India’s high-end, popular haulage trucks
Modified On Aug 05, 2021 05:22 PM
The long-haul, heavy-duty multi-axle trucks that move the Indian economy, shipping high volume cargo across the country’s length and breadth. Fleet-operators banks on the 10, 12 and 14 tyre trucks that are most suitable to transport heavy cargo. Truck makers now offer some of the advanced, features rich trucks designed and developed for Indian road conditions. Are you looking to expand your fleet? We bring you a comprehensive list of the top haulage trucks you can buy right now.
In India, surface transportation dominates the overall movement of mass cargo/logistics across India as the water and railways are catching up with the road transport sector. Mass portions of cargo- raw material and finished goods move through roads. Trucks are the primary mode of shipping such heavy cargo across regional, national hubs and also industrial belts.
To undertake this challenging job, large fleet operators always deploy colossal, multiple axle trucks that carry tons of cargo most efficiently on interstate routes. After the new axle load norms came into effect, the Indian heavy truck market has shifted radically, as trucks now have far more loading capacities in over three decades. This is a welcome step given the rapidly evolving and world-class road infrastructure that has pushed up the average daily truck speeds significantly.
Today, the transport sector has several key haulage truck categories catering for the high volume cargo shipment needs. The major haulage trucks that are popular among large fleet operators are the 28T, 35T and 42T GVW rigid trucks. These multi-axle haulage trucks offer the benefits of economy of scale, operational efficiency along with higher load capacity, lower operating cost and thus higher margin per trip. Thus, naturally, fleet operators are buying these trucks in large numbers, and the growth of the new trucks’ annual volumes is a clear indication of it.
Heavy Cargo Applications
The heavy-duty, haulage trucks are used for several major heavy cargo shipments like an open cargo body, container, or special applications like tanker/bulkers etc, for carrying varied cargo such as cement, coal, agriculture products, market loads, oil, bitumen and FMCG and also special applications fuel/gas or liquid cargo through tanker or ready construction material by bulkers.
Cowl/Cabin Variants
Traditionally, for decades haulage truck customers choose to buy cowl and build the cabin and body outside privately due to multiple reasons. However, over the last 5 years, with changing regulations, awareness towards safety and focus on driver comfort means factory-fitted fully-built trucks are slowly getting customer attention. While cowl still dominates the overall haulage market, OEMs are increasingly offering compelling options in the fully-built truck that are designed and developed in-house cabins along with several cargo body options. This also helps truck owners to deploy the truck right away in the fleet without spending any time on cabin and bodybuilding which takes few weeks.
Besides the powerful and reliable engine and aggregates like suspension, axles, tyres and fuel tank size, what really attracts the customer's attention is the superior mileage, cargo body lengths, overall ease of driving and efficiency. So, are you looking for a long-haul haulage truck to expand your fleet? If yes, then we bring you the most comprehensive list of key trucks that should be part of your fleet that is available on sales right now.
We have categorized the trucks by their GVW and tyre configurations, this extensive listing starts from 10-tyre/28T GVW, 12-tyre/35 GVW and 14-tyre/42T GVW trucks.
Tata LPT 2818
In the 10-tyre, 3-axle category, market leader Tata Motors most reliable and highly efficient LPT 2818 Cowl is the popular truck that has over 62% market share in the category. Priced between ₹ 30.71 - ₹ 31.02 lakh, the LPT 2818 is designed and developed to take on challenging long-haul cargo needs with a strong, efficient, and enhanced driveline. The robust chassis delivers superior load carrying capabilities, higher drivability, higher tyre mileage along the best torque at the wheel. Tata Motors has expanded products in this category to appeal to wider customers with higher power engine options and also Signa-factory fitted cabin variants too.
Ashok Leyland 2820
Chennai based Ashok Leyland, the second largest medium and heavy-duty truck maker also has an equally competitive truck in the 10-tyre category that offers the all-new 2820 based on AVTR modular platform. The truck is priced ₹ 29.68 - ₹ 30.34 lakh. To appeal to a wider customer segment, 2820 is available in cowl & chassis, cabin & chassis, full side deck, and high side deck options along with cargo body options between 18-32 ft for a variety of cargo-carrying needs. This truck is suitable for market load, tanker and reefer, and other applications, and customers can choose the economy, premium, or value cabin as per the truck usage.
Eicher Pro 6028
Eicher Pro 6028 is another strong contender in the 10-tyre 3-axle truck category. The new Pro 6028 now gets the EUTECH BS6 technology and powertrain with highly durable aggregates and a powerful engine. Pro 6028 packed with modern technologies such as cruise control, fuel coaching, MBooster+, and Eicher Live for higher utilisation of the fleet.
The Pro 6028 gets a roomy sleeper cabin, body and chassis option, and customization of cargo body option. To make the cabin comfortable, it has an adjustable driver seat, tilt, and telescopic power steering and driver information system to navigate the truck effortlessly. The Pro 6028 price ranges between ₹ 29.40 - ₹ 33.70 lakh.
