India’s bus and commercial vehicle industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with electrification, lightweighting, sustainability and advanced manufacturing technologies reshaping the sector. As bus manufacturers move towards electric mobility, coating technologies are also evolving to meet new requirements related to durability, aesthetics, energy efficiency and vehicle weight. In a conversation with Bus Coach India, Dr. Prameela Susarla, Vice President and Managing Director, Axalta India, discusses the company’s growing focus on bus and commercial vehicle coatings and its role as a technology partner to leading OEMs. Axalta is working closely with major bus manufacturers in India to develop high-performance coating solutions that offer premium finishes, durability and lower total operating costs. The company is also focusing on low-temperature curing technologies, FRP-compatible coatings and lightweighting solutions, which can be particularly important for electric buses by helping improve efficiency and driving range. Alongside this, Axalta is expanding its work in water-based coatings, motor insulation and battery assembly materials as the industry moves towards e-mobility. With a dedicated R&D laboratory in Gujarat and around 60 professionals developing solutions for Indian operating conditions, Axalta is combining global expertise with India-specific innovation. Dr. Susarla explains how the company is preparing for the next generation of buses through technology, sustainability and close collaboration with OEMs.
Q. How do you see the bus and coach commercial vehicle industry for Axalta in the coatings segment?
Dr. Prameela Susarla: As you know, we are the number one supplier of bus coatings in India and also have a leading position globally in commercial vehicle coatings. The commercial vehicle segment is extremely important for us. In India, particularly in the bus segment, we have been seeing strong growth and we are committed to providing premium finishes, high durability and the best total operating cost. This continues to be one of our most important thrust areas in the mobility space. The bus industry is also evolving towards e-mobility, and we are ready with coating solutions specifically designed for this transition. For example, our coatings are designed to cure at lower temperatures and are highly compatible with fibre-reinforced plastic, or FRP, substrates. FRP gives bus manufacturers greater flexibility in terms of design and aesthetics, while also helping reduce vehicle weight. In electric vehicles, lightweighting is particularly important because it can help improve driving range. Our low-temperature curing coatings offer a combination of aesthetic appeal, compatibility with FRP and lower energy consumption during the painting process. This enables e-mobility companies to achieve their sustainability and efficiency goals. We are ready to partner with bus OEMs as they drive these innovations forward.
Q. Have you signed any MoUs or entered into specific partnerships with bus OEMs for these technologies?
Dr. Prameela Susarla: We continue to work closely with our customers and form partnerships wherever required. We work with some of the biggest bus manufacturers in India. When you see a Volvo bus, you see Axalta coatings. We also supply coatings to Ashok Leyland, Switch Mobility and Tata Motors, among other major manufacturers. We are very closely integrated with these customers. Our teams work with customers on a daily basis and are present at their manufacturing plants, where we also support the operation of their paint lines. So, our relationship with these manufacturers goes beyond simply supplying paint. We work closely with them to optimise the complete painting process.
Q. What kind of colour requirements are you seeing from customers?
Dr. Prameela Susarla: We can supply virtually any colour our customers require. Customers today are increasingly looking for distinctive colours and finishes that help their vehicles stand out.
For example, the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation wanted a bright orange colour for its buses. We are now painting around 1,800 buses in that distinctive orange shade. We also offer what is sometimes referred to as a travelling colour effect. It is similar to the double-shade effect that you may have seen in traditional fabrics. Depending on the viewing angle, the colour appears to change and creates a different visual effect. Whatever our customers require, we work with them on styling and design to provide aesthetically pleasing finishes while maintaining high performance and durability.
