JSW Greentech has entered India’s electric commercial vehicle market with the launch of Ampstar, a new brand that will cover the company’s upcoming range of electric trucks and buses.
The company unveiled a 55-tonne electric tractor-trailer and an electric bus in Mumbai, ahead of the start of commercial manufacturing at its upcoming facility in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.
The launch marks JSW Group’s move into the truck and bus business as it looks to develop electric mobility solutions for industrial, fleet and public-transport applications.
Ampstar to Become JSW Greentech’s Electric CV Brand
Ampstar will be used as the common brand name for JSW Greentech’s electric commercial vehicle portfolio.
According to the company, the name combines “ampere”, a unit associated with electric current, and “star”, which is intended to represent aspiration, progress and leadership.
JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal said the company’s objective is to support the transition from conventional diesel-powered commercial vehicles to electric mobility.
Rather than focusing solely on entering another automotive segment, Jindal said JSW’s broader objective is to act as a catalyst for changing how commercial transportation operates in India.
₹2,500 Crore Investment Planned for Electric CV Business
JSW Group plans to invest approximately ₹2,500 crore in the first phase of its electric commercial vehicle programme.
The company’s manufacturing facility in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is spread across 90 acres and is planned to have an annual production capacity of 15,000 vehicles.
The proposed capacity will include:
• 10,000 electric buses annually
• 5,000 electric trucks annually
The greenfield facility is expected to become the manufacturing base for Ampstar’s initial electric commercial vehicle range.
55-Tonne Electric Tractor-Trailer Leads Truck Portfolio
Ampstar’s first major focus will be the 55-tonne electric tractor-trailer, aimed at demanding commercial applications.
The truck is expected to target industries including steel, cement, mining, ports and other industrial fleet operations.
JSW Greentech plans to expand the truck portfolio beyond tractor-trailers. Future products are expected to include tippers, fixed-body trucks and dumpers, followed by additional commercial vehicle categories.
Fixed and Swappable Battery Options
Ampstar trucks are planned with both fixed-battery and battery-swapping configurations.
The company intends to tailor battery capacity and architecture according to the vehicle’s intended application and operating requirements rather than follow a single battery configuration across its portfolio.
This approach is particularly relevant for commercial fleets where vehicle utilisation, route length and turnaround time can influence the choice of charging or battery-swapping infrastructure.
Initial Focus on Closed-Loop Fleet Operations
JSW Greentech plans to initially concentrate on closed-loop commercial operations.
These are applications where vehicles repeatedly operate along predictable routes, such as movements between factories and warehouses, mines and processing facilities, industrial plants and ports, and other fixed logistics locations.
Such operations can make it easier for fleet operators to install dedicated charging or battery-swapping infrastructure at predetermined locations.
JSW’s existing industrial businesses also provide a potential deployment environment for Ampstar. The group’s steel, cement and port operations collectively use around 17,000 trucks, giving the company an internal ecosystem in which its electric commercial vehicles can be deployed and evaluated.
Ampstar Electric Buses to Cover 7-Metre to 18-Metre Segment
The Ampstar bus portfolio will cover vehicles ranging from 7 metres to 18 metres in length.
The planned applications include:
• Staff transportation
• City operations
• School transportation
• Airport-tarmac services
This gives the brand a potential presence across multiple fleet-oriented bus applications rather than concentrating on a single type of electric bus.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Plant to Handle Multiple Manufacturing Operations
The new manufacturing facility will bring several production activities under one location.
These will include truck-cabin manufacturing, electric-bus body building and battery-pack assembly.
JSW Greentech said battery cells will initially be imported, while battery packs will be assembled at the facility.
The plant is also planned to feature a pre-treatment and electro-deposition system, which the company says will enhance corrosion protection and improve vehicle durability.
JSW Greentech has described the facility as India’s first commercial vehicle manufacturing plant equipped with this particular system.
The plant’s digital manufacturing infrastructure will incorporate enterprise resource planning (ERP), product lifecycle management (PLM) and manufacturing execution systems (MES).
Construction of the facility began with its groundbreaking ceremony in October 2024.
Direct B2B Sales Model Planned
Ampstar will initially follow a business-to-business sales strategy, rather than immediately establishing a nationwide dealership network.
The company may subsequently appoint dealers in selected locations where they can effectively serve concentrated clusters of commercial fleet customers.
JSW Greentech also plans to provide customers with multiple acquisition and operating models.
These are expected to include:
• Outright vehicle purchases
• Cost-per-kilometre arrangements
• Wet-lease models
The broader offering is also expected to cover vehicle financing, charging infrastructure, maintenance services and battery-as-a-service (BaaS).
What Ampstar Means for JSW’s EV Strategy
With Ampstar, JSW Group is moving beyond its traditional industrial businesses into electric commercial mobility.
The company’s initial strategy is centred on high-utilisation fleet applications where predictable routes and controlled operating environments can support the deployment of charging or battery-swapping infrastructure.
The upcoming Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar plant, meanwhile, is expected to provide the production base for Ampstar’s expanding truck and bus portfolio as JSW Greentech moves towards commercial manufacturing.
