There are about 51 electric three-wheeler manufacturers in India as per the data of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Of this a good number of companies could be termed as startups. They are young and dynamic. They are technologically very well oriented and belong to the 400 startups that are estimated to be currently operating the auto sector. 

Perhaps the most vibrant and diverse with a unique mix of entrepreneurs and technologists as part of the core team, the electric three-wheeler manufacturers seem better poised to grow because of their ability to understand and address the various segments on the passenger side as well as the cargo side. 

There’s competition from the unorganised sector, the products of which – mainly catering to last mile passenger segments – are found in many cities of North India such as Amritsar and old parts of Delhi. 

To add excitement to an already happening category in the Indian automotive market, US-based Biliti Electric Inc (Biliti) will conduct ‘ground breaking’ ceremony for its electric three-wheeler plant on the road that connects Hyderabad and Zaheerabad on 05 October 2023. 

A young company that was founded in 2021 in California, Biliti is a growing global mobility player guided by a clear mission to provide smart, efficient and affordable electric mobility solutions, as per the description on its website. 

Buoyed by the rising preference for electric vehicles and the way they seem poised to shape urban mobility and the cities of tomorrow, the American company engaged in the development of future-proof technologies will produce 240,000 units every year, according to sources aware of the development. The current plan is to make electric three-wheelers, they add.  

Stating that the plant would be the world’s largest of its kind, the sources mention that the investment towards it is roughly USD 150 million. The ‘ground-breaking ceremony’ will be done at the hands of the Telangana Chief Minister K C Rao in the presence of government officials and members of the senior management of the company, the sources inform.  

While the Biliti factory in Telangana is expected to provide employment to 3,000 people, it is also indicative of how the manufacturers are finding it worth making electric three-wheelers rather than electric two-wheelers or electric four-wheelers. The target audience or buyer/operator of a three-wheeler is grounded and knowledge enough to understand that suits his application needs in terms of the TCO, mentioned an industry observer. IT is therefore that companies like Omega Seiki, Euler and Altigreen has chosen to build electric three-wheeler over other types of electric vehicles, he added. 

The B2B nature of electric three-wheeler business is perhaps the reason why so many unorganised players are a part of it, albeit at a different level. Many of them are job shops with far less investment than the startups. 

The legacy players in the electric three-wheeler market and figuring in the list of SIAM (Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers) are of the deep pocket variety. Those such as Bajaj Auto Ltd, Mahindra Electric (an arm of Mahindra & Mahindra) and TVS Motor Company are well diversified and technologically well entrenched. They are also well entrenched in areas like supply chain, manufacturing infrastructure and abilities, etc. 

If the lower entry barrier in the EV space has attracted new and young players in the three-wheeler category, the legacy players are fast closing the gap. It is somewhat like what is happening in the electric two-wheeler space, the industry observer mentioned. He drew attention to how white spaces or segment gaps in this space are also being plugged. 

Manufacturers like Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland are offering electric four-wheel light trucks to change the dynamics of the electric three-wheeler market the way it happened with the launch of the Tata Ace in 2005, he explained. 

The competition is turning complex and it is essential therefore that electric three-wheeler manufacturers up the ante by employing more advanced technology; by offering superior TCO than their vehicles currently offer and give more bang for the money that the buyer is ready to pay them. 

Among the young electric three-wheeler manufacturers, the likes of Altigreen, E-Trio, Omega Seiki and Euler Motors seem to be better placed to sustain and grow despite the competition from legacy players. The game seems to be about who offers the best TCO with the aid of technology. Incentives don’t seem to be a helping only to a point after looking at how the FAME Phase II policy was restructured for electric two-wheelers a few months ago. 

The Government is keen to make electric vehicles in the country grow but does not seem to be in favour of much incentivisation like China did to make its EV industry rise. The PLI scheme for batteries is a welcome initiative though. 

The effect of restructuring the subsidy for electric two-wheelers is not hidden. Their sales over the last few months have very well indicated it. The effect may be temporary, the fact is the Indian vehicle buyer is highly cost conscious. 

