India’s commercial vehicle sector is at the cusp of transformation as long-haul trucks have started switching to automated manual transmission (AMT) technology, according to Satyakam Arya, MD & CEO of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV).
“When we introduced AMT in Indian mining trucks, there was a lot of apprehension about whether it is affordable technology for India but over the years it has now become a standard,” Arya said addressing press persons.
AMT, a feature long discussed in the CV space, had seen limited adoption in India due to cost concerns. “Never in the past have we seen AMT adoption cross 60% in any segment, but we’ve achieved that.”
“We believe that in a few months, we could reach similar penetration in the long-haul segment — something that could transform the commercial vehicle sector once again.” Currently, AMT accounts for 65% of DICV’s mining truck sales.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany’s Daimler Truck AG, DICV manufactures and sells 10- 55 ton trucks and buses in India under the BharatBenz brand.
On Wednesday, the company launched a new range of heavy-duty vehicles under the BharatBenz HX and BharatBenz TorqShift series, aimed at the country’s mining and construction equipment sector, which is projected to grow from $16 billion currently to $45 billion by 2030. The mining truck market, covering shallow (up to 80 metres) and mid-depth (up to 200 metres) operations, is estimated at around 5,000 units annually.
Arya said India’s construction and mining sector continues to be one of our strongest business pillars as many fleets are 8-10 years old and reaching end-of-life, creating a major replacement cycle.
DICV’s 28 tonne budget variant of the new launch is priced at ₹56 lakh (HX) while the 35 tonne vehicle is priced at ₹65 lakh (Torqshift). The TorqShift range features a Mercedes-Benz AMT system, which reduces driver effort by 40%.
In FY25, DICV sold 20,795 units, capturing a 2% share of overall commercial vehicle sales, according to FADA data.
Pradeep Kumar Thimmaiyan, President & Chief Technology Officer at DICV, said the company is working on alternative fuel-powered trucks for the Indian market, including electric and hydrogen-powered models. “As a group, we have prioritised electric and hydrogen,” he said, adding that hydrogen trucks are currently at the research stage, while electric trucks are under development. “We are also looking at LNG as an option. We cannot comment right now on when these products will be launched, but they are all in different stages of development,” he added.
