Billion Electric has made a significant move by placing an order for 180 electric vehicles with Ashok Leyland. The order, valued at ₹150 crore, includes the BOSS Electric Truck and the AVTR 55T Electric Tractor. The delivery of these vehicles is expected to begin by the fourth quarter of FY25.
Ashok Leyland is also advancing in the development of hydrogen-powered trucks, with a commercial launch expected within the next 18 to 24 months. The company’s Managing Director and CEO, Shenu Agarwal, mentioned that these hydrogen trucks are currently undergoing trials. The company is continuously refining the technology through research and development to make these trucks viable for commercial use.
N Saravanan, the Chief Technology Officer of Ashok Leyland, shared that these hydrogen-powered trucks will feature gas-based engines similar to those found in CNG or LNG vehicles. The company is collaborating with a major petrochemical manufacturer and is in the process of testing and development.
In addition to this, Ashok Leyland plans to establish a dedicated assembly line for electric trucks and alternative fuel vehicles at its Hosur factory in Tamil Nadu. The assembly line, expected to be operational by the end of this fiscal year, will have the capacity to produce 5,000 vehicles per year.
A new plant in Lucknow is also in the works, which will be operational by the third quarter of the next fiscal year. Initially, this facility will focus on manufacturing electric buses but will have the flexibility to produce vehicles powered by both traditional and alternative fuels.
