CHENNAI: Daimler India on Tuesday said it would make India a global export hub for its trucks and buses, compliant with the new emission norms BS-VI, which comes into effect from April 1, 2020. Indicating its readiness to transition to the new Bharat Stage VI emission norms much before the April 2020 deadline, the company said it has invested around Rs 500 crore on the technology for a transition.
The subsidiary of German auto major Daimler AG, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) said the migration to BS-VI would help it export fully-built vehicles, engines and parts to countries like Mexico, Chile and Brazil, which will soon migrate to similar emission norms.
"Our experience of already bringing 1.4 million EURO VI trucks and buses on the roads means we are easily ready to transition our BharatBenz trucks and buses to BS-VI by the April 2020 deadline," DICV Managing Director and CEO Satyakam Arya told reporters here.
Arya said the company has achieved an outstanding localisation rate of above 80 per cent on its products, adding it has invested around Rs 500 crore to localize its EURO VI technology for India. "We have completed 2 million kilometres of testing, developed new facilities and over 1,000 new parts and achieved an outstanding localisation rate above 80 per cent on our products," the CEO said.
On exports, he said, "With this headstart, we will begin exporting India-built trucks by 2021/2022. The transition to BS-VI opens up more opportunities to export fully-built vehicles, engines and parts to countries like Mexico, Chile and Brazil."