Projected number of electric three-wheelers and autos India 2020-2030

The projected number of electric three-wheeler vehicles and auto rickshaws across India was expected to be approximately four million units in 2030. The government planned to offer incentives of up to 250 thousand Indian rupees to citizens for the purchase of electric vehicles. Since 2006, numerous government policies both at the national and state level have been designed to promote electric three-wheelers in the country.

The impact of urbanization

Rising population and increasing urbanization have caused a rise in the need to travel. Auto rickshaws have always had a central role in the transportation of people and goods in the urban area. The share of rickshaws in the total number of registered vehicles was less than five percent in the city of Pune and Bengaluru. However, their share in transportation among motorized road vehicles was more than ten percent. Auto rickshaws were common among both men and women due to its cheap, quick, and personalized service.

End-to-end connectivity

As auto rickshaws provide personalized service and door-to-door connectivity, they are used for the first and last-mile approach. There was a considerable demand for online auto rickshaw services as well. E-commerce giant Amazon decided to use electric auto rickshaws in India for last-mile connectivity. In Delhi, Smart-E, a start-up collaborated with the Delhi metro to provide last-mile connectivity. It planned to expand its service to over 100 stations by 2022. It used a ride-share model for commuting to and from metro stations to address the consequences of urban commuting.