Tata Unveils Light-Duty Cargo Truck

Tata Motors Ltd. has launched a new lightweight cargo truck, the Ace Mega, to defend its market share in India against rivals Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra, Bloomberg News reports.

The 431,000-rupee ($6,500) Ace Mega has a capacity of less than one ton. The truck is being rolled out across India through September. Tata currently controls three-quarters of the Indian market for trucks that can carry two tons or less.

Small-truck sales have been shrinking for months, plunging 18% in April-July. But Tata predicts an upturn driven by economic growth and an increasing need to replace older vehicles.

Bloomberg notes that Mahindra has hiked sales of its small trucks jump 23% in the same period after it introduced a new model, the Jeeto, in June. Suzuki Maruti plans to debut a competing one-ton truck later this year.