistic approach, Layam Group has developed this model on the same basis and established its credibility by giving

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Commercial Vehicle March 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

results on the desired performance.

We understand the specific needs and recognise the potential hurdles with the process and accordingly devise effective solutions.

The contract manufacturing model is basically an agreement between Layam and the client with an intention to undertake the production activities and facilitate the delivery of products in a seamless manner. Contract manufacturing is growing at a rapid stage, the reason being it gives the opportunity for companies/ Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to concentrate on their strategic growth areas of business while companies like us handle the operational process.

The uniqueness of the contract manufacturing model lies in the fact that it focuses on what the deliverables should be in business terms rather than how they should be delivered. Through contract manufacturing, we focus on reducing cost, scaling productivity and achieving 100 per cent quality for the clients.

What sets us apart is our focus on brain count instead of headcount. We strongly believe that brain count level is diminishing at a faster pace than

@gsrameshlayem

ever before. An issue that cannot be overlooked or ignored. At Layam, we tackle this problem head-on. Since inception, we have supplied manpower with intellect because we know that a person who is talented and capable becomes an asset to our client. To sum it up, all activities undertaken in contract manufacturing is about deploying brain count and achieving the desired target to the satisfaction of the client by adopting our model of hiring, training and deployment.

It’s quite obvious that the need of the hour is the contract manufacturing model as it has established its credibility by enhancing productivity.

Layam Group has initiated this model along with other activities such as ‘Job Contract’, ‘Stores & Logistics Management’ and presently we are extending these services to OEMs like Ashok Leyland, and Tata Marcopolo etc. Hence, all the industries should relook their manufacturing model and strategically initiate our contract manufacturing services to achieve a better bottom line.

The expert views and opinions of the author are his personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ACI/CV magazine.

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Digital Platform Digital Platform Digital Platform

game changer

The Wonder Women The wonder women of the CV industry continue to make their presence felt with exemplary commitment and will to deliver against the odds. Our own, Deepti Thore looks at their growing stature across the board.

@DeeptiT9

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reaking all stereotypes, women today no longer just occupy desk jobs.

They are capable of managing jobs equivalent to their male counterparts, be it a desk or a back office job, manager level job or a heavy-duty labour job. While working in the automotive industry was earlier considered to be ‘no women land’ in India and globally, the statistics is slowly estimated to change.

According to a McKinsey Global Institute report,

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Commercial Vehicle MARCH 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

currently only 25 per cent of India’s labour force is female.”

The same situation exists in the automobile industry as well.

Gender diversity has certainly improved over the years, right from the blue collars to white collars, but the gap remains quite substantial and needs to be filled. Many OEMs, logistics companies, fleet owners, tyre service providers among others from the commercial vehicle segment are looking at changing this picture as it provides much more opportunities to the

organisations. These include the likes of Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, OLA, V-Trans and Schwing Stetter.

Women clearly bring a lot of value on several parameters including a great eye for quality and detail orientation, skilled to work on shop floors, bring discipline to the workplace and take key decisions. Speaking about women empowerment, Charlene Ede, Head of Corporate Communications, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) stated, “Having a diverse workforce

game changer brings in new perspectives that can spark creativity and innovation.” “It also encourages and fosters a culture of confidence that improves discipline, quality, and output among the existing workforce, “ she added further. “Women are naturally better managers, people-oriented and good at multitasking, which puts them at a preferred place for some of the corporate functions,” opined Mahendra Shah, Managing Director & CEO, V-Trans (India Ltd.) Adopting Diversity Addressing the need for a diverse workforce, Amanpreet Singh, President – HR, Ashok Leyland commented, “Manufacturing has traditionally been a male-dominated industry—less than onethird of the employees at manufacturing units are women. However, the industry needs to change and the future depends on a diverse workforce.” He opined that

“In my 30 odd years of experience, I have learnt that the key to success is doing what you enjoy the most. Be ambitious for yourselfthe sky is the limit - and never be afraid of hard work. Talk about the work you are doing, take ownership and initiative to out forward your ideas. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to communicate!,” Neeru Ahuja, Chairperson, CII Core Group on BEPS Partner, Deloitte. to compete in a dynamic environment like what it is today, we need a much broader and larger pool of thought, for which gender diversity is very important. The industry needs to acknowledge the change and create an atmosphere to nurture diversity. It will not only help create opportunities but

will also bring forth the key skill sets and perspectives that women bring to the workplace.