The TCO factor matters most in the case of electric three-wheelers therefore. It is either the deal maker or deal breaker. To ensure a superior TCO is absolutely necessary. A lot of homework in this direction is yet to done.  

The beauty is that some of the young and dynamic players have already acknowledged this and are silently working in that direction. They are leveraging the advantage of lower break even. The legacy players are well versed with the superior TCO factor and working in that direction too. The gap is expected to close between the legacy players and the young and newer players sooner than later. Such a development is already visible in the case of electric two-wheelers. 

While technology, engineering, manufacturing, quality, durability, pricing, supply chain management and value chain management are some of the factors that will play a key role in shaping the future of electric three-wheelers, a prominent factor will be how co-operations work and are nurtured. 

Co-operations will be extremely important for electric three-wheelers to succeed in a competitive market place where there is the pressure to reach the market early, stay exciting, frugal and technologically intensive. 

While even the young electric three-wheeler companies have figured the art of sustenance and growth besides acquiring the necessary resources, engaging skilled manpower, supply chain partners and expanding their reach in the market, regulatory and technology changes will remain a constant. 

The Government, it is clear, is looking at the EV industry to reduce tailpipe emissions. With companies such as BYD, Avatr and Changan of China set to flood the European markets with electric cars that are on par with what some of the best-known electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla can offer at a price that is significantly lower, the unique status of the Indian EV market as the world’s largest micro mobility market in the making has the electric three-wheeler market in good stead.  

The definition of electric micro mobility is defined as vehicles weighing less than 2.5-tonne. Most of the electric three-wheelers as the contributor to Indian EV market’s growth as the world’s largest micro mobility market are well defined in the last mile delivery segment as e-commerce players among others exert to reduce their carbon footprint. The excitement lies is what lays beyond the application areas that have already been addressed. 

The semi-urban and rural markets are the ones that electric three-wheelers will next go to it looks like. As they do, yet another phase of strong growth and excitement will be unleashed.

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Ahmedabad-based electric two-wheeler brand Avore Electric launched its first electric motorcycle – the Avore Electric EX at prices starting at INR 124,999 (ex-showroom).

The e-motorcycle is available in three variants – the EX 2S, EX 2 and EX 1. The model range was developed over three years using the company's indigenous AVORE Source technology stack and AVR vehicle platform. The development process involved over 120 intellectual property filings across nine vehicle systems, including the battery management system, motor controller, onboard charger and operating system.

The EVs use a rare-earth-free Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) with peak power output ranging between 7.5 kW and 10.5 kW depending on the variant, while all three models produce 250 Nm of peak wheel torque.

The EX 2S attains a claimed top speed of 114 kmph, whereas the EX 2 and EX 1 reach top speeds of 100 kmph. The powertrain utilises an integrated motor and swingarm structure to manage chassis balance and weight distribution.

The EX 2S and EX 2 carry IDC-certified range ratings of 260 km and 255 km respectively, while the EX 1 carries an IDC-certified range rating of 160 km. All variants include a 1500W onboard charger compatible with standard 5A and 15A domestic sockets, charging the battery from 20 per cent to 80 percent in two hours and reaching a full charge in a claimed four hours. The battery pack is homologated by NATRAX, and the battery management system is validated by ICAT.

Software systems integrated into the platform include the AVORE SENSE operating system, an artificial intelligence (AI) companion named Avore Synapse and an automatic manual gear mode. The platform complies with AIS 156 and AIS 038 safety standards and underwent 100,000 km of road testing alongside 2,500 hours of dynamometer testing prior to commercial introduction.

Priyank Rakholiya, Founder, Avore Electric, said, "We dedicated three years to research, development, testing, and validation before the launch of the EX so as to ensure class-leading engineering and innovation. We are ensuring global-levels of safety and performance, while pushing the frontiers of Indian-developed electric mobility technology stacks that deliver reliability, consistency, and economic viability. Our goal is to improve adoption and accessibility to world-class electric mobility solutions for every Indian and we are confident that the EX is just the start of our journey towards that direction."

