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      Tata Electric Bus First Batch Delivered To BEST In Mumbai

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      Tata Electric Bus
      Tata Motors begins delivery of Gross Cost Contract (GCC) electric bus service to BEST

      Today Tata Motors delivered 26 electric buses to Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). This starts the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) electric bus service to BEST. Part of the larger order of 340 electric buses from BEST under GoI’s FAME II initiative, the remainder of the order will be delivered in a phased manner as per schedule. This is the largest order from a metro city for Gross Cost Contract under FAME II initiative.
      The 25-seater Tata Ultra Urban 9/9 electric AC buses were flagged off at an event at Nariman Point, Mumbai. Tata Motors is charged with building, deploying, maintaining and operating end to end charging infra, and buses across Backbay, Worli, Malvani and Shivaji Nagar bus depots.
      Uddhav Thackeray flagging off the event
      One Tata initiative
      Tata Power is charged with maintaining upstream and downstream electrical facilities including supplies. and is responsible for bus charging facility. Tata Auto Components charged with collaborations, design, development, sourcing and supply of select components to Tata Motors.
      Girish Wagh, President, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said, Tata Motors is delighted to have delivered the first 26 of the 340 electric buses for the city of Mumbai. The buses have been specially designed keeping the comfort and convenience of Mumbaikars including a “lift mechanism” for differently abled travellers. Tata Motors’ global standards of manufacturing processes and vehicle development centres have helped in innovating and leading the electric mobility solutions from the front. We will continue to play a proactive role in the government’s electrification drive.”
      25-seater Tata Ultra Urban 9/9 electric AC buses delivered to BEST
      Tata Ultra Urban AC electric buses
      The 25-seater Tata Ultra Urban AC electric buses optimise driver and passenger comfort, and is an environmentally-friendly mass mobility solution for Bombay. Lift Mechanism extends an automated ramp for easy ingress and egress of specially abled passengers. Seats are ergonomic, and interiors spacious. Passenger utility conveniences include charging ports, WiFi hotspot, and wide entry and exit passages.
      Systems in use include Intelligent Transport System (ITS), telematics system, regenerative braking system, amongst other inclusions for efficient and smooth operations. The buses have been tested in Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Assam and Maharashtra for its performance prowess in diverse terrains.
      Under FAME I initiative, Tata Motors supplied 215 electric buses in 5 cities across India. Collectively, the buses have clocked more than 4 million kilometres. This has helped acquire timely and necessary data and stats that the company can glean important insights from to further innovate and upgrade the electric bus product portfolio.
      Tata Motors has received orders from several state transport units (STUs) in FAME phase II. The order book includes 60 buses from AJL, 100 buses from Jaipur City Transport Services Limited and 300 buses by BEST in Mumbai. Tata Motors has also delivered 25 hybrid buses to MMRDA. More

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      Mahindra Treo Zor Electric Cargo Three Wheeler Launch Price Rs 2.73 L

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      Mahindra Treo Zor Electric
      The Mahindra Treo Zor has a best-in-class payload capacity of 550 kg and can go 125 km on a full charge

