EIM Electric Trucks: New Models and 400.5-kWh Battery

Energy In Motion Expands Electric Heavy Truck Portfolio

Energy In Motion (EIM) plans to introduce two new electric heavy commercial vehicles within the next 15 months as it begins local assembly at its new manufacturing complex in Talegaon, Pune. Managing Director Narendra Murkumbi announced the product expansion during the inauguration of the company's electric vehicle and battery-pack assembly facility. The upcoming vehicles comprise an electric tipper for mining and road construction and a rigid-body truck for conventional freight transportation. These additions will expand EIM's portfolio beyond its existing Ashwa 4x2 electric tractor and allow the company to address more segments of the heavy commercial vehicle market in India. The planned launches form part of its broader move toward domestic vehicle assembly and battery-pack production.

New Manufacturing Complex Supports Local Assembly

The manufacturing complex at Ambi, near Talegaon in Pune, marks a shift from EIM's initial reliance on imported electric trucks toward domestic assembly and production. The facility covers more than 35,000 square meters and combines truck assembly, battery-pack manufacturing, and battery-testing operations. According to the company's presentation, the truck assembly unit occupies more than 19,000 square meters, while the battery-pack assembly facility covers 10,920 square meters. The vehicle assembly operation has an annual capacity of 5,000 units, with scope for further expansion. By bringing these activities together at one site, Energy In Motion is establishing domestic manufacturing capabilities for its heavy electric vehicle portfolio while retaining important international technology and battery supply relationships.

Upcoming Electric Tipper and Rigid-Body Truck

The two planned vehicles will target applications beyond the company's current heavy freight offering. The electric tipper is intended for mining and road construction, where commercial vehicles must handle demanding operating conditions and material transportation requirements. The rigid-body truck will serve conventional freight operations and a broader range of cargo transportation needs. These additions are expected to give EIM access to customer segments that its existing tractor configuration does not directly address. Murkumbi said the company had two products lined up for introduction within the next 15 months. The announcement establishes the intended product-development timeline, although the company has not specified individual launch dates, detailed vehicle specifications, pricing, or the expected sales contribution of either upcoming model.

Existing Ashwa 4x2 Electric Tractor Specifications

EIM's current offering is the Ashwa 4x2 electric tractor, developed through its technology licensing and supply partnership with China's BAIC Foton Motor. The vehicle operates in the 55-tonne gross combination weight (GCW) category and is available with 282-kWh and 350-kWh battery configurations. Its principal applications include container movement, port logistics, and other heavy freight operations. The company has a six-year exclusive agreement covering the assembly, marketing, and distribution of Foton commercial vehicles above 18 tonnes in India. Murkumbi also stated that the technology underpinning the existing electric trucks had been operating in China for more than four years. This arrangement gives EIM access to established vehicle technology while it develops domestic assembly capabilities and expands its product range.

Higher-Capacity Luna Battery Targets Longer Range

EIM is preparing to assemble higher-capacity lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs at its Pune complex through a partnership with China's CATL. Murkumbi said the existing 282-kWh battery provides a driving range of approximately 150 kilometers, while the next-generation battery is expected to offer around 42% more capacity and a range exceeding 200 kilometers per charge. The company calls the new system the Luna battery and plans to assemble it locally. According to EIM's presentation, the upgraded system has a capacity of approximately 400.5 kWh and uses CATL's CB7T0 cells and L324D06 battery-pack platform. EIM estimates the battery's life at around 750,000 kilometers. These figures describe the company's stated specifications and estimates rather than independently verified operating results.

CATL Partnership and Battery Supply Arrangements

In July, EIM signed an agreement with CATL for the supply of 500 MWh of LFP battery cells and pack kits. The company said the newer cells offer improved energy density and cycle life compared with its earlier battery technology. The higher-capacity battery packs will be integrated into swappable battery boxes designed for heavy commercial vehicle operations in India. Although battery-pack assembly will take place locally, EIM will continue to rely on imported cells and pack kits supplied by CATL. This distinction is important to understanding the manufacturing strategy: domestic assembly will increase the activities performed at the Pune complex, but the underlying battery components will remain dependent on an international supplier. The partnership therefore combines local manufacturing with externally supplied battery technology and components.

Battery Pack Manufacturing Capacity and Facility Layout

The battery-pack assembly facility covers 10,920 square meters and has a stated annual capacity of 2.4 GWh, equivalent to approximately 6,000 battery boxes, according to the company's presentation. This capacity is separate from the vehicle assembly unit's annual capacity of 5,000 vehicles. The two figures describe different manufacturing operations and should not be treated as interchangeable production totals. The combined complex brings battery-pack assembly and truck assembly into the same manufacturing location, alongside dedicated testing infrastructure. EIM's planned use of higher-capacity battery packs and swappable battery boxes makes these operations relevant to its heavy commercial vehicle program. Actual production volumes, utilization rates, and the proportion of battery output allocated to individual vehicle models have not been disclosed in the source information.

