Daimler AG licenses SUV technology to FORCE Motors

Being the early pioneers of the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Industry in India, Force Motors is best known for its iconic brands like the Tempo, Matador and Traveller, which continue to  provide reliable low cost public transportation to the Indian masses.

However, at the core of its dominance in this particular segment is the company’s long standing business relationship with German auto giant Daimler AG. Spanning four decades now, Daimler AG (then Daimler Benz AG) were shareholders in FORCE (then Bajaj Tempo Limited), and suppliers of the famous OM 616 engine that powered FORCE’s entire range of light commercial vehicles in India.

Although, Daimler AG no longer holds shares in FORCE Motors, its long standing relationship with the indigenous commerical and light uitlity vehicle maker has now been further strenghtened. FORCE Motors Limited recently (25th July) signed a License Agreement with Daimler for the comprehensive supply of product technology, which in turn will facilitate its entry into the segment of passenger and goods vehicles in India.

Incidentally, Daimler had earlier licensed a modern 2.2 litre common rail engine, the OM 611 to FORCE Motors, which it is still using in its Traveller range of vehicles. An up rated version of this engine will see duty in the soon to be launched,  ‘FORCE ONE’  SUV, that will become the first ever Force Motors branded SUV to be sold in the country. Similar variants of this modern engine will also be adopted by the company for installation in a new MPV, for which a licence is being obtained.

Apart from this, FORCE also has an on-going arrangement with MBtech Powertrain GmbH (MBtech), for sourcing technical assistance in regard to engine installation, vehicle build quality, electronic refinement, etc. Mbtech Powertrain GmbH (Mbtech) will  also aid FORCE Motor’s development of the new MPV, that will take effect after the sanction of a new technical licence.

FORCE Motors is currently in a dialogue with the Madhya Pradesh Government on a location for its new manufacutring facility at Pithampur, where it plans to begin the production of its new MPV at the end of the year with an initial capacity of approximately 24,000 vehicles per annum.