Montra Electric, the e-M&HCV arm of the Murugappa Group, has become the first heavy-duty electric truck manufacturer in India to receive certification
under the Government of India’s PM E-Drive scheme. The company also delivered India’s first PM E-Drive-certified electric heavy truck to UltraTech Cement Limited.
The vehicle delivered was the Rhino 5538 EV 6x4 tractor trailer. It was handed over to UltraTech Cement, Indian cement and ready-mix concrete company. The handover was flagged off by Arun Murugappan, Chairman, Montra Electric.
The PM E-Drive scheme has a total outlay of ₹10,900 crore, with ₹500 crore allocated for electric trucks. Under the scheme, customers can receive benefits of up to ₹9.6 lakh per vehicle for the Rhino 5538 EV.
The incentive is aimed at improving fleet economics by lowering operating costs, reducing exposure to fuel price volatility, and supporting compliance with emission norms. The certification is expected to support faster adoption of electric heavy-duty trucks across logistics, mining, infrastructure, and manufacturing sectors.
The event took place in the presence of Arun Murugappan, Jalaj Gupta, Managing Director, Montra Electric, and Sathia Raj, Chief Procurement Officer, UltraTech Cement Limited.
HD Kumaraswamy, Union Minister for Heavy Industries, said, “The PM E-Drive scheme is a testament to the growing prowess of Indian innovation in the heavy-duty electric vehicle segment.” He added, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we are committed to decarbonizing our logistics and making India a global hub for EV manufacturing.”
Arun Murugappan said, “Decarbonising freight is one of the most critical challenges in India’s energy transition.” He added that the PM E-Drive scheme is a “transformative step” in accelerating electrification in heavy commercial vehicles, where emissions intensity is high.
The Rhino 5538 EV tractor-trailer range is designed for Indian operating conditions and is available in 6x4 and 4x2 variants. The 4x2 variant offers fixed battery and battery-swapping options, with six-minute battery swaps. It uses a 282 kWh LFP battery producing 380 HP and 2,000 Nm of torque, with a tested range of nearly 198 km.
The truck is aimed at high-utilisation, fixed-route, and hub-to-hub operations across ports, mining, cement logistics, steel plants, and long-haul freight corridors. Heavy-duty trucks account for a large share of freight emissions, making the electrification of this segment critical to India’s net-zero goals.
Montra Electric operates across four business verticals — heavy commercial vehicles, mid and small commercial vehicles, last-mile three-wheelers, and electric tractors. Its portfolio includes the Rhino electric truck trailer, Eviator small commercial vehicle, Super Auto passenger vehicle, Super Cargo delivery vehicle, and the E-27 electric tractor.
Montra Electric is part of the Murugappa Group, a 125-year-old conglomerate with revenues of ₹90,178 crore and a workforce of 94,041 employees. The group has interests across agriculture, engineering, financial services, electric vehicles, auto components, and industrial products.
