Ravi Chopra, chairman and managing director of Piaggio Vehicles, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Picture by Ramakant Kushwaha

New Delhi, Sept. 26: Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited, the local arm of the Italian automobile major, plans to introduce two mini trucks in India by 2010.

“One has to grow the platform (of four-wheelers). In the next two years we should be able to introduce variants of the sub-one-tonne truck ... The vision is to create another platform beyond the sub-one-tonne but less than two tonnes by 2010,” said Ravi Chopra, chairman and managing director of Piaggio Vehicles.

“We are going to develop more four-wheeler products and plan to be a full-range light commercial vehicle player,” he said.

Piaggio has already introduced its sub-one- tonne Ape Truk in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the pan-India rollout will be completed by March 2008, he said.

“Next year, we hope to introduce Ape Truk Plus, which will cater to the upper end of the sub-one-tonne segment,” said Chopra.

Piaggio today introduced the CNG version of its three-wheeler cargo carrier Ape CNG priced at Rs 1.4 lakh.

The company will launch the passenger version soon at a price of Rs 1.3 lakh.

On the three-wheeler segment, Chopra said the company was trying to maintain its leading position in the cargo carrier market. It enjoys about 44 per cent share of the business.

“The introduction of CNG vehicles is part of our strategy to cater to the growing demands in cities where the fuel is used,” he said.

Piaggio’s CNG three-wheelers will be launched in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Surat.

The company was looking at 15 per cent sales growth this year at 1.6 lakh units against 1.4 lakh units sold last year.

On whether the company would re-enter the two-wheeler segment, he said, “At present, our plate is full and we would like to concentrate on being the No.1 three-wheeler company.”

The company is investing 60 million euros in its Baramati facility for a three-wheeler diesel engine facility.

The facility, which will become operational by 2009, will have a capacity of 200,000 units a year.

“This plant will supply to our plants in India as well as of our parents in Italy. However, the priority will be the Indian market,” he said.