Ashok Leyland 2820

2820 Highlights

August 3, 2020: Ashok Leyland is taking on the market leader Tata Motors in the high volume 28,000 kg gross vehicle weight category with its all-new 2820 rigid truck based on the AVTR platform. This multi-axle 10-wheel long-haul truck segment has been the mainstream category in India. Ashok Leyland is challenging Tata Motors with the new truck with a powerful engine and segment-defining features. Other equally aggressive competitors in the segment include Eicher, BharatBenz, Mahindra & Mahindra- all of them have a compelling product in the category.

Apart from a new platform with several cabin options and the concept of modularity, Ashok Leyland introduces several path-breaking technologies and features in its new heavy-duty truck range. 2820 gets in-house powerful and highly optimized 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. Available in cowl & chassis, cabin & chassis, fixed 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.

Ashok Leyland 2820 Truck- Expert Review

Overview

Ashok Leyland 2820 is the all-new BS6 truck part of the newly introduced modular platform with new powertrain along with stringent BS6 emission. This multi-axle truck is among the highest selling truck in the segment, and Ashok Leyland made it even better on almost all crucial parameters. Popularly know as 10-wheel trucks used for long-haul applications comes with durability and productivity. The modular platform from Ashok Leyland allows customers to pick and choose the right configuration suited for his transport business. 

This unique model of customization allows to get what is precisely necessary, including the cost and application targets. Ashok Leyland reckons that the new approach will change the Indian trucking Industry as the customer will have more say in the truck building process rather than just buying what is available in the market. 2820 now comes with all the modern and contemporary features aim at the best value for the truck owner. 

Exterior
This category of 2820 model now carries 28T gross vehicle weight as per the new axle load norms, and this truck was 25T earlier. Ashok Leyland has certainly gone out of the way to appeal its trucks to a broader customer, and the firm has done phenomenal work after extensive customer feedback. 

This popular truck is used in the most comprehensive applications; hence it is now available in cargo body options from 20ft to 32 ft with 2ft difference in between to select. The durability of carrying a heavy load is taken care by the high strength steel material used in the chassis frame, which comes in the dimension of 275x75x7/8 mm in bolted construction type. The front axle fully floating single speed rear axle and the reverse axle is elliot type, and both the axles have an option of unitized wheels bearings. 

Another vital aspect is the wheelbase, which starts from 4700 mm to all the way 6600 mm with each cargo body options; similarly, the lengths are between 8510 mm 11960 mm. The width is standard across all variants of 2570 mm. The fuel tank sizes are 220, 300, and 375L, which comes in aluminum steel or cross-link polymer, and an additional one can be fitted on the right-hand side, if necessary. Apart from this, a 48L AdBlue tank also mounted on this truck. 

Interior
Ashok Leyland has revamped the cabin design and comfort; the new heavy-duty range now comes with more contemporary features. The customer can choose the truck among four cabins, namely N, U, M, and G-Cowl. All of them offer various options suitable for different use scenarios of the trucks, both economy, premium, or cowl-AC/Non-AC option available. Most of them get reclining seats. They are crash complaints as per the truck code, enough space to store, and a sizable glove box.

This multi-axle truck comes with a new superior digital driver-assist mounted on the dashboard with all the vital vehicle information to the driver during the trip and even at stationary. Ashok Leyland considers the changing requirements of the driver and also due to the increasing complexities in the truck system. This dashboard assists drivers to enhance overall truck performance on the go. The key features are gear shift advisory system for instant fuel economy display, an indicator for distance to empty, present gear display, DEF gauge, engine hours, air pressure gauge, etc.

Performance
2820 gets Ashok Leyland’s in-house H series 6 cylinder, CRS with iGen-6 technology BS6 engine, which now comes in 200 HP of power. This is an upgrade to take on the additional rated cargo allowed post new axle load norms. OEMs across the industry have phased-out the lower-powered engines with a higher one. This segment was popular with the 180HP size. 

This new BS6 engine produces 700 Nm of torque enough to take on the challenging roads with 28T of cargo. The truck gets a 6-speed synchromesh gearbox; the organic clutch is a 380 mm single dry plate with an air-assisted hydraulic booster. The two critical aggregates, the suspension, and axles come with high-quality material and superior technologies to enable effortless drive even during a full load of trucks in almost all kinds of operating conditions. To further bolster the performance, 2820 has a smoother gearshift mechanism just like a car, and the driver gets much more comfortable with aerodynamic cabs for better speed at highways, the noise vibration, and harshness of this truck has improved for overall comfortable drive. 

Safety
Over the years, Indian truck buyers are highly sensitive towards the safety of the drivers and the vehicles. Thus, security becomes an essential pillar of truck development. Ashok Leyland has provided all the necessary elements of safety in 2820 truck. The truck front facia is all-metal to protect from frontal impact, double head-lamp and LED tail-lamp for better visibility. The braking of this has improved substantially to control the truck efficiently. The truck also comes with another safety feature, which is an anti-roll bar to improve safety at high speed and tall loads. It has reverse parking assistance with accident hazard audio warning, and even a single driver can handle this massive truck easily with all the necessary features.   

Verdict
This all-new 2820 is truly an incredibly capable truck to take on the rigor of long-haul transportation. Ashok Leyland has modernise this truck with new-age features, superior aggregates, and a promise of higher productivity to its owner. India’s second-largest truck maker has responded well to the changing trucking and well as transportation needs too. 2820 is just a suitable illustration of this change as it becomes one of the top contenders in the 28T category and likely to continue Ashok Leyland’s leadership position in this vital segment.