The Force Traveller is a light commercial vehicle built on a monocoque platform by Force Motors of Pune, India. It is sold for both passenger and cargo work, with the passenger version seating between 9 and 25 people, and it has been in production since 1987, when it appeared as the Tempo Traveller.
Force Traveller at a glance
| Maker | Force Motors Ltd, Pune, India |
|---|---|
| Production | since 1987 |
| Original name | Tempo Traveller, renamed Force Traveller in 2005 |
| Layout | monocoque light commercial vehicle |
| Seating | 9–25 seats in the passenger version |
| Body styles | van, minibus, school bus, staff bus, ambulance, delivery van |
| Air conditioning | non-AC and AC versions |
| Widths | regular and wider version from 2012 |
| Engine | Mercedes-Benz derived 2.6-litre FM 2.6 CR, diesel or CNG |
| Diesel output | 85 kW (114 hp) at 2950 rpm, 350 Nm at 1400–2200 rpm |
| Earlier engines | Mercedes-Benz OM616 |
| Built at | Pithampur plant, Madhya Pradesh |
History of the Force Traveller
The vehicle was launched in 1987 as the Tempo Traveller, and it remained under that name until 2005, when the company was renamed Force Motors and the van’s branding was updated to Force Traveller. Force Motors had set up a new plant at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh in 1987 specifically for its production, and the plant was designed and built to Daimler-Benz specifications.
Over the years the range was widened rather than replaced. A wider version of the Traveller was introduced in 2012, the same year the company launched the Traveller 26, a monocoque panel van seating 26 people that was designed entirely in-house and came with disc brakes on all four wheels as well as ABS and EBD.
The Traveller became one of the most familiar commercial vehicles on Indian roads, used as a share taxi, staff bus, school bus, ambulance and delivery van. Force Motors describes itself as India’s largest van maker, and the Traveller is the model most closely associated with the company.
Design and features
- Monocoque construction: a light commercial vehicle built as a single stressed body rather than on a separate chassis.
- Wide seating range: from 9 to 25 seats, in air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned forms.
- Many roles: the same basic vehicle is sold as a minibus, school bus, staff bus, ambulance, quick response vehicle and delivery van.
- Mercedes-derived engine: the current 2.6-litre FM 2.6 CR unit is offered in diesel and CNG form, with a 350 Nm torque figure.
Force Traveller versions
- Tempo Traveller (1987–2005): the original model, powered in its early years by the Mercedes-Benz OM616 engine.
- Force Traveller (from 2005): the same vehicle under the company’s new brand name.
- Wider Traveller (2012): a broader body for more seating and luggage space.
- Traveller 26 (2012): in-house monocoque panel van for 26 people, with all-round disc brakes, ABS and EBD.
- Ambulance and school bus conversions: factory-built derivatives for emergency and school transport.
The Traveller’s small commercial stablemate in the range was the Force Minidor. More Force vehicles are in the Force collection.
Sources
- Force Traveller, English Wikipedia: layout, seating, engines, launch and rebranding dates
- Force Motors, English Wikipedia: Pithampur plant, company history, Traveller 26
