Guwahati: Electric auto-rickshaws, which are typically blue in colour, are selling quite well in Assam and especially in Guwahati, the financial epicenter of the entire Northeastern region.
A Piaggio Auto showroom situated at Jonali in Guwahati said they sell 25-30 autos monthly. That is indeed an impressive number, considering each auto carries a hefty price tag of around Rs 3.8 lakh - enough to buy an entry-level car in India. The manager of the showroom told Business NorthEast, "The EV autos are a bit on the expensive side. However, many people, especially the youth seem eager to purchase them as maintenance cost is lower." The traditional autorickshaws in the country normally run on petrol, CNG, or diesel - all costlier alternatives to simply charging the EV's battery.
"To charge up the battery fully, one has to spend around Rs 55-60 in electricity tariffs", said the manager. Once charged fully, the vehicles can cover over 150km.
Another showroom in the Lalmati area of the city reported a similar story.
The Indian electric vehicle (EV) industry experienced record sales in FY2024, with every second unit sold being a zero-emission model. Mahindra Last Mile Mobility remains the market leader with a 10% share, followed by YC EV and Saera Electric. Bajaj Auto is the dark horse for FY2025, with sales of 10,886 EVs and a 2 percent market share in just 10 months.
The transition to e-mobility is the fastest in the EV segment, with two and three-wheelers contributing to the industry's success. India surpassed China to become the world's largest market for electric three-wheelers, recording over 580,000 sales in 2023, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reported.
Strong double-digit growth has been witnessed throughout FY2024, with e-three-wheelers accounting for 54% of total retail. CNG-only models accounted for 30% of two three-wheeler sales, while demand for diesel three-wheelers is down at 132,120 units.
The electric auto rickshaw comes under the L5 category and the Tom Tom vehicles are L3 category.
Earlier this year, the Indian government announced the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS), 2024, to encourage the sale of electric two and three-wheelers. The Centre allocated Rs 500 crores for the new scheme. According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the scheme aims for a faster adoption of electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers to provide further impetus to the green mobility and development of the EV manufacturing eco-system in the country.
FIRST Business Portal addressing the potential of business capability of North East Region.
