Pro 1000 and 3000 series launched in Karnataka and Kerala
VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), the joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher motors, launched the Eicher Pro 1000 and Eicher Pro 3000 series of light and medium duty (LMD) trucks in the southern states of Karnataka and Kerala during July. The new trucks are designed to meet the needs of the emerging mid-premium market segment, which demands vehicles of higher power and durability, greater comfort and value-added enhanced features at economical cost. In addition, the vehicles will continue to address the mass-market segment, which demands trucks with value features at low costs of ownership.
The next generation of Eicher trucks and buses aims to continuously improve transportation efficiency in India and the developing markets via relevant modernization, thereby reducing logistics costs for goods and people leading to economic growth and productivity.
Addressing the press during the launch at Bangalore, Mr. Shyam Maller, Senior VP, Sales and Marketing, VECV, said: “We have completed six years of partnership with Volvo which started in July 2008. This is one of the most successful joint ventures the Indian automotive industry has ever seen. Volvo brings in its technology and processes and what Eicher brings in to the JV is frugal engineering and the knowledge of the in-market.”
The ‘Pro’ brand is all about profitability, productivity and prosperity ultimately to the customer. The Eicher Pro range, representing the future of Indian trucking, has been developed and manufactured as a result of the synergistic working between the Volvo Group and Eicher. With the launch, the Eicher brand enters a new phase of growth and consolidation in the commercial vehicle market. The Pro series range of trucks will meet the exacting needs of most market segments across haulage, distribution, construction, industrial loads, courier and perishables.
The Eicher Pro 1000 Series is a new and enhanced range of light and medium duty trucks in the 5-14T segment, specially designed for the value segment with best in class rated payload. They have a trusted and proven E-483 engine with low maintenance and best in class fuel efficiency. The 2 m wide aerodynamic cabin with new modern styling and value added features delivers better driving comfort and convenience to its users.
The Eicher Pro 3000 Series is a completely new generation range of medium duty trucks (10-15T). It is specially designed for emerging premium segment that requires high power and torque combination as well as a greater degree of refinement and sophistication. It has a 4-cylinder 4 Valve E-494 CRS technology engine with Volvo Group Engine Management System (EMS) 3.0, which has high processing capability, optimum balance between load demands, fuel efficiency and emissions control with added advantage of quick and guided diagnostics leading to high performance, higher uptime and lower maintenance. The Eicher Pro 3000 vehicles come with 2.1 m wide new generation cab with a sleeper option and also a rest kit in the cabin. Meeting ECR 27 safety test norms, it has a host of features for driver comfort including 6 way adjustable seat and a first time introduction of cruise control.
Strong in South India
VECV has strong presence in all the four southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Buoyed by its new offerings for customers and also owing to the recovery in segments like mining, it is confident of expanding its market share in the region in the coming years. “Karnataka contributed to nearly seven per cent of VECV sales in 2013. In the LMD vehicle market in Karnataka, we have a 39 per cent market share and a 22 per cent share in the bus segment. Going forward, we see good growth in the region following the recovery of the mining industry. In Goa too, the government has lifted the ban on mining and this is expected to further boost our business in the heavy-duty truck segment”, explained Mr. Maller.
Eicher has a dominant presence in the state of Kerala in which it is planning to launch specific products. The company is a market leader in the laterite tipper segment with its high-selling 10.80 XP tipper model. This model, along with Eicher 10.95 XP, commands leadership position in the 8 to 9 tonne segment in the state. Also to be introduced soon is the Eicher Pro 1095 XP in 21 feet to cater to the PVC pipe and water tank segments in Kerala. Another model, the Eicher Pro 11.10 XP – (13t GVW) which was also launched at the same time, offers best-in-class fuel efficiency, faster turnaround with strong aggregates that ensure higher reliability and uptime. The company has a strong dealer network presence across the state with four 3S dealers and 21 workshops to service customer requirements. Close to seven per cent of VECV’s all-India sales volumes comes from the Kerala market in which the company has a CV market share of around 17 per cent.
Growing numbers
As part of its market launch roadmap, VECV will bring the Pro 6000 and Pro 8000 series to the market once the 1000 and 3000 series launches are completed across the country. In fact, the Pro 6000 series has already been launched in select markets like Ahmedabad and Faridabad with the rest of the country to follow in the coming months. 
The Pro 8000 series range of top-end trucks and tractor-trailers will follow subsequently along with the Eicher Skyline Pro range of buses, which are already available in select markets such as Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The company has traditionally been one of the strongest players in the LMD space and continues to increase its share in the segment. Sharing details on VECV’s sales figures Mr. Maller said: “In the LMD segment we have improved our market share by two per cent this year compared to last year. In terms of numbers, the industry volume was about 31,200 LMD units of which we sold close to 10,000 units in the first six months this year (Jan to June). During the same period last year we had sold nearly 13,300 trucks when the total industry sale was around 45,000 units.”
With the country’s economy picking up and the automotive industry, the CV segment in particular, showing signs of recovery, VECV hopes to cross a sales mark of 40,000 units in the domestic market this year, bettering its 2013 count of around 37,000 units of which HCVs accounted for 6,000 units and LMVs another 23,000, in addition to 8,000 buses. The export market accepted close to 3,300 VECV vehicles in 2013 with the company continuing to perform extremely well in overseas market during the current year as well. “In exports, in the first six months this year, we have grown more than 200 per cent. We sold 3,100 trucks during the period compared to around 1,000 units in the same period in 2013. We work closely with Volvo to leverage on their extensive global network and cater to markets such as Africa and Middle-East” he concluded.