EKA Mobility Plans ₹1,000-Crore R&D Investment and 40,000-Unit Capacity by 2030

Electric commercial vehicle maker EKA Mobility has announced plans to invest ₹1,000 crore in research and development over the next four to five years. The announcement was shared by founder and chairman Sudhir Mehta as the company looks to expand its domestic and international manufacturing footprint.

Manufacturing Expansion and Inauguration

The Pune-based firm recently inaugurated six new manufacturing plants spread across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. According to the company, this addition brings its total annual production capacity to 40,000 vehicles.

• Small commercial vehicles: 24,000 units
• Buses: 10,000 units
• Trucks: 6,000 units

The inauguration ceremony saw participation from several dignitaries, including Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Financial Backing and Strategic Partnerships

EKA is a subsidiary of automotive components manufacturer Pinnacle Industries and has received a cumulative investment of ₹3,500 crore to date. The company's strategic partners include Japan’s Mitsui & Co and Netherlands-based VDL Groep. Additionally, EKA is a registered Champion OEM under the central government's Automotive Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

Market Reach and Export Ambitions

Currently, EKA reports an order book exceeding 11,000 buses valued at $1.7 billion, deployed across 14 states. It has also retailed more than 1,500 electric small commercial vehicles across India for passenger mobility and goods transport. Internationally, the company maintains a presence in Zanzibar and Nepal, with targets to increase export volumes to between 20% and 30% of total sales through expansion into African markets such as Ghana, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

Industry Challenges

While outlining growth targets, Mr. Mehta highlighted financing limitations as a primary constraint for faster electric commercial vehicle adoption. The company has suggested policy measures such as priority sector lending or targeted interest subventions to ease capital availability.

Readers can verify company announcements and financial updates through official corporate filings, government PLI scheme dashboards, or verified press releases from EKA Mobility and Pinnacle Industries.