Mahindra Launches Electric Three-wheeler at Rs 1.44 lakh

Bengaluru-headquartered Mahindra Electric Mobility has launched its new electric three-wheeler e-Alfa Cargo, priced at Rs 1.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The launch of the e-Alfa Cargo marks the company’s entry into the rapidly growing e-cart segment, said Mahindra.

Formerly known as the Reva Electric Car Company, Mahindra e-Mobility’s EV portfolio also includes 3w Treo, sedan eVerito, passenger and cargo van eSupro, rickshaw eAlfa Mini, and car e₂oPlus.

“The last-mile delivery segment is seeing excellent adoption of electric 3-wheelers due to significant operating cost advantages versus fuel-powered 3-wheelers. We are now launching the e-Alfa Cargo e-cart in response to the customer requirements in this segment,” Mahindra Electric Mobility CEO Suman Mishra said in a statement.

With savings of Rs 60,000 over a diesel cargo 3-wheeler, e-Alfa Cargo aims to provide a sustainable and pollution-free solution in the cargo segment, he added.

The new electric three-wheeler released by Mahindra comes with a payload of 310 kg and can cover a distance of 80 km. The model has a peak power of 1.5kW, allowing the vehicle to reach a top speed of 25 km/h. Further, e-Alfa Cargo has an off-board 48 V/15 A charger. Charging the vehicle is as easy as charging a mobile phone, claims the company.

The launch comes at a time when India is looking forward to converting 30 per cent of all wheels on roads into electric by 2030. Although the 3W cargo space is just picking up pace in the Indian EV industry, it’s believed that these will soon rule the retail business for its high feasibility for small loads, better mileage, and a reasonable yet affordable prices.

Major players in this segment currently include Etrio, Piaggio, and Omega Seiki, among others. Even Amazon India and Flipkart have announced a partnership with leading EV manufacturers to deploy electric delivery vehicles as part of their target to include 10,000 EVs by 2025 and 25000 EVs by 2030, in their delivery fleets, respectively.

However. high upfront cost of EVs and lack of convenient and affordable charging solutions are among the major barriers in accelerating EV adoption, including that of e-carts.