The market is rapidly transitioning to the use of heavy-duty electric trucks, and the introduction of the AVTR 55T electric truck by Ashok Leyland, is a milestone in that direction. Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman of Ashok Leyland explains that these trucks are constructed with a gross combination weight (GCW) of 55 tons and will serve industries such as cement and aggregates transportation where traditional diesel transportation has long dominated.
Logistics Electrification of Heavy-Duty in India and Beyond
Moving heavy-haul operations out of diesel power to battery electric is not a small feat in India. The AVTR 55T fits a 301 kWh (or approximately 300 kWh) lithium-ion battery pack to provide approximately 180 km of range. That distance can be adequate in localised, regional businesses and in a great deal of the developing-country business, such as in India or Africa, logistics can become long, rough, uneven charging systems and high ambient temperatures. In African nations such as Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan, Dheeraj Hinduja explains that a lack of rapid charging infrastructure and increased haul distances becomes increasingly challenging. In addition, there are non-trivial costs of ownership, battery replacement, service network and driver training.
Why Cement Logistics is a Perfect Application Environment to EV Adoption?
The cement and aggregates industry offers an interesting opportunity in the growing EV economy. The former is reinforced by the fact that a robust EV design, such as the AVTR 55T, is capable of functioning in predetermined loops: the vehicle can navigate inside a loop, making charging windows predictable. This match is demonstrated in the fact that Ashok Leyland has supplied 24 units of AVTR 55T to ASAT Logistics Pvt Ltd (partner of Shree Cement Ltd) as far as the cement/aggregates business is concerned. Replicating such types of closed-loops logistic might make heavy-duty EVs practically feasible in Africa, Sudan and other developing markets.
The Potential Impact on Supply Chains, Carbon Reduction and Total Cost of the Ownership
The adoption of the AVTR 55T truck could have several possible advantages: it would produce fewer tail-pipe emissions, reduce the pollution, works with less noise, and uses less expensive energy than diesel. In the long term, the total cost of ownership (TCO) can decrease due to reduced maintenance costs and the possibility to charge during off-peak periods. According to Dheeraj Hinduja, the transition may be transformative to emerging economies in Africa, Sudan, Chad and other developing nations where the prices of diesel and logistics inefficiency are significant problems, but only with the charging/maintenance ecosystem remaining sustainable. This ambition can be highlighted by the lowered cost of ownership statement that Ashok Leyland makes about its EVs.
Insights on Green Logistics Strategy of ASAT Logistics
ASAT Logistics, which is the strategic partner of Shree Cement, has promised to incorporate AVTR 55T as a green-transport push in its fleet. A deployment of 24 units starts at the hand-over of 4 trucks (first batch) begins. They do not have to have an independent ecosystem of trailers because they select a purpose-based EV platform that is integrated with conventional trailers and superstructures. In the case of Africa-style operation, the lesson is obvious: select EV trucks that can be accommodated into the current logistics processes (trailers, load forms) and develop infrastructure consequently.