Mahindra Blazo X28
Blazo X 28 is Mahindra Trucks and Buses new heavy-duty rigid truck range that comes with the promise of three key elements: extra mileage, extra power, and higher profit.
To take on the competition effectively, the Blazo X 28 comes with a compelling set of aggregates and a reliable powertrain. Mahindra promises guaranteed higher mileage than the rivals. The steering is hydraulic power assist tilt & telescopic type for the smoother driving experience. You can buy the cowl or cabin variants, and start at an attractive price of ₹ 28.75 lakh.
BharatBenz 2823R
BharatBenz, a 10-tyre truck in 2823R has proven its mettle in the market. This 6x4 truck priced between ₹ 30.64 - ₹ 31.59 lakh has got modern and strong powertrain and aggregates. Available in three wheelbases of 5175 mm, 57775 mm, 6375 mm to appeal to several applications. The loading body spans are 24, 28, 31, and 32 ft. This cargo truck is available in two cabins: the standard sleeper cabin and the compact sleeper option.
The 2823R haulage truck gets highly optimized aggregates such as suspension, axles, clutch, brakes, and durable chassis frame. The fuel tank sizes are 380, 200 litres, an additional Adblue tank of 60 litres, the maximum gradeability of 2823R 23.5%, and the turning circle radius is 18.7m, 21.6m, 22.5m, 22.5m for respective wheelbases.
Tata LPT 3518 Cowl
In the 12-tyre category, Tata Motors has several products with mainly two engine options. The LPT 3518 cowl is highly popular among truck buyers with a price range of ₹ 37.66 - ₹ 37.77 lakh.
Tata Motors offers customized bodies for this truck along with the cowl options; the customer can take a fully-built truck or build the body privately. Apart from this variant, there is a Signa 3521 model available with a factory-fitted cabin and a slightly higher power engine.
Ashok Leyland 3520
Ashok Leyland has an equally promising AVTR based 3520 priced in the range of ₹ 37.27 - ₹ 38.00 lakh. Like the rest of the rigid range of Ashok Leyland, this truck is available in cowl & chassis, cabin & chassis, full side deck, and high side deck options along with cargo body options in different body lengths for various cargo-carrying needs. For the long interstate trips, it gets day and sleeper cabin options, driver adjustment seats, standard power steering, and AC is options. All the tyres are 295/90R20 - 16 PR size.
Eicher Pro 6035
The Pro 6035 comes with an all-new BS6 powertrain with EUTECH6 technology. Eicher offers this truck in two wheelbases: 5800 mm variant gets Cabin With Chassis (CBC) 7,917 mm of load body span, High Side Deck (HSD), and Fix Side Deck (FSD) with 7,946 mm and 7,851 mm. The 6800 mm wheelbase variants get CBC with load body options of 8,822 mm and 9,422 mm and HSD options of 8,866 mm.
To higher productivity and driver comfort, there is standard power steering, tiltable steering, and driver information display at the dashboard for better control of the truck and an adjustable driver seat for fatigue-free driving. The fuel tank comes in 350 ltr size, and the gradeability is 18 % and ground clearance of 235 mm. This truck will cost you between ₹ 35.40 - ₹ 38.55 lakh.
BharatBenz 3523R
BharatBenz 3523R, another truck in the 12-tyre haulage category popular among truck buyers. This truck is available in three wheelbases of 5775 mm and 6375 mm in the sleeper and compact sleeper cabin options in loading body spans of 26 ft, 28 ft, and 32 ft. This cargo truck is available in two cabins: the standard sleeper cabin and the compact sleeper option.
The fuel tank sizes are 380, 200 litres, an additional Adblue tank of 60 litres, the maximum gradeability of 2823R is 18.5%, and the turning circle radius is 21.6m, 23.7m for respective wheelbases. All the key aggregates of this rigid truck are durable and optimized aggregates such as suspension, axles, clutch, brakes, and durable chassis frame. The price range of this truck is ₹ 36.26 - ₹ 37.40 lakh
Blazo X 35
Blazo X35 part of the HCV rigid range promising higher mileage, superior aggregates, and full support across all key long-haul routes in India. Blazo X 35 offers key characteristics of the company's HCV range of extra mileage, power, and higher profit to help the owner earn more and run a successful transport business with guaranteed mileage promise. The Blazo X 35 starts from ₹ 34.90 lakh, and you also get both cowl or Mahindra’s factory-fitted signature single sleeper cabin with AC as an option. The Blazo X 35 is available in lift axle configurations for higher fuel efficiency and tyre mileage.
