Daimler India to enter battery electric segment with new gen eCanter

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles on Wednesday said it plans to foray into the domestic battery electric segment with the launch of the all-electric next-generation light duty truck eCanter in the next 6-12 months.

The all-new next-generation eCanter had its world premiere in Japan and Europe in the second half of 2022.

"The launch of the all-electric eCanter in India, within the next 6 to 12 months, is the first step in our long-term strategy to decarbonise our entire product portfolio," Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) MD and CEO Satyakam Arya said in a statement.

However, the reality is that diesel ICE and carbon dioxide neutral propulsion technologies will continue to co-exist in the Indian market for the foreseeable future, he added.

"A long-term plan like ours hinges on many complex external factors, some of which are, the availability of a charging and refuelling infrastructure, the availability of green energy, cost parity and wide-scale customer acceptance," Arya said.

Therefore, the company's initial focus with the eCanter is to achieve product and service excellence, along with customer acceptance, he noted.

"Over the next two decades we will have a firm footing with decarbonised transportation solutions and will be making progress towards becoming a leader in sustainable transportation in India," Arya said.

On how a conducive policy framework is crucial to ensuring economic viability for customers, he stated that adoption of carbon neutral vehicles is possible if there is wide consumer acceptance about changes in the equations of total cost of ownership.

DICV is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany's Daimler Truck AG.