Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) will start exporting trucks by 2013. Daimler, which prepares to launch trucks in India by September-October this year under the 'Bharat Benz' brand, also plans to export these trucks to Saarc countries and markets such as Africa, West Asia and South East Asia.
"We are prepared to export. We will start in 2013. A significant share will go into exports," said Marc Llistosella, chief executive officer and managing director, DICV at an event to showcase its truck models on Friday.
Daimler has invested Rs 4,400 crore in Chennai plant, which has an annual capacity of 36,000 units, which is expandable up to 72,000. The trial production has already started and the plant will be officially commissioned in April.
DICV will launch three models and will launch 17 trucks in the range of 6 tonne to 49 tonne over 20 months.
Bharat Benz trucks, which have 85% local content, claims around 10% more fuel efficiency than its Indian competitors while priced slightly higher than the others.
The light duty Bharat Benz trucks are based on Fuso Canter platform and heavy trucks are based on Mercedes Benz Axor platform.
{{/usCountry}}The light duty Bharat Benz trucks are based on Fuso Canter platform and heavy trucks are based on Mercedes Benz Axor platform.
{{/usCountry}}"But we have taken every part, re-developed and re-designed it for Indian conditions like overloading, rugged terrain and poor roads," said Aydogan Cakmaz, vice-president, product engineering.