Acknowledging the efforts put in by women taking the tough roles and driving them successfully at V-Trans, Jitesh said, “Operations, traffic department, or managing branch operation, are the roles that are perceived to be tough and to be handled by men in the transport industry.

We have skilled and talented women successfully handling these roles.” “We at Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) firmly believe in the power of Diversity and its importance to the long-term success of an organisation,” stated Charlene while highlighting the importance of adopting diversity. “At DICV,

we’re promoting inclusivity by welcoming women to our factory with a supportive, professional working environment, ” emphasised Satyakam Arya, Managing Director and CEO, DICV. Embracing diversity and inclusion at all levels as a strategy to succeed, Tata Motors has employed women across the organisational hierarchy, from the company board to the grass roots level.

“Tata Motors is honoured to have the best women workforce who have been excelling themselves daily at every stage, right from design, engineering, quality checks to paint-shops and more,” mentioned a spokesperson from Tata Motors. With the world transnational towards

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | MARCH 2022

53

game changer

digitalisation, electric, connected and autonomous future, the commercial vehicle industry is looking at recruiting and encouraging talented women which have a lot to offer in the field. While the change is slowly seeping in the industry, it was quite challenging to penetrate the male dominance in the field of core production, primary functions and the ability of nurturing, building and leading strong teams. Companies have launched many initiatives to support this change.

Initiatives to promote women Addressing the issue of women representation in the manufacturing sector, DICV launched the ‘DiveIN’ (Diversity & Inclusive) initiative in 2021. One of the most important goals of the DiveIN initiative is to create a gender-balanced staff base by increasing the ratio of female factory employees (blue collars) to 20 percent

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Commercial Vehicle MARCH 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

by 2022. The DiveIN initiative aims to ‘Inspire complete diversity both in terms of roles and engagement, thereby enhancing organisational culture’. It has already hired 46 women for core shop floor operations in the first stage of ‘DiveIn’ initiative. It involves key function areas on the shop floor including Engine & Transmission, Cab Trim, Quality Management, Cabin-in-White and Paint Shop. Suitable infrastructure and services like POSH (Prevention Of Sexual Harassment) committee have been put in place to support the women work force at DICV. To ensure fair representation of gender at all levels and not just to fill the quota, Ashok Leyland has been recruiting a talented women workforce.

“Our women employees take up various roles including the shop floor and we train them accordingly, further to these initiatives such as the Women Leadership Program which helps in developing

them to take on leadership roles in the future,” explained Singh. He added, “We try to provide multiple opportunities for women to pursue their passion while building a career of choice. It encourages us to see that we have been able to get around 30-40 per cent of women for our Graduate Engineer Trainee (GET) Program.” With the ongoing technological evolution driving Industry 4.0, it is expected that women representation in manufacturing companies will continue to grow. “For us, it is about ensuring that our organisation is a place that is women-friendly and caring to all who wish to pursue their career here,” Singh remarked.

As a part of the women empowerment initiative, Schwing Stetter India has employed women on its shopfloor at its recently established global manufacturing factory at Cheyyar in Tamil Nadu. Women currently occupy almost

game changer 25 per cent of its shopfloor staff. Commenting on the employment of women as workforce on the shop floor, Sakthikumar said, “Sometimes I feel the women are better than their counterparts and there are some who got qualified within a few months to do complex welding as well, which otherwise takes a lot of time for a normal person to get qualified.” “Overall shopfloor morale is also very high because of them,” he added.

The company has also been engaged in training students coming from a background where they cannot afford an engineering degree for themselves. Schwing Stetter is helping them pursue their higher education.

