Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (PVPL) India has launched its new FX range (fixed battery) of electric three-wheelers - Ape E-City and Ape E-Xtra. The new Ape Electrik models come with a fixed battery set-up and target the passenger and cargo segments, respectively. The fact that electric three-wheelers come with fixed battery make them eligible for the FAME II subsidy, so after benefits, the Ape e-City FX is priced at Rs. 2.84 lakh, while the Ape E-Xtra FX is priced at Rs. 3.12 lakh (both ex-showroom India excluding Kerala). Both the vehicles will also come with the company Piaggio Connect telematics solution.
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The new Ape E-City FX electric rickshaw comes with a 48-volt Lithium-Ion battery
While Piaggio already had the Ape E-City on sale in India for over a year, the previous model came with a swappable battery, and we have been told that the fixed battery model has been launched based on market demand. The company will continue to sell both models of the Ape E-City in India. The new Ape E-City FX electric rickshaw comes with a 48-volt Lithium-Ion battery with a capacity of 7.5 kWh, which powers the electric motor to produce a power output of 5.44 kWh which is equivalent to 7.3 bhp, and it develops a peak torque of 29 Nm. The e-rickshaw can offer a maximum electric range of up to 110 km, with a top speed of 45 kmph.
As for the newly introduced Ape E-Xtra FX, it comes with a bigger 8 kWh Lithium-Ion battery that powers the electric motor to produce 9.55 kWh, which is equivalent to 12.8 bhp and develop 45 Nm of peak torque. The Ape E-Xtra come with a range of up to 90 km, with a top speed of 45 kmph. The electric Ape e-Xtra for the cargo segment will come with a 6-feet deck area which can be customised for the delivery segment as well. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of the vehicle stands at 975 kg, while the E-Xtra comes with a payload capacity of 506 kg. Both the vehicle come with a permanent magnet electric motor, while the batteries are IP67 certified.
The Ape E-Xtra FX comes with a bigger 8 kWh Lithium-Ion battery
Saju Nair, EVP and Head of Commercial Vehicle Business, Piaggio India Pvt. Ltd. said, "We are launching the FX range after a detailed study covering the industry trends, customer aspiration and segment requirements. The FX range will cater to the needs of our customers, protect the environment and truly revolutionise the industry with the concept of "Ape goes Electric, India goes Electric."
Both the vehicles come with a range of features like blue vision headlamps, automatic transmission, hill hold assist, regenerative braking, dual-tone seats, multi-information instrument cluster and boost mode. The vehicles also vibrant body colour options, with stylish decals. Bookings for both the electric three-wheelers have commenced and they can be booked both online and at Piaggio dealerships. Deliveries for Ape E-City and Ape E-Xtra will start in a phased manner from early March 2021.
