A range of e-autos powered by advanced Lithium Ion Smart batteries is set to revolutionize last mile mobility in India
Piaggio Vehicles (P) Ltd. (PVPL), a 100% subsidiary of the Italian Piaggio Group, European leader in the two-wheeler segment and a leading manufacturer of small commercial vehicles in India, has launched their new electric range, Apé Electrik, and marked its entry into the electric vehicle segment. The Apé Electrik will have full range of electric vehicles across various categories with Apé E-City being the first product launched under the Apé Electrik range.
Speaking on the occasion, Diego Graffi, Managing Director and CEO, Piaggio Vehicles, said: “Apé, a brand with a trust of more than 29 lakh happy customers, is paving the way for the Indian electric revolution with the Apé Electrik range and Apé E-City as the first offering. At Piaggio Vehicles, we believe in providing path-breaking solutions in the last mile transportation segment with best-in-class technology offerings to our customers. Piaggio Group has a rich heritage of developing electric technology over the last 15 years which we have leveraged to develop these class-leading products for India.”
“We have developed both swappable and fixed battery technology solutions to serve the varied needs of the customer. For swappable technology, our partnership with Sun Mobility will enable customers to experience a very innovative, smart and unique swappable smart battery eco-system in India. We have faith that with the Government of India’s focus on EVs in the three-wheeler category and Piaggio Vehicles’ own vision of developing innovative EV solutions, mass adoption of EVs is a near reality,” he added.
The new Apé E-City offers a revolutionary driving experience with zero emission with nearly no noise and vibration, making it a next generation last mile mobility solution for urban India. It comes with various unique features, making it a unique proposition with advanced Li-ion batteries, automatic gear box, superior power and torque, no gear and clutch, doors for safety, and full digital cluster. The Apé E-City is the first three-wheeler to have smart swappable batteries.
The swappable battery concept is being brought in association with Sun Mobility, a leader in electric mobility battery technology. Sun Mobility will provide a ‘quick interchange station’ network which will enable Piaggio Vehicles’ customers to just “swap and go” in a few minutes. Customers can also experience an app-enabled eco-system to check battery charge, recharge, locate swap stations, etc. Also showcased was the Apé E-city FX prototype with a fixed battery concept.
This will enable the Apé Electrik range to provide options to customers to choose between swappable and fixed battery concepts in the future. The Apé E-City is equipped with a first-in-category digital instrument cluster with information like state of charge, drive modes, service alerts, economy mode, etc., provided for advance assistance to drivers. Apé E-City customers will be given a super warranty of 36 months or 1 lakh kilometres, whichever is earlier, along with free scheduled maintenance for three years which is the best offering in this space. The company is also offering an introductory three-year AMC package at a nominal cost of Rs. 3,000.