On the 28th of September, 2025, Montra Electric under the Murugappa Group launched the Montra Rhino 5538 EV 4×2 TT. A major step forward for India’s electric commercial vehicle market. Manufactured from their Manesar plant. This truck is set to revolutionize freight hauling through advanced technology and eco-friendly design.
Major Features of the Montra Rhino 5538 EV
The Rhino 5538 EV is a heavy-duty player in the electric truck market, designed for heavy-duty long-distance operation. Some of its notable features are:
- Powerful Battery System: Fitted with a 282 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery that generates 380 HP and 2000 Nm torque.
- Range: Has a heavy-duty driving range of about 198 km per full charge.
- Transmission and Build: Equipped with a 6-speed automated manual transmission. A robust heavy-duty frame carrying a 55-ton gross combination weight.
- Battery Variants: Offered in fixed-battery as well as pioneering swappable battery variants, meeting diverse operational requirements.
Battery Swapping Innovation
The most thrilling feature of the Rhino 5538 EV is the battery swapping technology, reducing vehicle downtime significantly:
- Battery replacement is accomplished in under six minutes, shorter than the standard one-hour fast charging.
- The swap points incorporate a ‘7+1 configuration’ supporting more than 160 swaps every day.
- Consistently designed to accommodate trucks with trailers and swap batteries economically via a drive-through setup.
- This battery swapping infrastructure has the potential to revolutionize fleet operations by enhancing vehicle utilization and operational efficiency.
Montra Rhino 5538 EV: Pricing and Support
Fixed-battery model costs ₹1.15 crore (ex-factory) and competes in the heavy commercial electric vehicle market. Montra Electric also backs customers with:
- A full 10-year or 9 lakh km Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC).
- A 95% uptime assurance.
- Tailor-made financing options to facilitate adoption by fleet operators.
- Advanced telematics for real-time tracking of vehicles.
Manufacturing and Industry Impact
In parallel with the truck launch. Montra Electric opened a women-majority operated automated battery factory. The plant employs robotic conveyor systems and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). To increase efficiency and produce major EV components locally.
Arun Murugappan, Montra Electric Chairman, “Battery swapping and niche heavy-duty EVs such as the Rhino 5538. Opens up new horizons for eco-friendly logistics in India.”
ELCTRIK Speaks
This launch makes India a pioneer in heavy electric vehicle technology and solves operational issues. Such as charging time and truck uptime, which have constrained EV penetration in freight transportation hitherto.