      Mahindra has augmented its fast growing Treo electric three wheeler brand with a cargo variant. Called the Treo Zor, the zero emissions goods carrier is priced at INR 2.73 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) which includes the FAME 2 and state subsidies.
      Mahindra Treo Zor
      The Mahindra Treo Zor electric three wheeler is available in pickup, delivery van and flat bed variants. The vehicle will be retailed through Mahindra’s SCV dealerships in select cities with deliveries commencing in December 2020.
      [embedded content]
      With a best-in-class payload capacity of 550 kg, the Treo Zor is suitable for last mile transport and is claimed to offer savings of around INR 60,000 per year (fuel cost saving of INR 2.10/km) compared to a diesel model. The goods carrier is claimed to have a maintenance cost of 40 paise per km. The certified driving range on a full charge stands at 125 km.
      Specifications
      The electric motor is good for 8 kW (10.7 hp) of power and 42 Nm of torque, and it is equipped with a Boost mode to handle challenging situations. The lithium ion battery pack comes with a 3 year / 80,000 km warranty. Mahindra says that the IP67-rated battery pack has a life of 1.5 lakh km. The battery can be charged using a regular 15 A socket. Of course, the transmission is automatic.
      Mahindra Treo Zor
      Specs
      Power
      8 kW / 10.8 bhp
      Torque
      42 Nm
      Transmission
      Automatic
      Payload capacity
      550 kgs
      Drive range
      125 kms
      Maintenance Cost
      40 Paise / Km
      Wheelbase
      2216mm
      Tray loading height
      675mm
      Battery Life
      1.5+ lakh kms
      Charging
      Via any 15 AMP socket
      Warranty
      3 yrs / 80,000 kms
      The highlights include a wheelbase of 2,216 mm which is longest in the industry and tyre dia of 30.48 cm which is largest in the industry. The tray loading height of 675 mm is claimed to be the best in segment as well.
      Features and benefits
      The Mahindra Treo Zor benefits from NEMO mobility program, a cloud based fleet management service which allows the owners to remotely monitor the vehicle status such as range, speed, location and so on.
      Mahindra Treo Zor Electric
      The rust free modular SMC body panels, finished in white-blue dual-tone color theme, are claimed to have long life and easy to repair and replace. The electric three-wheeler also comes with windscreen wiper, telematic unit with GPS, Economy and Boost driving models, 12V socket, 15 A off-board charger, Hazard indicator, reverse buzzer and spare wheel provision.
      The Mahindra Treo Zor will benefit from a after sales service network of over 140 touch points across the country. The Tro passenger rickshaw recently became the first of its kind to cross 5k sales milestone in India. The cargo variant, with its impressive performance parameters, is expected to boost the brand’s overall sales volume significantly in the coming months.

      Mahindra Treo Zor Electric

      Mahindra Treo Zor Electric

      Mahindra Treo Zor Electric More

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      Kinetic Safar Jumbo Is India’s First 1 Ton Electric Cargo 3 Wheeler – Launched

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      Kinetic Safar Jumbo Electric
      Kinetic Safar Jumbo is made for e-commerce and home delivery applications; with load 1 ton carrying capacity

      Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions Limited, has launched a high performance electric cargo three wheeler, Kinetic Safar Jumbo, designed at Kinetic’s DSIR recognized EV R&D lab, and packs in advanced tech features and wholly indigenous parts.
      Designed as a cost efficient and convenient solution for last mile delivery needs, Kinetic Safar Jumbo sits in the under L5 category. With GVW of over 1 ton, it features a specially developed cargo box with close to 150 sq ft cubit capacity, and a payload of 500 kg.
      With relevance across many segment uses, Safar Jumbo can be used in the e-commerce segment for home delivery. The same is true for distribution of gas cylinders and water, waste collection and management, delivery of FMCG goods from whole-sellers to retailers, home delivery of white goods, and special applications like ‘sabzi or meals on wheels’ etc.
      Electric Kinetic Safar Jumbo
      Being a 100 percent electric vehicle means it’s emission and noise free, and running/operating cost is as low as 50 paise per km as against. This is about Rs 3 per km for diesel engine based cargo three wheelers. Kinetic Safar Jumbo touches top speed of 55 kmph, and gradeability of 10 degrees, and has been designed keeping in mind Indian road conditions in mind.

      Designed as a full steel body for durability and safety, the EV cargo 3W features a CED coated steel chassis, digital cluster, dynamic SOC, CAN based controller with interactive Kinetic Konnect APP and GPS, independent rear suspension, hydraulic brakes, and a unique gear box designed by Kinetic Engineering.
      The advanced Lithium ion battery pack is capable of 120 kms on a single charge. The vehicle will be available on Swappable Battery Platform, and qualifies for FAME II subsidy. It’s available with warranty of 3 years.
      Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Founder and CEO, Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions Ltd. said, “We are extremely proud to bring this game changer E3W to Indian market. Its high performance and large load carrying capacity makes it a strong contender to lead the home delivery revolution in India!”
      E-Commerce cargo requirements
      With massive growth in e-commerce segment in India in recent years, and an increase in home delivery tickets, Safar Jumbo is specially designed to meet needs of e-commerce companies and their logistics partners as an effective last mile delivery solution that’s cost friendly.