Bringing gender diversity to the forefront, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.(M&M) launched the Women Leaders Programme to hire women at leadership levels. Be it a shopfloor for Auto & Farm segment or fork-lift operation at Mahindra Logistics, women are at the top of their game.

As a part of its ‘pink collar’ initiative, M&M promoted the

employment of women in core productive roles across segments and automotive shop floors. It inaugurated an all women run automobile service workshop in Jaipur.

The ride-hailing service provider, OLA, on the other hand, is looking at employing around 10,000 women at full capacity for its future factory in Tamilnadu to manufacture e-scooters.

To support women empowerment, Tata Motors created a brigade of ‘Women in Blue’ by enrolling, educating and skilling girls from economically deprived areas. The initiative enabled them to play their part in

building world-class vehicles.

The initiative began with the induction of five girls in the assembly line on the shop floor at the Pune plant and further expanded to more than four percent of women occupying the total shop floor workforce. These women now work on different lines and functions on various products, ranging from small passenger cars to large commercial vehicles. ETO motors has also launched ‘Own your ETO’ scheme to support women drivers in Hyderabad.

Under this scheme, women with a licence can drive the ETO Motors’ electric threewheelers from metro stations to passengers’ destinations.

ETO has also deployed around 50 pink e-rickshaws at Kevadia in Gujarat which are being operated by women drivers. Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE) also has women in its R&D, supply chain, parts, service and marketing teams besides other departments. Through JRehab near Alampatti, Madurai, it is employing orthopedically challenged women to make wiring harnesses, fender harnesses, battery cables, trailer sockets and toolkit bags for TAFE’s tractors.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | MARCH 2022

55

game changer Clockwise: Mahua Acharya, Managing Director and Chief Executive Office, Convergence Energy Services Limited of Government of India, Manjari Mungekar, incharge of Branch Operations at V-Trans corporate office, Rashmi Urdhwareshe, a former director of the Automotive Research Association India (ARAI), Suman Mishra, CEO of Mahindra Electric, Manisha Bavkar, the Regional Operations Manager at V-Trans, Charlene Ede, Head of Corporate Communications, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), Bharati Khot, Operations, V-Trans and Arpita Sawant, Cluster Manager at V-Trans Centre: Anu Praveen Somani, Director, Inland World Logistics.

56

Achievements At V-Trans, women have been heading the operations seamlessly.

Manisha Bavkar, the Regional Operations Manager at V-Trans, manages the operations for the region and coordinates with fleet owners, fleet brokers for vehicle placements, and even supports tasks such as route and load optimisation. Similarly, Arpita Sawant, Cluster Manager at V-Trans deals with all clients, handling their objections, complaints, and criticality at all levels. While also handling the pressure situation when the manufacturing is on hold due to delayed cargo, she also handles the team of labourers and vehicle placement staff. Likewise for

Commercial Vehicle MARCH 2022 | www.commercialvehicle.in

supporting the vast operations of the V-Trans at the Pan India level, Bharati Khot coordinates for all operations work, and Manjari Mungekar, who is in charge of Branch Operations work at our corporate office.

Mahua Acharya, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Convergence Energy Services Limited of Government of India, is fiercely driving green transportation in India. Rashmi Urdhwareshe, a former director of the Automotive Research Association India (ARAI) has also proved her mettle and has been working as President SAEINDIA apart from several advisory roles.

Suman Mishra, the new CEO of Mahindra Electric has already

been acknowledged for playing a key role for Mahindra Group in shaping and implementing strategies across the automotive, agricultural, hospitality, real estate, and electric vehicles businesses. Last year, Inland World Logistics Director, Anu Praveen Somani bagged the award of Best Business Woman of the Year - Logistics 2021. Inclusion of women workforce has not only contributed significantly to improving the culture at the shop floor and top management but it has also helped the companies to add sustained value to their operations. Additionally, India is also witnessing a wave of femaleled startups including at Rivigo, Cellerite Systems and Nexus Power. Adopting gender diversity to support the wonder women will only do more good to the CV sector in times to come.

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