Tata Signa 4225.T
Tata Motors Signa 4225.T leads the pack in popularity and sales volumes in the 14-tyre category. Available at a price range of ₹ 41.49 - ₹ 42.53 lakh, the Signa truck gets the proven and reliable Cummins ISBe 6.7L engine that produces a massive 250hp of power at a whopping torque of 950 Nm. The Signa 4225.T comes in CX and LX variants with different features, and also Tata Motors promise a lower total cost of ownership, enhancing performance, productivity, ergonomics, convenience and safety, and a comprehensive modern connected vehicle solution from the market leader in its segment.
As the name suggests, this 42T GVW truck comes with Tata Motors heavy-duty, factory-fitted Signa Cabin that offers comfort safety and superior fit and finishes with a standard AC, this means you can deploy the truck straight to your fleet without spending time on building the cabin and body. Two other key aspects of this truck are the 365L fuel tank that comes with high-density polyethylene with an anti-theft mechanism, leak-free and corrosion-resistant and 295/90R20 size tyre in radial tube types. If you want a cowl then, Tata Motors also has another variant LPT4225 Cowl.
Ashok Leyland 4220
The number two product on the list is Ashok Leyland 4220, the price range of this huge truck is between ₹ 38.22 - ₹ 38.67 lakh. This rigid truck comes with the H series 6 cylinder, CRS with iGen-6 technology BS6 engine, 200HP of power, and 700 Nm of torque sufficient for carrying full-load cargo. All 14-tyres are 295/90R20 – 16 PR size. The fuel tank is a rectangular shaped cross-linked polymer with multiple fuel capacities such as 220 / 300 / 375 L on the LH side or 220L on the RH side for POL variant only.
Ashok Leyland offers this haulage truck in multiple cabin options in cowl & chassis, cabin and chassis, fixed side deck and high side deck, the cargo body options are 28, 30, and 32 ft with a wheelbase of 6600 mm; overall width is 2570 mm, and lengths are 10960, 11560, 11960 mm. You can buy this truck any of the options that are available like cabin & chassis, cowl & chassis, full and high side deck with both premium, value, and economy cabins, etc.
Eicher Pro 6042
In the HCV truck category, Eicher also now offers some of the top trucks in the industry. In the 42T GVW category, it has the highly efficient Pro 6042 based on the EUTECH6 technology. Priced in the range of ₹ 39.20 - ₹ 42.85 lakh this heavy-duty truck gets the high fuel-efficient VEDX8 engine that produces 260hp, and higher torque at 1000 in 1000-1700 rpm range. The engine is tuned to a 9-speed manual gearbox.
The Pro 6042 is equipped with Eicher’s familiar factory-fitted sleeper cabin that comes with top safety and comfort features. The cargo body is available in a loading span of 7647 mm, 8822 mm, 9422 mm and high side deck in 8866 mm. The front tyre is 295/90R20 & the rear is 10R20. The fuel tank is 350L in size. To help you run an efficient fleet, Eicher also offers standard technologies with this haulage truck that include Eicher Live telematics, cruise control, M-Booster+ and fuel-coaching.
BharatBenz 4228R
Another brand that has emerged as a formidable player in the heavy truck market in India is BharatBenz. In the 42T category, the company offers the 4228R a solid truck that is designed and developed for Indian road conditions and duty cycles. This giant five-axle, 10x2 configuration truck’s price ranges between ₹ 39.79 - ₹ 40.21 lakh. You get the company proven OM 926, 280hp of a powerful engine that is capable of putting out striking 1100 Nm of torque and tuned to a 9-speed gearbox.
Mahindra Blazo X 42
Another equally promising truck in this category is the Mahindra Blazo X 42, starting at ₹ 38.48 lakh. Some of the standout features that you get on this truck are better manoeuvrability, a tag axle at the back for increased tyre life, a modern cabin for better productivity, higher payload capacities for better revenue and profit along with Mahindra iMAXX telematics technology for efficient fleet management. Blazo X 42 has Mahindra proven mPOWER 7.2-liter FuelSmart that comes with good power to torque ratios, 276hp of power at a massive 1050 Nm of torque tuned to a 6-speed Eaton gearbox. Mahindra is offering you the factory-fitted single sleeper cabin with AC as an option for a comfortable driving experience and also better safety for the driver.
Like all BharatBenz trucks, the 4228R is available with only a factory-fitted cabin that is highly modern, comfortable and safe with a sleeper type cabin. For an easier driving experience, the truck gets a standard hydraulic power-assisted steering. The fuel tank is 330L along with a 60L Adblue tank. This rigid truck maximum gradeability is 29%, and the turning circle diameter is 24m for the respective wheelbase. You choose between two variants of 4228R, the 42000 kgs (Tubeless & 295/90R20) and the 41920 kgs (11R20) gross vehicle weight category.
Keep in mind, all the prices are ex-showroom, New Delhi and they vary from state to state. Also, the price range is an indicative one as the final truck price is determined by a variety of factors such as the features and variant that you select.