Piaggio Vehicles enters e-cargo three-wheeler segment Ape E-Xtra FX launch

MUMBAI: Small commercial vehicle maker Piaggio Vehicles on Tuesday entered in the electric cargo three-wheeler segment with the launch of Ape E-Xtra FX besides rolling out the 2021 version of its passenger e-three wheeler, Ape E-City.

Both the three-wheelers come with fixed battery and at an introductory showroom price of Rs 3.12 lakh and Rs 2.83 lakh (post FAME-II subsidy), Piaggio Commercial Vehicles Pvt Ltd (PVPL) Chairman and Managing Director, Diego Graffi, announced at the launch.

PVPL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Italian auto major, Piaggio Group.

Piaggio Vehicle had forayed into the e-three wheeler business in the domestic market in December 2019 with Ape E-City for the passenger segment with swappable battery.

"Post the launch of Ape' e-City with swappable technology in 2019, we are now introducing the fixed battery technology solutions to serve the varied needs of customers. This new FX range is a step in realising Piaggio's vision which aligns with the government's initiatives for mass adoption of EVs in India," said Graffi.

The Ape e-Xtra FX is equipped with a 9.5 kWh Lithium-ion battery and fitted with a six-feet cargo deck.

The vehicle is also customisable for applications such as delivery vans, garbage collectors, among others, the company said.

The two new vehicles also come with features such as blue vision headlamps, automatic transmission, hill hold assist, regenerative braking, multi-information instrument cluster and boost mode.

"We are launching the FX range after a detailed study covering the industry trends, customer aspirations and segment requirements. The FX range will cater to the needs of our customers, protect the environment," said Saju Nair, EVP and head of commercial vehicle business, Piaggio Vehicles.

The e-cargo three-wheeler will also cater to a host of other segments as well like e-commerce, gas cylinders, mineral water bottles and vegetables (transport) besides FMCG, the company said, claiming that with a running cost of less than 50 paise, it offers last mile goods movement at the most economical cost.

"The Piaggio Ape' Electrik FX range launch is a part of our strategic initiative to provide customers with unique solutions and a wider range to choose from based on specific applications.

"We are offering the Ape' E-Xtra with a 6-feet cargo deck and a delivery van option for customised applications. The zero emission and superior drive makes it the logical choice for last mile transport," said Malind Kapur, Senior Vice President at Piaggio Vehicles.

With the launch of Ape' Electrik FX range, Piaggio Vehicles has positioned itself as a fuel agnostic player in the country, offering vehicles in diesel, CNG, LPG, petrol and electric, he said.

The vehicles are covered with a 3 year/1-lakh kilometer “super warranty”.

In addition to this, the company is also offering a 3-year free maintenance package as an introductory offer to all its customers, Piaggio Vehicles said.