JSW GreenTech bags first order for 100 electric trucks to haul cement material at Vijayanagar

JSW GreenTech Limited, the electric commercial vehicle arm of the JSW Group, has announced the first commercial sale of its AMPSTAR electric trucks. The company has received an order for 100 AMPSTAR 4x2 55-tonne tractor trucks for JSW Cement's plant at Vijayanagar. The trucks will be used to move heavy cargo in the industrial sector.

JSW Eco-Mobility will provide battery-as-a-service (BaaS) for the project, while Paradeep Parivahan Limited will be the transport partner. JSW Eco-Mobility is a subsidiary of JSW GreenTech.

The AMPSTAR 4x2 and 6x4 tractor trucks have been certified under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The trucks therefore meet the safety, performance and regulatory norms required for use on Indian roads. The order came a little over a month after the brand was launched, which means the AMPSTAR trucks have moved from the launch stage to actual use.

The AMPSTAR 4x2 55-tonne tractor truck has been built to work in India's demanding commercial conditions. It has a peak power of 430 kW and a peak torque of 2,600 Newton-metres. The 100 trucks will be part of an integrated transport system at JSW Cement Limited. Clinker and slag will be moved over a route of about 330 km from Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh to Vijayanagar in Karnataka. About 1.25 lakh tonnes of cargo a month is expected to move on this route.

JSW Eco-Mobility will supply batteries for the trucks and create a dedicated transport corridor between Vijayanagar and Nandyal. There will be four battery-swapping stations on the route. Over the full term of the contract, the arrangement is estimated to save about 4.5 crore litres of diesel and cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 6,250 tonnes.

Sumit Mittal, chief executive officer of JSW GreenTech Limited, said the 55-tonne electric tractor truck was first presented at the unveiling of the AMPSTAR brand. He said it is one of the most challenging vehicles in commercial transport. The company has reached an important milestone a little over a month after launching the brand, he said. The first 100 trucks are now going into use for JSW Cement's industrial freight, Mittal said, adding that an integrated electric transport system with a dedicated electric corridor and battery-swapping stations is being built, which will allow smooth movement of cargo. The company aims to make electric transport of heavy cargo commercially viable and to change the way freight moves across India through AMPSTAR, he said.

Narinder Kahlon, finance director of JSW Cement, said the company is working to make its industrial operations greener and more efficient. He said the start of operations with 100 electric trucks is an important step in that direction. It will help reduce carbon emissions in freight and keep goods moving in the supply chain, he said. The arrangement will help reduce dependence on diesel, cut emissions and meet sustainable development goals, Kahlon said, adding that care is also being taken to ensure there is no impact on operational efficiency.

AMPSTAR vehicles will be made at JSW GreenTech's new integrated manufacturing plant. The plant is coming up on about 90 acres at Auric in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, and will have the capacity to build 15,000 electric buses and trucks a year. It will have an automated production line for truck cabins and an integrated system for batteries. JSW GreenTech's research and development centre in Pune will also give the plant technical support.

AMPSTAR vehicles will be available with power options from 150 kW to 500 kW. Customers can buy a vehicle outright or take it on lease. A battery-as-a-service (BaaS) option will also be offered, along with other ownership and usage options. The company will provide the facilities needed for charging, financial support and after-sales service. After tractor trucks, the company plans to add tippers and fixed-body dumpers to the range.