Since 2023, our brand has expanded its presence across Coal, Coal-OB, Limestone, Iron-ore, Stone quarry, Marble & Granites and Solid waste management segments
PROPEL INDUSTRIES, India’s leader in Crushing and Screening equipment and a pioneer in Electric Heavy Duty Truck manufacturing showcased 90CED, 70CED high-capacity off-road electric dump trucks at the recently concluded EXCON 2025, thereby further strengthening its position in mining and also launched 560HEVx and 470MEV Gen-2 for construction segment. In an exclusive interview to CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES, SIDDARTH KIRTANE, PRESIDENT – EV MARKETING, SALES AND SERVICE, PROPEL INDUSTRIES PVT LTD, gives an overview on the industry, speaks on his company’s latest launches, cutting edge technologies and a lot more.
Give us an overview on the Trucks & Tippers industry and market dynamics. Also details us on terms of cost/quality equations, sector challenges, and growth prospects?
The Indian trucks and tippers industry is at a structurally important inflection point. FY25 closed with approximately 2.57 lakh M&HCV trucks, of which tippers account for nearly 30%, underlining the critical role they play in mining, infrastructure, and core industrial activity. From Q2 of FY26, we are clearly witnessing the beginning of an upcycle. Industry volumes are expected to grow by about 8% in FY26 and further accelerate to nearly 10% in FY27.
This growth is not speculative; it is strongly anchored in sustained government capital expenditure across infrastructure, power, and transport, along with meaningful reforms in the mining sector. Policy actions such as the removal of captive mine sale caps, faster approvals through PSU boards, and the auctioning of 141 mining blocks in 2025—the highest in a decade, creating long-term demand visibility for high-performance mining trucks.
From a customer standpoint, the cost–quality equation in construction and mining is very clear. These are time-sensitive operations where every hour of uptime directly translates into output and revenue. As a result, customers are increasingly quality-conscious, and lifecycle-cost driven rather than focused only on upfront capex. This is where electric trucks are gaining serious attention. Awareness around the operational and economic benefits of electric haulage has improved significantly, and this shift strongly favors manufacturers who have engineered EVs ground-up for these demanding applications.
Tell us about the range of trucks & tippers offered by you, in terms of types, applications and capacities?
At Propel EV, our focus has been very clear from the start: electric trucks purpose-built for Indian mining and construction conditions. We currently operate in the tipper segment with a portfolio that has been validated across real-world operations.
Our flagship 470MEV 6×4 tipper, positioned in the 50-ton GVW class, is offered with both 20cu.m rock and 23cu.m box body configurations and multiple battery options. This allows us to tailor the truck precisely to the customer’s duty cycle, whether it is iron ore, limestone, quarrying, or waste management. For deeper and more intensive mining applications such as Coal and Overburden, the 470HEV 8×4 tipper offers a higher GVW of up to 65-ton and larger body capacity (23cu.m rock & 33cu.m coal), making it suitable for high-output operations.
Commercially, we started sales in FY24 and have steadily expanded from southern markets into eastern India. By the end of FY26, we expect to have a strong presence across western and northern regions as well. We have also extended our portfolio to on-road haulage with the 470eTR tractor-trailer, which delivers industry-leading efficiency and range for long-haul applications.
How is your organization integrating advancements in digitalization, automation, AI, telematics and predictive technologies to enhance productivity, safety, lifecycle value and overall machine performance for customers?
Digital capability is not an add-on for us; it is a core part of how our vehicles deliver value. We recently introduced Pulse.ev, our next-generation telematics and digital ecosystem, which has been developed entirely in-house and specifically for electric mining and hauling operations.
Pulse.ev provides real-time visibility into vehicle health, energy consumption, and operational efficiency, while also enabling predictive maintenance and fleet optimization across multi-shift operations. This allows customers to move from reactive maintenance to proactive decision-making. In addition, our vehicles are equipped with ADAS Level-1 safety features and intelligent HMIs that support drivers with actionable insights, improving both safety and productivity. The objective is simple: higher uptime, predictable costs, and better control over the entire vehicle lifecycle.
Which customer segments and application areas are you targeting through your product and technology offerings, especially in the context of India’s expanding infrastructure needs?
Construction and mining engineering has always been our core strength, and that deep application understanding differentiates us in the market. Since start of sale in 2023, the brand has expanded its presence across Coal, Coal-OB, Limestone, Iron-ore, Stone quarry, Marble & Granites and Solid waste management segments. We have a strong presence and acceptance particularly in demanding applications.
While we continue to strengthen this core, we are also expanding into construction and long-haul segments. These are competitive spaces with multiple players, but we believe our differentiation lies in offering application-specific electric solutions rather than generic products. Our focus is on solving real operational challenges for customers, not merely adding another variant to the market.
How does your organization ensure strong aftermarket support, customer service and high uptime for its equipment across diverse and demanding operating conditions?
Uptime is the true currency in mining and construction, and our aftermarket strategy is built around that reality. Through our Pro-EV Care program, we offer a structured, modular service ecosystem that can be customized to the customer’s operating conditions.
By combining proactive maintenance, strong on-site service capability, and real-time insights from Pulse.ev, we have consistently delivered uptime levels as high as 97%+ in coal and iron-ore operations. Even over a longer horizon, we are confident of sustaining greater than 92% uptime over the first five years of operation.
What is your assessment of the market potential for your key product categories in India, and how do you foresee demand trends evolving in 2026 and beyond?
The Interest and adoption for electric trucks in India is steadily increasing in specific segments like mining, cement logistics and industrial goods transport.
We expect this to at least double by 2026 from the current level and going forward get into double digit % presence for the segment volumes.
However, a lot of this will depend upon the infrastructure readiness and collaboration amongst various stakeholders like end users, LSPs, OEMs and ecosystem providers.
How is your organization embedding sustainability, cleaner technologies and environmentally responsible practices into its products, operations and long-term strategy?
Propel has achieved an important milestone of using renewable energy for 100% of its electricity needs through solar and wind energy (20 MW) – our contribution towards a greener planet and a more sustainable future.
Any new launches or any new variants launched or being launched.
During the recent EXCON 2025 exhibition, we showcased 90CED, 70CED high-capacity off-road electric dump trucks thereby further strengthening our position in mining and also launched 560HEVx and 470MEV Gen-2 for construction segment.
We also showcased Ultra-fast charging capabilities (20min charging), higher body volumes, advanced safety systems, and DGMS compliance as standard. Each of these products has been developed with a clear application focus, aimed at delivering higher productivity and up-time rather than incremental specification upgrades.
What is the company’s approach to implementing the ‘Make in India’ drive? Are you exporting your products to the international market and how is the response.
We are fully aligned with the Make in India vision, with indigenous design, engineering, and system integration at the core of our operations. Propel Group already exports crushing and screening equipment to more than 50 countries, and we intend to leverage this global presence as we plan a phased entry of our electric trucks into international markets.
Do you offer equipment finance or do you have tie-ups with finance companies for the same. Any innovative schemes launched.
Most of the existing public as well as private banks and NBFCs are funding our vehicles. We launch innovative schemes from time to time depending on market demand and expectations.
