Leading truck and bus maker Ashok Leyland on Thursday introduced two new trucks — BOSS LE and LX — to strengthen its presence in the Intermediate Commercial Vehicle (ICV) segment, which is reported to be accounting for one-third of industry volumes now.

The two trucks, powered by its i-Gen BS-VI technology, will address the 11.1 tonne to 14.05 tonne GVW (gross vehicle weight) market. The starting price of the vehicles is ₹18 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai / Delhi / Chennai).

The company was offering ICVs under Ecomet platform earlier. In 2013, it launched BOSS platform to serve the requirements in 7.5-16 tonne segment. BOSS platform vehicle met with good response and there are more than 12,000 BOSS vehicles running on Indian roads now.

“With this launch in our BOSS range, our ICV offering is now one of the best in the market. ICVs are seeing a spurt in demand and this is the best time to introduce our proven i-Gen6 BS-VI technology in one of our best-selling brands in the portfolio. These launches will further strengthen our portfolio,” Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland, said.

While Ecomet ICVs are offered in the economy segment, BOSS LE variants will be positioned in the value segment. BOSS LX will be the premium variant.

The BOSS platform targets applications areas such as parcel & courier services, poultry, white goods, agri-perishable, e-commerce, FMCG, auto parts and reefer, among others.

“We have been steadily gaining market share in the ICV segment for the past eight years and our brand, BOSS, has been leading that growth. From 6 per cent market share in FY12, we are now selling over 20 per cent ICVs in the Indian market. With the new BOSS LE and LX, we have further improved on our USPs of higher fuel economy and durability, making it a compelling choice for ICV customers,” said Anuj Kathuria, COO, Ashok Leyland.

Buyers can choose from multiple combinations – Loading span from 14ft to 24 ft and body type options of high side deck, fixed side deck, drop side deck, cab chassis, container and tipper.

Buyers can also choose from two cabin options and expect multiple improvement over BS-IV technology such as up to 7 per cent higher fluid efficiency, up to 5 per cent better tyre life, up to 30 per cent longer service interval and up to 5 per cent lower maintenance cost. BOSS will be available as a fully-built option with ergonomic and safety features for the driver. It comes bundled with digital solutions like i-Alert, remote diagnostics.

The BOSS LE and LX comes with 4 years /4 lakh km warranty which can be extended up to 6 years.

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