Tata Motors Ltd, a market leader in the country with over 50 per cent share in the buses and special vehicles segment, today said it was targeting a bigger pie with the launch of few more products in the market early next financial year.
The new launches include rear engine-powered Divo Coach for inter-city transport, which pits it against Volvo, and Tata low-floor Hybrid Starbus for city transport and Interceptor van to monitor transport violators, Winger emergency ambulance and buses for schools, including air-conditioned ones.
Pricing
Speaking to the media at the ‘Bus and Special Vehicles Expo' in Hitex here today, Mr Ashish Tandon, Head-Marketing-Buses, Tata Motors, said five Divo buses, developed in partnership with the company's Spanish arm/partner, have been test supplied. “We expect to offer them commercially early next year in India. This is a rapidly expanding market and offers us opportunities as we will price it aggressively pitting against established players,” he said.
Mr V.S. Noronha, Head-Defence Business, said the Tata-Hybrid low body Starbus is meant for intra-City transport. It comes with a parallel hybrid engine comprising an internal combustion CNG engine, and an electric motor using regenerative energy storage system. Parallel hybrid technology uses power generation simultaneously through both the CNG engine and the electric motor to drive the vehicle. The system reutilises lost braking energy to recharge the battery.
Hybrid Starbus
The hybrid Starbus is an innovative solution for fast and comfortable intra-city passenger movement in an environment–friendly manner, he said.
The company has also showcased a series of other products that includes Tata Interceptor Van on the Winger platform, which is fitted with a camera, speed monitoring laser gun, GSM mobile and a laptop.