If Ashok Leyland seals the deal, the company would become one of the few Indian commercial‑vehicle makers to own a battery‑cell factory.
The proposed plant would sit in Bhandara, a part of Vidarbha that the government is pushing as a logistics hub, thanks to its dry port and an expanding rail‑road network.
Union Road‑Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari flagged the region’s “friendly atmosphere” and urged firms to set up HQs there, echoing Mahindra’s own ₹15‑crore‑plus plant that is already under construction.
A local battery plant would cut import bills for batteries that currently cost 70% of a commercial EV’s value, and could spur a ripple of ancillary suppliers in the area.
The company has not yet set a concrete timeline, but industry insiders say a feasibility study could be wrapped up in the next six months, with construction following if the project clears approvals.
Buyers of Ashok Leyland’s electric buses and trucks will be watching closely, as the plant could translate into lower prices, faster deliveries, and a stronger domestic supply chain.