      Kinetic Green Energy is already running pilots with several companies. Commercial supplies start in November, and the company expects to deliver over 5,000 vehicles in the next 6-7 months. Variants for different applications like gas cylinder distribution, waste collection, etc, will be rolled out in phases.
      Kinetic Mobility will also offer its e-cargo fleet to select customers on lease. Vehicles will reach its dealership network of around 175 dealers across India over the next few weeks. Kinetic Green manufacturing facility at Ahmednagar, Maharashtra has an assembly capacity of 6,000 electric 3-wheelers per month. A high-speed passenger variant on same tech platform is planned for launch over the next few months. More

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      Etrio Touro Max Mini Electric Three Wheelers Launched In Cargo Segment

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      Etrio Electric Three Wheeler
      Etrio Touro Max and Mini electric three-wheelers in cargo segment cater to intracity logistics

      Electric vehicle start-up Etrio is keen on intracity logistics, and has expanded its portfolio with the launch of Touro for cargo segment. Both Touro variants are designed for intra-city logistics, especially in last-mile delivery applications. Touro three-wheeler passenger variants will be launched soon.
      Having raised funding of $3 million last month helped facilitate the new product launches. Touro derives its name from the Portuguese word Toro, which means ‘a bull’. This is because the product builds on strong stability, power, and load carrying capacity. The inspiration doesn’t end there, and Touro features bull inspired signature front grille, and Etrio manufactured brake drums.
      Etrio Electric Three Wheeler
      Etrio Touro range is completely localized, which means the products are eligible for central and state government subsidy. Deepak MV, Co-founder & CEO, Etrio said, “With the launch of Touro, we now have added new electric vehicles to our portfolio of retrofitted products. We are on a mission to electrify Intra-City logistics and bring the widest range of electric vehicles tailor-made for this segment.”
      Etrio Touro value proposition
      For customers, Touro’s value proposition builds on operational cost savings of about 70 percent, and driver comfort owing to a gearless, smokeless and noiseless ride. Top range performance, and volumetric capacity comes with safety and stability standards. Battery and power train warranty guarantee makes for a hassle-free ownership experience.

      Etrio Touro features hydraulic brakes with regenerative braking, independent suspension, and cloud-based vehicle tracking through a driver mobile app. The vehicle’s success relies on its Lithium-Ion battery tech. Etrio also offers a certified product range with lead-acid for end-users.
      With electrification being a focus area for e-commerce company logistics, and the need for valuable Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over diesel rickshaws, Tuoro has it’s sight set on modern day requirements and mandates. The company also has a comprehensive driver training and certification programme.
      It’s tech prowess means logistics and e-commerce operators can access the nitty gritty on vehicle usage, and monitor real-time status of each vehicle in a fleet. Notifications for vehicle charging level, fleet management and maintenance can be optimised for optimised performance.
      Preventive maintenance lets fleet operators stay on top of things, and situation in a line work that’s demanding on a daily basis. Monitoring can help fleet owners deal with any instance of rash driving patterns, and corrective countermeasures can be implemented to ensure top notch fleet management at all times.
      Etrio Touro Max and Mini
      A fixed price isn’t announced for Touro Max, and Mini as all products are customised to meet specific e-commerce requirements. This ranges based on battery chemistry, payload required, cubic capacity, and number daily kilometres. Touro Max and Mini are available for outright sale, and lease. Touro lease options are available to leading e-commerce companies that place an order for over 50 vehicles on a 3-year contract period.
      Current production capacity stands at 500 units per month. Pilot runs are being held in Hyderabad, Delhi, and Bangalore. Opportunity is rife as an industry estimate puts the electrified three-wheeler segment at 50 percent by 2024. More

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      Mahindra Treo Becomes First Electric Rickshaw To Cross 5k Sales Milestone

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      Mahindra Treo electric rickshaw range is priced from about Rs 3.5 lakhs, ex-sh

