Montra Electric, the electric commercial vehicle arm of the diversified Murugappa Group, is gearing up to strengthen its presence in India’s fast-growing small commercial vehicle (SCV) segment with the launch of a new sub-3.5-tonne electric truck next year. The company is also actively evaluating an entry into the 3.5–7.5-tonne light commercial vehicle (LCV) category, potentially as early as 2026.Speaking to Autocar Professional, Saju Nair, CEO – SCV Division, Montra Electric, revealed the roadmap: “On this platform [Eviator], we will have around 10 variants across different battery configurations and application configurations. In addition to that, we will very soon be entering the slightly lower tonnage segment with another product, within the same 2–3.5-tonne category. After that, maybe we will have a higher-tonnage product also. These are the immediate plans.”
The upcoming model will slot below the recently launched 3.5-tonne Montra Eviator, targeting the high-volume sub-2-tonne to 3-tonne space that has seen explosive growth driven by e-commerce and last-mile logistics.
Why the sub-3.5-tonne segment is the electrification sweet spot
India’s goods carrier market (excluding three-wheelers) closed FY25 at 956,671 units. Of this, SCVs in the 2–3.5-tonne (N1) category contributed 310,696 units — nearly one-third of the total — while sub-2-tonne vehicles added another 155,927 units. The broader sub-3.5-tonne mini-truck and pickup segment has ballooned from ~360,000 units in FY14 to close to half a million units today.Industry experts consider this segment ideal for rapid electrification because of:
- Predictable daily routes (typically under 150 km)
- High asset utilisation in urban and semi-urban last-mile operations
- Lower total cost of ownership (TCO) versus diesel counterparts within 2–3 years
Despite these advantages, EV penetration in SCVs remains nascent at around 1 per cent today. Nair, however, is bullish: “With multiple new products coming in, we expect penetration to touch 5 per cent next year and potentially 20 per cent by the end of the decade.”
LCV plans under evaluation
Montra is also conducting detailed market studies for the 3.5–7.5-tonne LCV segment, which recorded 61,422 units in FY25. “We are right now studying that market and seeing what the sort of electrification potential is there and if the volumes make sense, then we will go into it next year,” Nair said.
Network and volume ramp-up
Montra Electric currently retails its SCVs through 20 touchpoints and plans to expand to 25 by March 2026. The focus this financial year is on seeding vehicles with large fleet customers across diverse use cases, before shifting gears to volume scaling from FY27 onwards.Customer concerns around driver comfort, load-body design and energy efficiency in electric trucks are areas Montra believes it can differentiate strongly.
Backed by dedicated manufacturing muscle
The SCV and LCV business is supported by a dedicated 5-lakh-sq-ft plant at Ponneri, Tamil Nadu, with an annual capacity of 50,000 vehicles. The company’s medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) operations fall under IPLTech Electric, which recently launched the Rhino 5538 EV 4×2 tractor-trailer from its Manesar, Haryana facility.
Ambitious $1 billion target by 2030
Montra Electric’s broader vision is to build a comprehensive electric CV portfolio that spans heavy trucks, mid- and small-commercial vehicles, last-mile three-wheelers and even electric tractors. The company has set an aggressive revenue target of $1 billion by 2030, with more than half expected to come from the M&HCV segment.Tailwinds such as government incentives, evolving charging infrastructure and corporate ESG mandates are expected to accelerate fleet electrification, giving Montra a strong runway for growth in the coming years.
With new products, expanding dealerships and a clear focus on total cost of ownership, Montra Electric is positioning itself as a serious contender in India’s transitioning commercial vehicle landscape.
