India 3-wheeler market takes an electric turn
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Every 90 seconds, an electric three-wheeler rolls off the production line at an Indian factory, underscoring a transformation that has made the country the largest market for battery-powered auto rickshaws.At a bustling plant run by Mahindra Last Mile Mobility (LMM), workers and robots fit cells into battery packs, attach body panels to metal frames and fix wheels into place, racing to meet demand for vehicles known for navigating the chaotic streets of the world's most populous country.Also Read: Electric vehicle sales jump 45% to 3,54,625 units in October, led by e-two wheelers and burgeoning demandIn September, more than one in two new three-wheelers sold in India was electric, compared with about 8.5% of cars and 11.6% of two-wheelers, reaffirming its position as the world's largest electric three-wheeler market."Our company has grown six times in its EV penetration in the last five years," said Mahindra LMM's chief executive Suman Mishra.She said adoption accelerated over the past two years as government subsidies, improving vehicle quality and falling operating costs combined to make ownership more attractive.E-rickshaws first appeared on New Delhi's streets more than a decade ago, often assembled in roadside workshops using Chinese-made batteries fitted to modified pedal-powered tricycles.But the sector has since eaten into the market for sturdier fossil-fuel-powered three-wheelers, becoming a major industry as manufacturers such as Mahindra expand their share.The shift has altered the look and sound of Indian cities. Across northern India, e-rickshaws now queue outside railway stations and bustling markets, replacing the thumping noise of traditional "tuk-tuks".Also Read: M&M bets on SUV growth, EV expansion and global aerospace orders to drive earningsFuel savingsMahindra is one of 15 finalists shortlisted for the environmental Earthshot Prize, to be awarded in Mumbai by Prince William on November 17.For many drivers, however, earnings outweigh the environmental benefits."Money is coming straight into my pocket," said Afroz Alam, a 31-year-old driver in Hyderabad who switched from a gas-powered model to an EV this year.The cost of charging his vehicle saves him several hundred rupees a day, helping him repay the loan he took out to buy the more expensive electric version."It may seem expensive, but then it levels out with the gas money you no longer have to pay," he told AFP.Analysts agree economics is the key driver of adoption, with falling battery costs and rising fuel prices widening the advantage of e-vehicles. Indian think-tank CEEW estimated in 2025 that petrol three-wheelers cost more than twice as much per kilometre to operate over their lifetime as EVs.
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