Tata developing double-trailer truck for overseas sales

Tata Motors is developing a double-trailer truck in its Prima range of world trucks for the overseas market, which is expected to be ready for sale by end of next financial year, said a senior company executive.

"We are developing a double-trailer truck under the Prima platform for the overseas market. The truck is expected to be ready for sale by the end of next fiscal," the executive said here on condition of anonymity.

When asked why the trucks are being developed only for the international market, he said, "We understand that there is no good demand for this kind of truck in the domestic market, but we feel its demand will be good in overseas markets."

He, however, did not quantify the production capacity developed by the company at present.

Tata Motors introduced its Prima range of world trucks in May last year. The company is now manufacturing engines for its medium-and-heavy commercial vehicles (trucks and buses) at its Jamshedpur facility.

The company has an equal joint venture with US-based Cummins to manufacture engines for commercial vehicles at its Jamshedpur plant. The home-grown auto giant is also developing a set of fuel-efficient engines for light commercial vehicles (trucks), which would help increase its sales in the international market.

"We are developing a set of fuel-efficient engines (three-litre and five litre) for light trucks," the Tata Motors official said last week, adding "the new engines are likely to be used on a new vehicle platform for light trucks."

He, however, did not give a time-frame by when the company expects to come up with these new engines.

"We have also told Cummins to revamp engines for the medium and heavy trucks," the executive said.

Tata Motors' global sales increased by six per cent in November to 79,959 units and its commercial vehicles sales were up by 21 per cent at 40,244 units as compared to the same month last year.