Q. What kind of technology and innovation is Axalta bringing into coatings to meet the changing requirements of OEMs?
Dr. Prameela Susarla: Globally, Axalta is a leader in colour performance. Developing a colour may appear simple, but there is significant technology behind it. Our capability in developing colours is one of our key strengths. Colour is not limited to a basic shade. It can involve metallic effects, pearl finishes and even opalescent effects. We have strong capabilities in developing these advanced finishes for automotive applications. The second important area is performance. Every asset owner wants a bus or commercial vehicle to last for a long time. A high-quality coating protects the vehicle from corrosion and helps extend the life of the asset. We continuously work to improve the durability of our coatings. At the same time, the finish needs to look premium. If you look at a Volvo bus, for example, you can see how high-end and premium the finish can be while also delivering durability. Another important consideration is the quantity of paint used and the energy required during the curing process. We work with manufacturers to optimise paint usage and reduce consumption. A bus is placed inside an oven during the painting process and the oven has to be heated to cure the coating. Our technology allows manufacturers to cure coatings at lower temperatures, which can significantly reduce energy consumption. Energy has become a critical consideration for industries around the world. Anything we can do to help our customers save energy makes their operations greener and supports our objective of providing sustainable solutions. So, our focus is on performance, aesthetics, durability and energy savings. At the same time, we are continuously innovating across other functional parameters as mobility evolves.
Q. How is Axalta preparing its coating technologies for electric buses and e-mobility?
Dr. Prameela Susarla: As e-mobility becomes increasingly important, we are developing solutions specifically for the requirements of electric vehicles. Today, while much of the bus body and vehicle manufacturing is taking place in India, some critical components are still imported, including motors and battery packs. As companies invest in localising the production of these components, Axalta will be ready with the required materials and technologies. For example, we provide motor insulation materials that can help extend motor life. We also supply battery assembly materials that support the development of reliable battery systems and battery compartments. These are some of the innovations we are bringing as mobility transitions from traditional internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles.
Q. Is Axalta also working on water-based coatings to reduce environmental impact?
Dr. Prameela Susarla: Absolutely. One of the areas we are working on is water-based coatings. If you look at a conventional paint shop using solvent-based coatings, workers can be exposed to solvents and some of those solvents can be released into the atmosphere. Globally, the industry is increasingly moving towards water-based coatings. In China, for example, the industry is moving towards water-based paint, while the automotive industry in Europe is also making that transition. We are ready to move with the industry towards water-based coatings. In India, we already supply water-based coatings for our refinish business. For example, when a car is damaged and taken to a body shop, only a particular section may need to be repaired and painted. The challenge is to ensure that the repaired section blends perfectly with the rest of the vehicle so that the repair is virtually indistinguishable. That is the kind of finish we provide through our refinish business. The same innovations that we have developed in refinish, where we have a strong global position, are also being brought into our mobility and bus business. We are working with customers to reduce volatile organic compounds and solvent usage while increasing the adoption of water-based coatings.
Q. How important is R&D for Axalta’s India operations?
Dr. Prameela Susarla: R&D is extremely important to us. We have a manufacturing facility as well as a dedicated laboratory in Gujarat. Our teams work closely with customers to understand where the industry is heading. They look at what companies such as Volvo, Mahindra and Tata Motors are developing and what their future requirements will be. Based on those insights, our scientists develop technologies that meet and, wherever possible, exceed those future requirements. We have around 60 people working in our laboratory at Savli on solutions specifically for Indian customers and Indian operating conditions. The requirements in India can be very different from those in other markets. For example, European roads and operating conditions may require different levels of abrasion and scratch resistance. Indian roads can be more demanding, so certain products need to offer higher abrasion resistance. Our teams in India develop coatings specifically for these local requirements. This allows us to provide solutions that are tailored to Indian customers rather than simply adapting products developed for other markets. At the same time, we work closely with our global R&D network. Our major global R&D centre is in Philadelphia in the US, where hundreds of scientists are working on next-generation technologies for customers around the world. We remain closely connected with that global research organisation while continuing to conduct R&D in India for the specific needs of the Indian market.
Q. How do you see Axalta’s role as India’s bus industry moves towards electric mobility?
Dr. Prameela Susarla: We see ourselves as a technology partner to the industry. The transition towards electric mobility is not only about the powertrain. It changes requirements across the entire vehicle, including materials, lightweighting, thermal considerations, battery systems, motor components and manufacturing processes. Our role is to bring coating and material technologies that help OEMs address these new requirements while improving durability, aesthetics, energy efficiency and sustainability. We are already working closely with leading bus manufacturers in India and will continue to invest in technologies that support their transition towards safer, lighter, more efficient and more sustainable mobility.