An Overview:
Electric Rickshaws (E-Rickshaws) are light three-wheeled vehicles powered by an electric motor & a battery. These are considered as an upgrade to conventional Rickshaws. E-Rickshaws are mainly used for short-distance passenger as well as cargo transportation.
E-Rickshaws mostly use lead acid batteries, but some companies are now offering R-Rickshaws with lithium-ion batteries as well. Conventional lead acid batteries take around 8 hours for charging. Lithium batteries offer faster charging options, however their cost makes them unaffordable.
Today, E-Rickshaws are a major source of livelihood in India. Due to their lower running cost, they are very popular in the country, especially North India.
In western countries, E-Rickshaws are popularly called tuktuks.
E-Rickshaws have created new opportunities for people, as these require relatively less investment to earn a living. They offer decent returns in less time, are easy to operate and have low maintenance & running cost.
Recent Figures:
Uttar Pradesh has the most number of E-Rickshaws followed by Delhi and Bihar.
In FY 2022-23, electric three-wheeler sales experienced a 127% Y-o-Y increase. Total sales stood at 4,07,563 units and E-Rickshaws constituted 91.76%. Mahindra Electric (Treo), YC Electric (Yatri) & Saera Electric (Mayuri) were the top 3 players.
The covid pandemic affected the growth of the Indian E-Rickshaw market as lockdowns and curfew-like situations reduced the demand for public transportation substantially. However, after the pandemic, the auto industry witnessed significant growth in demand for electric rickshaws.
E-Rickshaws are eco-friendly, economical to own & run, free from noise pollution, ideal for last-mile services and easy to maintain.
The Indian Electric Rickshaw Market is segmented by End-User Utility (Passenger or Goods) and Battery Type (Lead Acid or Lithium-Ion).
Factors such as end-user affordability, cost advantage over autos, better daily earnings than cycle rickshaws have made E-Rickshaws widespread and popular.
The Indian E-Rickshaw market is mainly dominated by small, unorganised local manufacturers and assemblers, which account for a major market share. Apart from the above mentioned companies, other significant players in the E-Rickshaw market are Lohia Auto, Kinetic Green, Terra Motors & Atul Auto.
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Saera Electric & Mayuri:
The 1st company to execute the idea of E-Rickshaw in India was Delhi-based Saera Electric. The company’s E-Rickshaw brand ‘Mayuri’ was the first E-Rickshaw in the country and is the most popular brand in North India.
The company’s chairman Mr Vijay Kapoor is known as the Father of E-Rickshaws. Saera launched the first E-Rickshaw model in 2011. At the time, there was no infrastructure available to make, operate or service E-Rickshaws. There was nobody to make tyres for E-Rickshaws. So, Saera developed their own tyres. Today, the company is the top player in the market and makes E-Rickshaws for passenger as well as cargo transport.
Apart from Saera, YC Electric is another major player in the electric rickshaw market.
E-Rickshaws have the potential to reduce dependence on imported oil for short distance passenger & cargo transportation which can lead to both economic & environmental benefits.
Most of the passengers & drivers of E-Rickshaws identify its vulnerability to traffic accidents as a major risk. Manufacturers are making E-Rickshaws very light for cost-cutting purposes, which make them prone to toppling and disbalancing.
Conclusion:
Battery-operated E-Rickshaws have become an important part of the transport system of populated cities in India. The absence of a regulatory framework and manufacturing policies for electric rickshaws is an issue which needs to be addressed. There is a need to regularise the operation of these vehicles. Proper implementation of E-Rickshaws has the potential to address the problem of air pollution due to transportation.
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