Montra Electric, India’s full-spectrum electric commercial vehicle brand and the country’s first and leading electric tractor manufacturer, is expanding its footprint in the industrial material-handling sector with the deployment of seven E-45 electric tractors at Action TESA’s manufacturing facility in Visakhapatnam.
This deployment is another step towards the adoption of electric mobility in the medium density fiberboard (MDF) manufacturing industry, where sustainability, operational efficiency and resource optimization are emerging as key priorities.
This initiative puts Action TESA at the forefront of the change toward cleaner industrial operations, as it evaluates electric tractors as an alternative to traditional diesel-powered vehicles used for material movement and intra-facility logistics. The deployment will allow the company to assess the performance, use and suitability of the E-45 for its daily operational requirements, while furthering its broader sustainability objectives.
Montra Electric is actively engaging with the MDF and plywood manufacturing industries through deployment, demonstration and customer evaluation to demonstrate the potential of electric tractors in industrial applications. With growing interest in ESG-led manufacturing practices, the sector presents a significant opportunity for the adoption of electric mobility. The E-45 is designed to address applications involving routine material movement and short-distance transportation, demonstrating how electric tractors can be deployed beyond traditional agricultural use cases.
The main focus of the deployment will be the environmental and economic benefits of the transition from diesel-powered tractors. Based on the operational profile of the deployed vehicles, this change is expected to help ActionTESA save approximately 50,000 liters of diesel annually, avoid 131 tonnes of tailpipe CO₂ emissions annually and generate estimated operational cost savings of ₹ 40 lakh per year. These benefits will provide a concrete example of how electrification can support both sustainability commitments and operational efficiency in the manufacturing sector.
Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Jalaj Gupta, Managing Director, Montra Electric, said, “Sustainability is increasingly becoming an important consideration for manufacturers, and the transition to cleaner industrial operations requires solutions that deliver both environmental impact and operational performance. The MDF and plywood industry presents great potential for electric tractors, particularly in material movement and intra-facility logistics. Our association with ACTION TESA demonstrates that How E-45 can meet practical industrial needs and help businesses reduce their reliance on diesel. We see this as a significant opportunity to accelerate the adoption of electric mobility in the MDF sector and other manufacturing industries.
Mr. Vivek Jain, Managing Director, Action TESA and member of FIPPI (Federation of Indian Plywood and Panel Industry) said, “As a responsible manufacturer, sustainability is an important part of how we evaluate and improve our operations. We are looking for solutions that can reduce our dependence on diesel while providing the performance and reliability required for our material-handling requirements. The introduction of Montra Electric’s E-45 tractors is an important step in this direction. We look forward to evaluating their operational performance and potential benefits in terms of fuel savings and operating costs.”
The initial deployment consists of seven E-45 electric tractors, with Action TESA evaluating the potential for a phased expansion of its operations based on performance and operational suitability. The initiative also builds on Montra Electric’s extensive engagement with industrial customers, including deployment, demonstration and operational evaluations at several MDF and plywood manufacturing companies. So far Montra Electric has deployed 250 e-tractors of various types across various industries, covering a cumulative journey of 3.25 lakh km while avoiding 750 tonnes of tailpipe CO₂ so far.
With the E-45, Montra Electric is addressing emerging applications in industrial sectors including biomass handling, compressed biogas operations and MDF manufacturing. By demonstrating the feasibility of electric tractors in these use cases, the company aims to help manufacturers transition to more sustainable and efficient material-handling operations.