India's Ashok Leyland launches LNG-powered haulage truck

Ashok Leyland, a leading Indian commercial vehicle manufacturer, has delivered India's first LNG-powered haulage truck, the AVTR 1922, to city gas company Mahanagar Gas, it announced on October 6. 

The company said that it has become the first Indian original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to unveil an in-house LNG engine compliant with BS6 Stage 2 emission standards.

BS6 Stage 2 emission norms came into effect in India on April 1, 2023. These norms are stricter than the BS6 norms and further reduce harmful emissions from vehicles. The more stringent phase two BS6 norms are equivalent to Euro 6 standards applicable for all vehicles across Europe.

The AVTR 1922 is built on Ashok Leyland's AVTR platform, ensuring a high degree of commonality with the company's existing diesel truck range. This commonality simplifies maintenance and service processes for customers, making the transition to LNG-powered trucks more seamless.

Powered by a 6-cylinder H-series engine, the AVTR 1922 delivers performance optimised for Indian operating conditions, Ashol Leyland said. 

India has an ambitious goal of boosting the share of gas in its energy mix to 15% by 2030 from the current 6-7%. The government is also promoting the usage of LNG in long-haul transportation.