NE BUSINESS BUREAU
CHENNAI, DEC 20
Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd (PVPL), a 100 % subsidiary of the Italian Piaggio Group and India’s leading manufacturer of small commercial vehicles as well as pioneers in 3-wheeler electric mobility on Tuesday launched two new electric 3-wheelers: Apé E-City FX Max in the passenger segment and Apé E-Xtra FX Max in the cargo segment.
The new vehicles were unveiled by Vincenzo de Luca, Ambassador of Italy to India in the presence of Diego Graffi, Chairman & MD, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd, and Sudhanshu Agrawal, EVP and Business Head, Electric Vehicles and Exports, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd along with invited Govt. of India dignitaries.
- Up to 30% enhanced on-road driving range – 145km (± 5kms) per charge for passenger vehicles and 115km (± 5kms) per charge for cargo vehicles
- Improved grade ability – 20% for passenger vehicles and 19% for cargo vehicles encourages easy plying on all terrains
- Best-in-class warranty – up to 175,000 kms for passenger vehicles and up to 150,000 kms for cargo vehicles
- With a running cost of less than Re 0.50 per KM, the new range currently offers the most cost-efficient vehicles in its segment, combined with an aggressive price point tantamounts to a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) overall
- Piaggio India signs MoUs with leading EV industry players like SUN Mobility, Three Wheels United, Zyngo, City Link, Amplus Solar, Magenta Mobility, MoEVing, and MBSI to deliver 24,000 cargo and passenger EVs in 2023
Besides the launch of the new range, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd also signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with key industry partners to ensure continued strides in building a robust EV infrastructure in India.
The new variants, Apé E-City FX Max and Apé E-Xtra FX Max have a superior driving range, 12” tyre size offering better ground clearance, and improved grade ability among other advancements. This EV range is fully assembled by an all-women team at Piaggio’s Baramati factory. Available as a fixed battery solution, Apé E-City FX Max and Apé E-Xtra FX Max boast of superior Italian design legacy with a new and attractive bezel and eye-catching graphics. A swappable battery solution for the new FX Max will also be available soon.
The new Apé FX Max range comes with advanced battery performance resulting in a longer run, enhanced earnings, and effective cost of ownership. The vehicles also have a reserve range of up to 5 kms, to combat range anxiety. Bigger tyres of 12” give drivers a better ride & handling experience, and control over rough, uneven road conditions making the journey safer as well as accessible to remote destinations. To provide better visibility and control while driving, the vehicle’s seat height has also been adjusted. Advanced telematics 2.0 gives drivers better navigation and allows fleet owners to track and manage the fleet with utmost efficiency.
The launch event also saw Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd sign a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with key EV players like SUN Mobility, Three Wheels United, Zyngo, City Link, Amplus Solar, Magenta Mobility, MoEVing, and MBSI to deliver 24,000 commercial EVs in a phased manner across India in 2023. Of these, over 10,000 will be deployed in partnership with SUN mobility for both cargo and passenger segments in more than 14 cities in India. Piaggio India is also partnering with Three Wheels United with their aggressive retail finance scheme for both Passenger and Cargo vehicles.
Speaking at the launch, Diego Graffi, Chairman & MD, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. said, “I thank His Excellency, Mr. Vincenzo de Luca, Ambassador of Italy to India for his valuable time to unveil our new vehicles. As pioneers in light cargo electric mobility in India, we are delighted to add Apé E-City FX Max and Apé E-Xtra FX Max to our portfolio. Our talented team of engineers and R&D has designed the new Apé FX Max range to ensure optimum value for customers through better range, grade ability, and load-carrying capacity, as well as providing a competitive total cost of ownership. We feel the new range is an entrepreneur’s best bet to reap maximum benefits. With our vision fixed on the future of mobility, Piaggio Vehicles will continue its stride to move India forward in its mission to adapt alternate fuels.”
He further added, “ The MoUs we have signed today also cement our commitment to building India’s EV infrastructure with competent and reliable partners. We are sure of a successful collaboration that will not only significantly benefit customers but also pave the way for safer and more advanced EV technology in the country.”
Speaking about the new range, Sudhanshu Agrawal, EVP and Business Head, Electric Vehicles and Exports 2W & 3W, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are proud to include the Apé E-City FX Max and Apé E-Xtra FX Max in our electric 3 wheeler portfolio. Both variants have been manufactured with extensive customer feedback and more focus has been given to the vehicle range and performance on different road conditions. Aligned with our philosophy to provide path-breaking last-mile transport solutions, the vehicle is ‘Made in India’ for Indian needs and will also be exported across international markets. With low maintenance costs, the best in the industry warranty, advanced technology, a long-range, and added features; the FX Max range will definitely maximize the earnings of our customers. I thank our partners for their continued support and faith in Piaggio products”.
