Meritor HVS (India) Ltd. (MHVSIL) recently invited the fleet owners and other stakeholders from the trucking industry in and around Namakkal for the company’s first-ever road show in India to showcase its two-speed axle. The two-speed axle is also India’s first-ever green axle as it contributes towards a greener India with frugal diesel consumption and reduces pollution.
The other Meritor products, including trailer axles, aftermarket parts and drive axles, were also on display at the event.
Representatives of various associations, including the Lorry Owners Association, LPG & Tanker Owners Association and the Trailer Owners Association, attended the two-day event and discussed the advantages of the two-speed axle. The meet witnessed a turnout of over 1,100 people consisting of association members, fleet owners and mechanics.
Meritor was able to get valuable feedback from the event and is keen on incorporating it into its business plan. The company has consistently been introducing many new products for the Indian market. With road conditions being improved, vehicle power on the rise and new technologies being offered by manufacturers, the company is keen on providing unique solutions to customers in the powertrain segment.
In axle manufacturing, Meritor is globally-renowned and is a preferred choice, especially for higher-powered trucks. Meritor has impressive market share figures across the globe, thanks to its material quality, heat treatment speciality and over 100 years of research which only continues to get better with time, said Mr. Raghunathan, VP and Executive Director, MHVSIL.
Meritor Automotive Axles is the first to successfully develop the two-speed axle which has been tested by leading vehicle manufacturers, including Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, MNAL and Eicher who are very happy with its performance. The axle has been completely localised to suit the Indian market and is made at the company plant in Mysore.
With the hub and spoke model being the order of the day, most vehicles are loaded in one direction and are unloaded during return. This calls for different engine power in both directions. Also, diesel consumption and the travel time are different for both directions.
The two-speed axle provides a deeper ratio in demanding road conditions and when the vehicle is loaded. In good road condition and when the vehicle is lighter in weight, the speed ratio facilitates a faster drive. The gear ratio could be changed with the vehicle in motion, eliminating the need for frequent stops.
There is an extra initial investment which goes into the purchase of a vehicle fitted with the two-speed axle, but the various advantages of the axle are certain to compensate for the additional investment within six to eight months. Retro-fit of the axle is also possible.
In South America, 98 per cent of the vehicles are fitted with the two-speed axle, that too in multi-axle configuration. The axle is preferred for 6×2 trucks, 8×2 trucks, 4×2 tractor and other tanker applications in the continent where it is performing well since 15 years. A major advantage of the green axle is improved fuel economy as it is capable of delivering 6 to 12 per cent better fuel efficiency. It also offers traction on demand using the deeper ratio mode while moving uphill.
The other advantages of the axle are better gradeability and 20 per cent faster turn-out time resulting in more possible trips for operators.
The localised axle has been under testing for two years and has run 1,50,000 km without any reported problem. The Meritor aftermarket network is growing strong with an increasing dealer count throughout India. All parts of the axle are made locally and there is ready availability of spares across the country. Meritor has a central warehouse in Pune with a 45-day inventory to offer pan-India service to its customers.
Meritor has also taken efforts to obtain feedback in the form of an official certificate from major fleet operators including VRL Logistics, Friendly Logistics and Ravindra Transport who have highlighted the benefits of using the two-speed axle. The key impact factor inferred from the operators’ feedback is the minimum seven per cent reduction in cost owing to the use of the green axle.
The company is working dedicatedly to provide elaborate training for drivers which is an important aspect considering the new technology involved in the use of the two-speed axle. An interesting and well-thought of concept is the driver training video which has been prepared in seven different regional languages. The video presents a tutorial about the technical aspects of the two-speed axle and guides the drivers with the procedure of changing the gear-ratio while on the run. A toll-free number would soon be available to provide on-spot assistance for customers.
The Meritor fleet meet in Namakkal was a massive success considering the response it received. The entire two-speed axle project team was enthusiastic about the company’s first ever such event in the country and worked with a spring in their stride. It is encouraging to see such initiatives by a leading global company which are sure to improve awareness among fleet owners, mechanics and drivers about the technological growth in the industry. Such dedicated programmes would be instrumental in raising the benchmark in the commercial vehicle fraternity in the country and bridging the technological gap between the Indian market and other developed markets globally.