      Mahindra Electric Mobility has announced a milestone for its lithium-ion battery powered electric 3-wheeler, Treo. The E-SCV has surpassed the 5,000 units sales target. Cumulative drive time of all units sold have breached the 35 Million+ kms (3.5 crore kms) mark on Indian roads. Putting that in perspective, it’s the same as as a two-way journey between earth and moon 45 times.
      Mahindra Treo value proposition
      Drive by Wire tech helps with ease of driving, and has found takers in women drivers too. Treo range relies on advanced Lithium-ion Battery tech with a life of 1.50 lakh+ kilometres. Maximum power is reported at 8kW, and peak torque of 42 Nm. Longest wheelbase in its segment means the cabin is spacious. Gradeablity of 12.7 eases slope climbs. Standard warranty on offer is of 3 years/ 80,000 kms, with option of an Extended Warranty of 2 years/ 1,00,000 Kms.
      When it comes to electric vehicles, it’s the range of electric rickshaws that people are most familiar with, that too in the unorganised market. A field that relies on flatpack vehicles that are quickly reconstructed, and a range of mechanics who have easily learnt just how to keep the vehicles in working condition.
      With the organised sector now pushing back, this market can be expected to gain from the umbrella of organisation, akin to growth being observed in the electric two-wheeler market. Mahindra Treo could very well establish segment maturity owing to its wide range of benefits.

      Mahindra Treo electric rickshaw features
      Mahindra views the organised 3-wheeler market as being ‘economically, environmentally and socially sustainable’. From a customer standpoint, there are those who have clocked up to 265 kilometres in a single day, aided my convenience of charging, and well-planned charging breaks.
      Mahindra Treo is currently sold in over 400 districts across India. It’s operational cost enables a Treo customer to save up to Rs 45,000 a year. Treo’s value proposition gets further boost for being a ‘smart first and last mile mobility’ choice.
      Mahesh Babu, MD and CEO, Mahindra Electric said, “Cumulatively, the Treo has travelled a distance of over 35 Million kms on Indian roads, saving 1,925 metric tonnes of CO2 tailpipe emissions, equivalent to planting 87,500 trees to absorb the same emissions.”
      Post FAME subsidies, Mahindra Treo E3W costs Rs 2.7 lakhs. With top speed of 55 kmph speed, going from 0-20 kmph takes about 2.3 seconds. A single charge affords drive range of 130 kms. The fearless offering features automatic transmission, and is clutch-less and presented as vibration-free. Available with a portable charger, Treo can be fully charged with a 15 A socket. More

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      Volta Reveals 16-Tonne Electric Truck For Cargo Deliveries

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      Volta plans to go into production by 2022 in the UK, with trails planned with some of the biggest cargo movers in Europe by early 2021
      As time goes by, we will get to read and learn more about electric mobility solutions. With two-wheelers and passenger vehicle cars already manufactured at mass scales, it is time that the commercial vehicle segment goes through an electrification process as well. While we recently saw the example of Hyundai developing an electric bus, now we get to see an electric truck.

      Swedish electric auto startup Volta Trucks has unveiled its first product and it is called ‘Zero’ which signifies zero emission. This 16-tonne electric truck is specifically designed for freight and parcel deliveries within city limits. The company expects to start production in the UK by 2022 and aims to have 500 units of Zero by the end of that year. Volta has forged many valuable partnerships that might help shape its future as an electric mobility solutions provider.
      Performance and Range
      The Volta will be powered by a 160-200 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate battery pack which will give a range of 150-200km. Its Swedish counterpart Volvo has also developed an electric truck that gives a much better range of up to 300km. It can attain a top speed of 90 kmph. It offers a space of 37.3 cubic meters and a maximum payload capacity of 8.6 tonnes.

