Ashok Leyland today unveiled “Jan Bus,” a single step, front engine, fully flat floor bus, which it said was one of its kind. The bus has an automated manual transmission and is targeted at State transport undertakings (STUs). It also showcased two light commercial vehicles from its joint venture with Nissan, at the auto expo here.

The ‘Jan Bus', according to Mr Vinod Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, is unique in that the engine is in front, while for a single-step bus, the engine normally will be at the rear.

Ashok Leyland is likely to make this bus at its Alwar plant and will start marketing it in the next couple of months. It will cost about Rs 45 lakh, according to him.

He told journalists that the company had got 16 patents for the bus – 11 on the chassis and five on the drive train.

The company plans to start marketing the first bus in India from Optare, of the UK, in which it has a majority stake. The bus – Solo – meant as a metro-feeder vehicle is on the display at the expo.

Two LCVs

Ashok Leyland also has on display two light commercial vehicles – Stile, a passenger carrier, and Partner, a six-tonne LCV – developed with Nissan, its joint venture partner for LCVs.

The Stile, which Nissan will sell as the Evalia, is targeted at taxi services, fleet operators and hotel shuttles. Nissan will start producing the Evalia from its Oragadam plant, near Chennai, in the middle of 2012, and Ashok Leyland will start making the Stile next year.

Dr V. Sumantran, Non-Executive Vice-Chairman, Ashok Leyland, and Mr Andy Palmer, Chairman, Ashok Leyland Nissan Vehicles Ltd, told journalists that the positioning and pricing of the Stile and Evalia would be different. The Evalia would be priced higher than the Stile.

>nramki@thehindu.co.in.

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