We’ve already said that Altigreen, a Bangalore-based start-up has been pushing for electric vehicles. The company has many OEMs as its clients and the latter approach them for electric vehicle solutions. Now recently, Altigreen showcased a demo electric three-wheeler. The latter is now production-ready and is undergoing final stages of testing. The ARAI certification happens in a few days from now. While the name has not been finalised yet, we assume Altigreen might go ahead with 90XT name, as it is relatable to the drivetrain. We’ve got some exclusive details on this upcoming product and its commercial launch.
The e-rickshaw is built on a new chassis and boasts a 9kW/48V electric motor that is paired with a 10kW Lithium Ferrophosphate battery. While the earlier range was claimed to be 150km, the production model, in real world will have close to 125km. Altigreen says that the charging time will be four hours, with 50 per cent of charge available in an hour. Unfortunately, there is no fast charging option available. The claimed top speed too is 53kmph. There are unique old-mixer/gas stove type knobs for changing the gear position. Altigreen has also given different riding modes like Eco and Boost, along with an all-digital instrument cluster with a blue backlight.
Altigreen has already got an order for 200 vehicles from an undisclosed company. Moreover, around three other companies too are in talks to order these e-rickshaws. Altigreen will commercially launch the three-wheeler sometime in January 2020. The price of the cargo e-rickshaw will be around Rs 3.50 lakh after the subsidies while the passenger version will be slightly more affordable. That looks a tad steep, however given that there is literally no other e-rickshaw that has this range, cargo as well as passenger carrying capacity in the market, it seems like a deal. Another bit that you get with this Altigreen vehicle is all-wheel disc brakes – a first for a rickshaw in India. 90 per cent localisation is achieved for this product with the battery being the only thing which is imported. Altigreen also promises an industry-best warranty, nearly double that of which established players offer.
The USP of this product is the savings it accords when compared to a conventional-fuelled vehicle. Altigreen says that they have kept the product real simple as well as have a similarity to other rickshaws in the market. This is because more often than not, if there is a damage to a part due to an accident, sourcing parts is much easier. It can also be done over the counter rather wait for the company to get it separately.
