Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) signalled its readiness for the BS-VI era with a massive showcase of its all-new upgraded BS-VI range of BharatBenz trucks. The company seems bullish and is eagerly awaiting the transition, reports N. Balasubramanian
Similar to how it threw down the gauntlet to competition during its market launch back in 2012, DICV made a strong statement of intent by showcasing its full range of BS-VI medium and heavy-duty trucks, 13 of them in total, at a massive exclusive ‘Bharat6 premiere’ event at the CIDCO exhibition centre in Navi Mumbai. On display in addition to the trucks were a BharatBenz bus, two chassis, a BS-VI powertrain, and information and exhibits on ‘Proserv’ and the company’s telematics solutions ‘Truckonnect’ and ‘Bus Connect’ which are now being offered for customers in India.
The new BS-VI product portfolio was first showcased to the media, followed by exclusive sessions for BharatBenz dealers, customers and financiers across three days. The vehicles are available for pre-bookings and will be introduced depending on the fuel availability in each region. According to DICV, customer response for the new vehicles has been fantastic with some of them already placing orders.
Addressing the media during the premiere, Satyakam Arya, MD & CEO, DICV, said: “BharatBenz came to India to transform the CV industry and challenge the status quo. We have been doing it with great success and will continue to do so. The need of the hour is solutions that are smarter both for the environment and for our customers’ business. Today, we present ‘the future’, designed and developed keeping in mind elements beyond trucks and buses, beyond just meeting an emission standard and beyond just offering features and solutions. We are proud to offer ‘Profit Technology+’ which will set new benchmarks for medium and heavy-duty trucks with improved fuel efficiency, safety and connectivity.”
‘ProfitTechnology+’ is a package of technologies and features ensuring industry-leading fuel efficiency, safety, comfort and reliability. With the new generation of BharatBenz trucks, DICV is moving away from the traditional tonnage classification and instead focus on creating ‘the best truck for every need’, customizing vehicles for use applications and targeting specific sectors such as e-commerce.
Seamless transition
BharatBenz has been rooting for the SCR solution ever since the Indian CV industry moved to BS-IV. The company, a global leader in vehicles with SCR aftertreatment systems, reiterated the superiority of SCR and assured its customers of offering the best technology while transitioning to BS-VI.
Elaborating on the same, Pradeep. T, Head – Product Engineering, DICV, said: “In our BS-VI vehicles, the engine continues to do its job, similar to BS-IV, but with enhanced efficiency thanks to some industry-first features which will help further improve the fuel efficiency. Behind it comes the aftertreatment side with our globally-proven SCR technology to meet the BS-VI emission norms, the most efficienct BS-VI solution in the market. We are ready to bust the myth that during every emission norm upgrade, there is a drop in fuel efficiency. Our BS-VI trucks, particularly in some long-haul applications, will offer a fuel mileage increase to the tune of 10 per cent compared to our BS-IV trucks.”
Upgraded and feature-loaded
BharatBenz’ BS-VI trucks and buses will be powered by the OM926 and 4D34i engines respectively. The engines come with a Pressure Reduced (PR) air compressor and an improved turbocharger to enhance the performance and improve fuel efficiency. Braking efficiency has been enhanced for better safety while the transmission has been fine-tuned for better overall performance and mileage. All of the above contribute towards the company’s claim of delivering up to 10 per cent better fuel efficiency than its BS-VI trucks.
Feature-wise too, the new BharatBenz range comes fully-loaded. The exteriors get a bold and solid styling and are equipped with a rooftop-mounted sun visor and a distinctive front grille with a bumper spoiler. The cabins are more comfortable, thanks to air suspended seats, and are visually more appealing with new dual tone color interiors. The vehicle is equipped with soft cruise control that helps drivers maintain a constant speed and thereby improve fuel efficiency. The instrument cluster has an interesting new addition – a Gear-Shift Advisory (GSA) that offers expert assistance and awareness for driving in the right gear. Another important offering is the Driver State Monitoring (DSM) system which gives alerts if the driver is distracted or not fully ready to handle the wheels. The system is being offered as a standard fitment in tippers and as an option in other models.
New telematics solutions
Key among the technologies showcased at the event was Proserv, DICV’s customer service digital platform, and the new telematics solutions ‘Truckonnect’ and ‘Bus Connect’. Fleet management is one of the hottest topics in the logistics industry at present and Daimler seems to have picked the right time to introduce its proven solutions in the market. Its new connectivity-enhancing services allow operators to track and analyse their vehicles in real time, benefits of which include improved fleet and fuel management, reduced running costs, increased utilization of assets and improved driver performance.
Ready for the change
In addition to completing over 5.2 million kilometers of BS-VI testing in India, DICV is also gearing up its aftersales network with learnings from other markets. These competencies have been incorporated into training modules at its dealerships, which now spread across India with 237 customer touchpoints nationwide with more than 1,300 service bays.
On the service side, BharatBenz trucks come with up to 6 years standard warranty and industry-best extended warranty of up to 8 years. The trucks will have service intervals up to 20 per cent longer, with maintenance costs going down by up to six per cent.