Working Paper

Market analysis of heavy-duty vehicles in India

The Government of India has begun the formal process of considering regulation of the fuel efficiency of new trucks and buses. In any regulatory development process, a thorough understanding of the market for new vehicles is critical, so that a program can be properly tailored to local conditions.

The primary objectives of this paper are to analyze heavy-duty vehicle sales in India in terms of manufacturer market share and typical vehicle characteristics, and to compare those to other major markets, such as the European Union, United States, and China. In addition, engine attributes of Indian HDVs are explored in detail in order to develop a draft proposal for categorizing engines for the purpose of regulation.

This working paper is the second in a series of papers that touch on topics related to regulatory development for HDV efficiency in India. A previous paper on HDV test procedure options, which recommends that India pursue an engine-based regulation as a first phase, with an eye towards transitioning to a more comprehensive (i.e., “full vehicle”) program in the future. Forthcoming papers in the series will include results from an industry survey, a regulatory test-cycle analysis, and an engine technology potential report.