Piaggio Vehicles is fast upping the ante in the three-wheeled electric vehicle industry in India. The company, which is seeing strong demand for its Ape Electrik FX (fixed battery) range across both cargo and passenger segments, has added 12 new Piaggio EV showrooms across the state of Bihar.

The new experience centres have come up in Patna, Biharshariff, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Jamui, Motihari, Siwan, Supaul, Forbesganj and Bettiah.

Saju Nair, EVP and Head of Commercial Vehicle Business, Piaggio India, said, “We see a huge demand coming in from Bihar and by the end of the year aim to have more than 20 such experience centres in major cities of Bihar. Our new range of EVs will definitely help in increasing earnings due to its low cost of operation and superior range. We are offering service solutions like class leading warranty and free maintenance package to ensure confidence and peace of mind for our customers while shifting to EV technology.”

The new Ape E-Xtra FX electric cargo three-wheeler has an output of 9.5 Kw and comes with a proven full metal body architecture fitted with a six-foot cargo deck. It is also customisable for applications including delivery van and garbage collection. 

Piaggio says its passenger vehicle variant – Ape E-City FX – is high on profitability, through enabling higher number of trips.

Given the soaring prices of petrol and diesel, there continues to be a marked shift of three-wheelers to electrified models. Apex dealer body FADA finds that the “three-wheeler segment is now showing clear signs of tactical shift from ICE to EVs as the ratio has hit a 60:40 split. With offices and educational institutions slowly opening up, electrification of three-wheelers will gather a greater momentum in months to come.”