JSW Group has entered India’s electric commercial vehicle market with the launch of AMPSTAR, a new brand under JSW Greentech Limited. AMPSTAR will design, manufacture and sell electric buses and trucks, with its portfolio covering multiple passenger and heavy commercial vehicle applications. Vehicles will be manufactured at JSW’s new 90-acre facility at AURIC, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.
AMPSTAR Electric Bus And Truck Range
AMPSTAR’s electric bus portfolio will range from 7 metres to 18 metres. Applications will include city and intercity transportation, employee transport and school mobility. Customers will be offered power configurations ranging from 150 kW to 500 kW.
Vehicles have been engineered for Indian operating conditions, with JSW highlighting technologies including a double-cooling battery system and high-strength monocoque chassis. On the truck side, AMPSTAR will initially launch a 55-tonne electric tractor-trailer. The company plans to subsequently expand into electric tippers and fixed-body dumpers.
BaaS, Leasing And Charging Solutions
AMPSTAR is being developed as a broader electric commercial mobility business rather than only a vehicle manufacturer. Along with buses and trucks, JSW plans to provide charging infrastructure, financing, operating solutions and after-sales support.
Customers will have multiple acquisition options including outright purchase, leasing and Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS). JSW initially plans to target private companies and public-sector enterprises while also participating in government tenders. Government procurement is expected to become particularly relevant for AMPSTAR’s electric bus operations.
The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar plant will feature a pre-treatment and electro-deposition (PT-ED) process for bus manufacturing, an automated truck-cabin line and an integrated battery ecosystem. With 15,000 units of initial capacity and the potential to scale to 30,000 units, JSW is planning a sizeable presence in India’s growing electric commercial vehicle market.
In an interview with NDTV following the brand launch, JSW Group revealed additional details about its investment, production targets, captive demand and future expansion plans. The company has invested around Rs 2,500 crore in the electric commercial vehicle operation.
10,000 Units Targeted In FY28
While installed capacity stands at 15,000 units annually, JSW expects production to ramp up gradually as the new factory stabilises. The company said it hopes to produce at least 10,000 vehicles in FY28. This would translate to around 67-68% capacity utilisation.
JSW also indicated that based on current demand enquiries, production could be sold out for next year. A significant advantage for AMPSTAR during its initial ramp-up is expected to be captive demand from within JSW Group.
Businesses spanning steel, cement, paints and infrastructure require electric buses and heavy trucks. JSW revealed that the first 100 electric buses have already been delivered to JSW Steel’s Dolvi operations for employee transportation. Another 100 electric trucks are expected to be supplied to JSW Steel and JSW Cement.
JSW also cited substantial demand for electric commercial vehicles from its own group businesses. This captive requirement could support AMPSTAR’s initial production ramp-up while the company builds its external customer base.
Capacity Could Double To 30,000 Units
Expansion is already being considered if demand develops as anticipated. JSW said an additional investment of around Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 2,000 crore could potentially double its Maharashtra manufacturing capacity from 15,000 to 30,000 vehicles annually.
The company expects the average selling price across its electric bus and truck portfolio to be around Rs 80 lakh. At the existing 15,000-unit annual capacity, JSW estimates potential revenue of around Rs 12,000 crore at full utilisation.
JSW says it has also localised most of the bus and truck. Base logic, software and algorithms for the electric drivetrain have been developed in-house, allowing the company to configure vehicles according to different customer requirements.