Bookings for the EX series have opened on the manufacturer's website at an initial reservation amount of INR 799, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin in two months. The battery pack is supplied with a 5-year or 60,000 km warranty.

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Energy In Motion, a provider of integrated electric mobility solutions for long-haul freight transportation, has executed an agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation to establish and operate charging and battery swapping infrastructure for heavy commercial vehicles at retail outlets across India.

As per the understanding, Energy In Motion will deploy swap-and-charge hubs on freight corridors including Mumbai–Pune, Delhi–Jaipur and Chennai–Bangalore over the next 18 to 24 months. These stations will support vehicles such as the Ashwa 55-tonne e-tractor, providing battery exchange capability in 7 minutes.

Energy In Motion manages battery inventory and hardware, while Hindustan Petroleum Corporation provides space and utilities across its network of over 25,000 retail outlets.

Narendra Murkumbi, Managing Director, Energy In Motion, said, “Charging infrastructure succeeds or fails on reliability. Working with HPCL allows us to place charging and swapping where drivers already stop – sites with power, space, amenities, safety systems and staff on duty. Combining our battery and fleet expertise with HPCL’s nationwide retail network lets us build dependable swap-and-charge hubs on the corridors that carry India’s freight and to do it at the pace the transition demands.”

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Hero MotoCorp's electric mobility brand, VIDA, has made its international market entry into Nepal through a partnership with CG Motors.

The launch was announced by Kausalya Nandakumar, Chief Business Officer, Emerging Mobility Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp and Nirvana Chaudhary, Managing Director, Chaudhary Group.

The introduction features the VIDA VX2 Evooter range – comprising the VX2 Plus and VX2 Go variants – alongside the VIDA DIRT.E K3 youth off-roader. The VX2 Plus features a 4.4 kWh setup, delivering a 140 km range and a top speed of 90 kmph, while the VX2 Go uses a 2.2 kWh battery with a 75 km range. The DIRT.E K3 is an electric off-roader equipped with a 350W motor and app-based parental controls.

Kausalya Nandakumar said, “This launch marks a proud and defining moment as VIDA goes global. We are thrilled to take the very best of our engineering and design capabilities beyond India, starting with Nepal, a strategically crucial market where riders are quickly adopting smart electric mobility. The VIDA VX2 EVOOTER range and the VIDA DIRT.E K3 are built to redefine the future of mobility, and through our collaboration with CG Motors, we are ensuring that the Nepalese customers have access to premium, reliable, and technologically advanced riding experience.”

Nirvana Chaudhary added, “The entry of VIDA perfectly aligns with Nepal's shift towards sustainable mobility. By offering advanced electric products & solutions tailored for both, everyday commuters and the next generation of riders, this product launch redefines our two-wheeler landscape. CG Motors is proud to strengthen its partnership with Hero MotoCorp and partner with VIDA to drive our nation's green transition forward."

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Pune-headquartered electric commercial vehicle manufacturer EKA Mobility has announced that Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar, recently flagged off 15 EKA Mobility electric buses in Zanzibar. The commercial operations for the e-buses is scheduled to begin on 1 August 2026.

The deployment forms part of an initial order of 35 e-buses, with the fleet expected to expand to 150 units by the end of the year.

EKA Mobility is collaborating with Global Rapid Transport and the Zanzibar Social Security Fund to train local personnel in vehicle operations, maintenance and safety systems.

Vijay Yelne, President – Export Marketing & SCM, EKA Mobility, said, "The launch of Zanzibar's first electric bus fleet is a strong validation of EKA's technology and our ability to deliver world-class electric mobility solutions beyond India. It demonstrates that products designed and manufactured in India can successfully meet the evolving mobility needs of international markets. This is another step in taking Indian engineering to the world, and we see Africa as a key growth market in EKA's global expansion journey."

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