Terra Motors plans to restart exports to key African markets including Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Nigeria after disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
27 May 2025 | 2349 Views | By Yukta Mudgal
Japanese electric two- and three-wheeler manufacturer Terra Motors is gearing up to resume exports of its electric rickshaws and e-autos to Africa by the end of 2025, while also expanding its domestic footprint with a new manufacturing plant in Bengaluru, a senior company official told Autocar Professional.
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Japanese electric two- and three-wheeler manufacturer Terra Motors is gearing up to resume exports of its electric rickshaws and e-autos to Africa by the end of 2025, while also expanding its domestic footprint with a new manufacturing plant in Bengaluru, a senior company official told Autocar Professional.
Founded in Tokyo in 2010, Terra Motors has established itself as a key player in Asia’s electric mobility sector. The company operates manufacturing units in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Japan, serving markets across South and Southeast Asia. Since its entry into India in 2014, Terra Motors has rapidly scaled up operations, crossing 400 dealerships.
Terra Motors’ India journey began with a manufacturing facility in Kolkata, which currently rolls out between 36,000 and 50,000 e-rickshaws annually. A second facility in Manesar, Haryana, has a capacity of around 5,000–10,000 L5 vehicles annually. The company is now setting its sights on the southern Indian market, planning a new L5 manufacturing facility in Bengaluru. In addition, its Kolkata plant is set to be expanded to accommodate L5 production.
The officials did not disclose the capacity of the Bengaluru plant but said that with the launch of its electric auto "KYORO+," the company is planning to establish 100 dealerships and produce 60,000 units annually by the end of 2025.
"We saw that markets like West Bengal and Assam have strong demand for L5 vehicles. By dispatching directly from our Kolkata plant, we can significantly cut down on transportation costs, which is a big advantage for us,” said Masanori Takahashi, CTO and Director at Terra Motors. “From Bengaluru, we can efficiently serve the southern markets, and from Manesar, we can cater to the north, including Delhi and nearby regions," he added.
Terra Motors is looking to resume exports to African markets like Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Nigeria, which were disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to company officials, discussions with potential local dealers are currently underway.
“We are still in talks with partners in Africa, but right now, our main focus remains on strengthening our India operations,” said Go Suzuki, Managing Director, Terra Motors.
The company is also eyeing expansion into nearby South Asian countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar, where demand for electric three-wheelers is steadily growing. “There’s a huge opportunity in these markets,” Takahashi said. “We’re seeing increasing interest in electric three-wheelers, especially in places where petrol vehicles are less accessible.”
According to a senior company official, the company reported revenue of Rs 250 crore from its electric three-wheeler and financing business in 2024–25. It is now targeting Rs 350–Rs 400 crore by the end of 2025–26, with a long-term goal of over Rs 1,000 crore by 2030.
India’s electric three-wheeler market remains the country's largest EV segment, with penetration crossing 60%. Globally, India has now emerged as the world’s largest electric three-wheeler market for the second consecutive year, according to the International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook 2025. India recorded nearly 700,000 e-three-wheeler sales in 2024, up 18% year-on-year, surpassing China’s 300,000 units, which saw a 6% decline from the previous year.