      The company can also employ an innovative e-Axle to send power to the rear wheels instead of a traditional driveshaft setup and electric motor. To be specific, the transmission, axle and electric motor are contained within a single lightweight unit thus making it more efficient.
      Exterior body panels and some interior of the cabin are made from biodegradable resins and flax fibers. Inside the cabin, the driver sits in the middle on a swivel chair far lower than conventional trucks at about 1.8 metre (6 ft.). This makes it easier for the driver to communicate to the ones around the truck outside like pedestrians, cyclists, motorists etc.
      Features

      There are two touchscreens on each side of the driver instrument cluster which gives out information such as route planning, navigation, climate control, in-cab media, communication and more. The driver gets a 220-degree view thanks to the large windows which have been designed for reducing blind spots and optimum visibility. For making easier ingress and egress, the Volta Zero gets fast opening sliding doors on each side of the cabin.
      Instead of traditional side mirrors, Volta has used rear-view cameras. A 360-degree camera detects objects near the periphery at blindspots. Other notable safety features include reverse parking assist, active steering, lane assist and lane watch camera among many more. There’s also the AI-monitoring system which will enable fleet operators to run their vehicles on road for a longer duration.
      Driver is seated in the center
      Volta is planning to begin trails with some of the biggest parcel delivery and logistics companies in Europe in early 2021. The prototype vehicle features in the photos was built by UK-based company Prodrive Advanced Technology. Volta hasn’t yet revealed its price. More

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      Electric two wheelers and three wheelers can be sold without a battery

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      MoRTH now permits sale and registration of Electric Vehicles without the battery
      While it seems absurd at first, the move is in fact a clever one. If one moves beyond comparing an EV to a mobile phone, then the battery conundrum is clearer to understand. The battery cost from hereon is to be compared with potential fuel expense over a comparable period. What this does is makes the EV more affordable, and at a comparable price to ICE vehicles.

      A green signal from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) means one can register a new EV without the cost of pre-fitted batteries factored in. A letter to Transport Secretaries outlines sale of EVs without batteries. Registration of the same is guided by type approval certificate issued by the Test Agency.
      Furthermore, for the purpose of registration, there’s no requirement to specify Make/Type or any other battery details. While such specifications are not mandated. what is required is type approved products by test Agencies specified under Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

      Bajaj Chetak electric scooter. Image for reference.
      Which means, the prototype of the electric vehicle, and the battery (regular battery or the swappable battery) need to be type approved. The policy expands on making EVs accessible to one and all, and needs to be supported with dependable EV infra that lets EV owners charge and swap batteries as required.
      Announcements in the recent past has outlined vehicle electrification goals but blueprints on how these targets are to be achieved are difficult to access, and thereby understand. Across the EV spectrum, especially where two wheelers and scooters are concerned, the presence of new manufacturers piques interest, but electric two-wheeler sales remain limited.
      DELHI EV Policy 2020
      The recently announced Delhi EV policy on paper appears to be a push in the right direction. The state is committed to creating a special arm to make decisions regarding EVs, and also fund such projects. Delhi will approve subsidies and waivers for all EV purchases, and look into charging infra development among other aspects that can help ease EV adaption.
      There’s a notion that EV adaption will help reduce vehicular pollution, and will have far reaching effects in environment protection. The oil import bill will also benefit with reduction of oil imports. To reach such a goal, it’s imperative that the fledgeling Indian EV industry gathers steam. To promote and encourage use of electrical two-wheelers and three-wheeler vehicles, delinking cost of battery is a new approach.
      MoRTH takes into account the fact that 30-40 percent of total vehicle cost is in reality battery cost. With vehicles now permitted to be sold without the battery, the Ministry perceives that upfront cost of electric 2 wheelers (2W) and 3 wheelers (3W) would be lower than ICE 2W and 3W retail price. Of course, the battery will most likely be purchased or rented from the OEM separately, or as proposed, by the energy service provider. More

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      Ampere buys 74% stake in Noida based electric rickshaw company

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      Noida based Bestway Agencies Pvt. Ltd. (BAPL) sells affordable electric rickshaws under ELE brand Ampere Vehicles is acquiring Noida based E-3Wheeler company, Bestway Agencies Pvt. Ltd. (BAPL), which sells e-Rickshaws under the ELE brand. Ampere will have 74 percent stake in the company, subject to customary closing conditions. With this acquisition, Ampere expands its presence […] More