JSW Greentech Launches Ampstar, a New Brand for Electric Trucks and Buses

JSW Greentech has announced the launch of Ampstar, a new brand for its made-in-India electric heavy commercial vehicles. The company will manufacture these vehicles at its 90-acre greenfield facility at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, which is set to begin operations within approximately 30 days, pending final approvals. The manufacturing target has been set at 500-1,000 units by the end of the current fiscal.

JSW Greentech is part of the JSW Group which also operates JSW MG Motor India and is soon to launch cars under its own name, JSW Motors. In addition, the group recently signed an MoU to take over control of Škoda Auto Volkswagen's India operations. Ampstar trucks and buses will first be deployed within the group’s own companies, fulfilling staff transportation and industrial requirements. Annual plant capacity is set to scale to 15,000 units per annum.

Ampstar will offer customers options of battery capacities ranging from 150 kW to 500 kW. Swappable battery architectures can be deployed, with captive depots allowing customers to manage their own fleets and reduce downtime. Battery swapping is also being pitched as an asset for customers running electric vehicles in areas with unreliable electricity supply or variable pricing. Battery-as-a-Service and leasing options are also set to be offered.

The vehicles have been designed and engineered using in-house developed drivetrains, software, controllers, and materials, at an estimated platform development cost of ₹2,500 crore. JSW Greentech says that while battery cells and rare earth magnets still need to be sourced from outside India, it is working on achieving 100 percent self-reliance. At present, the company sees substantial demand from several private organisations and government bodies within India, and has no plans to begin exports. Interestingly, the company says it has already benefitted from economies of scale and engineering resources shared across its various automotive divisions.

The portfolio of buses will range from 7m to 18m, and options will be offered for various commercial use cases including staff transportation, intercity travel, and school mobility. Ampstar will also begin its truck portfolio with a 55-tonne tractor-trailer, eventually expanding into tippers, fixed-body dumpers, and other purpose-specific vehicles. Ampstar will not enter the light commercial vehicle segment yet, which it says is too commoditised. It will also not create a retail sales network, instead relying only on B2B contracts, until the brand is proven.

The 12m 52-seat staff bus shown off at the launch event has a 302kWh floor-mounted battery for safety and space optimisation. It has a claimed range of 200km, an 80 kmph top speed, and front and rear air suspension. It supports dual-gun CCS2 charging and regenerative braking. It can be outfitted with safety features including EBS, ESC and EPB. It is ADAS-ready, with 360-degree cameras, hill start assist, real-time tracking, telematics, and data logging. There’s also a fire detection and suppression system. Passenger seats have USB charging outlets, individual AC vents, and washable rexine upholstery.

The 55-tonne electric tractor trailer can be fitted with a three-axle side-wall trailer, tip trailer, flatbed, or tanker. It delivers 420 kW peak motor power and 2,600 Nm peak torque, with 27 percent gradeability, using a 282 kW LFP battery. 6-speed AMT transmission, CCS2 dual-gun charging, regen braking, and optional swappable batteries are supported. There’s also 4G telematics, real-time tracking, and data logging. The driver’s seat has air suspension, and a sleeper cabin can be outfitted.

Ampstar will initially target customers with closed-loop requirements with fixed point-to-point routes, such as transporting goods from a manufacturing plant to a port. This will allow it to set up managed fleet operations including charging and maintenance needs.

Emphasising the need for fully made-in-India solutions, especially against the backdrop of rising prices and global fuel supply instability, Sajjan Jindal, Chairman, JSW Group said “When we decided to enter electric commercial mobility, I saw it as an act of nation-building - moving India's people and goods on power generated within India, rather than fuel sourced from outside. We cannot control global oil prices. But we can control how much we depend on them.”

Parth Jindal, Chairman, JSW MG Motor India, said “Ampstar brings the full strength of JSW into commercial mobility… We spent months listening to customers and stakeholders, and one thing was clear: real barriers to adoption go well beyond the vehicle itself. That is when we started designing around the complete customer journey and created a full-stack electric commercial mobility solution.”