₹60-Crore Battery Testing Facility in Pune

EIM is developing a dedicated battery-testing facility within its Pune manufacturing complex in collaboration with Automotive Test Systems (ATS). The facility covers 4,983 square meters and involves a Phase 1 investment of ₹60 crore, according to the company's presentation. It is planned to house approximately 50 test benches for evaluating electrical performance, simulation, thermal management, mechanical durability, environmental conditions, and safety. The testing program is intended to assess battery behavior under demanding operating conditions, including high temperatures, mechanical shocks, vibration, and other stresses associated with heavy commercial vehicles. These capabilities are relevant to validating battery packs before deployment in commercial applications, where operating conditions can place substantial demands on energy-storage systems. The source does not specify the facility's commissioning date or the number of tests it will complete annually.

Testing Capabilities for the Wider Electric Vehicle Industry

Beyond supporting its own battery-development program, the testing infrastructure is expected to provide evaluation capabilities for the wider electric vehicle industry. Its planned range of electrical, thermal, mechanical, environmental, and safety assessments addresses several areas involved in battery-pack validation. The collaboration with ATS will support operation of the facility, while EIM's manufacturing complex will provide a location for coordinating vehicle assembly, battery-pack production, and testing activities. The company's announcement describes the facility's intended capabilities, rather than confirming that all equipment is operational or that external testing services have already commenced. Its eventual contribution will depend on implementation, operating capacity, and access for other industry participants. No additional customers, testing fees, or commercial service volumes have been specified in the available source material.

Domestic Manufacturing Strategy and Remaining Dependencies

EIM's expansion combines three connected priorities: a broader range of heavy electric trucks, local battery-pack assembly, and dedicated testing infrastructure. The planned tipper and rigid-body truck extend the intended applications beyond container movement and port logistics, while the Luna battery targets a driving range exceeding 200 kilometers per charge. The Pune complex provides the physical infrastructure for vehicle and battery assembly, but the company will continue to import battery cells and pack kits from CATL. Its exclusive agreement with BAIC Foton Motor also remains central to the commercial vehicle technology arrangement. For India, the development represents an expansion of domestic heavy electric vehicle assembly and battery testing. The source does not establish future sales volumes, profitability, or the pace at which the new products will gain market acceptance.

Industry Impact & Outlook

EIM's plans could broaden the range of heavy commercial transport applications served by electric vehicles in India, particularly freight logistics, mining, and road construction. The additional truck models may help the company reach customers with different operational requirements, while the higher-capacity Luna battery could support longer-distance use where driving range is an important consideration. Local assembly and dedicated testing infrastructure also provide a foundation for expanding domestic manufacturing activities, although imported battery components remain a supply-chain dependency. The next important milestones are the introduction of the two planned vehicles, implementation of higher-capacity battery assembly, and development of testing operations. Their broader competitive impact will depend on vehicle performance, operating economics, production execution, and customer adoption, none of which is quantified in the announcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What new electric trucks does Energy In Motion plan to introduce?
EIM plans to introduce an electric tipper for mining and road construction and a rigid-body truck for conventional freight transportation within the next 15 months. These vehicles will expand its existing portfolio, which currently includes the Ashwa 4x2 electric tractor. The planned additions are intended to address additional segments of the heavy commercial vehicle market. The company has not disclosed specific launch dates, pricing, detailed specifications, or projected sales volumes for either upcoming vehicle in the source announcement.

What is the capacity of EIM's new Luna battery?
The Luna battery has a stated capacity of approximately 400.5 kWh and is designed to provide a driving range exceeding 200 kilometers per charge. EIM estimates that the new battery offers around 42% more capacity than its existing 282-kWh battery, which provides approximately 150 kilometers of range. The upgraded system uses CATL's CB7T0 cells and L324D06 battery-pack platform. EIM estimates battery life at around 750,000 kilometers. These specifications and performance figures are company-provided estimates, not independently verified results.

How much manufacturing capacity will EIM's Pune facility provide?
The new complex has an annual vehicle assembly capacity of 5,000 units, with the possibility of further expansion. Its battery-pack assembly facility covers 10,920 square meters and has a stated annual capacity of 2.4 GWh, equivalent to approximately 6,000 battery boxes. The overall complex covers more than 35,000 square meters and includes truck assembly, battery-pack manufacturing, and battery-testing operations. These capacities refer to different activities, and the company has not disclosed actual production volumes, facility utilization rates, or a timetable for expanding the stated capacities.

What will EIM's new battery-testing facility do?
The planned facility will support battery-pack validation through electrical performance, simulation, thermal management, mechanical durability, environmental, and safety testing. Developed in collaboration with Automotive Test Systems, it covers 4,983 square meters and involves a Phase 1 investment of ₹60 crore. The facility is expected to house around 50 test benches and evaluate battery performance under demanding conditions, including high temperatures, vibration, and mechanical shocks. EIM also expects the infrastructure to provide testing capabilities for the wider electric vehicle industry, although the announcement does not specify its commissioning date or future testing volumes.