Catalysing the Market Transformation of Electric Three-Wheelers in India
Authors: Nimesh Vikas , Natarjan Bhaskar , Patil Arohi , Jain Anmol 
Published: March 2024

Three-wheelers (3Ws) play a significant role in providing the last-mile connectivity. Electrification of three-wheelers has emerged as a necessity to provide a green and clean last-mile ride. The electrification of three-wheelers poses various key challenges. Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) and International Copper Association India (ICA) collaborated on this study to identify the key barriers to facilitating the adoption of electric three-wheelers (E3Ws) on the market. The proposed whitepaper aims to identify pathways for a market transformation for electric three-wheelers in India. The whitepaper facilitates the increased adoption of E3Ws in India by examining the perspectives of consumers and different stakeholders involved in the E3W ecosystem – fleet operators, financial institutions, dealerships, and service centres. The study was carried out in three cities – Delhi, Lucknow, and Bangalore, with the majority of the survey (70%) conducted in Delhi. The driver survey was broadly divided into three vehicle segments across the three cities: e-rickshaw, e-auto, and internal combustion engine (ICE). Each vehicle type was further divided into goods and passenger transport, and the findings are presented in this report accordingly. The entire report covers various key aspects related to E3Ws, including purchase, charging, performance, aftersales, safety, retrofitting, etc. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the E3W ecosystem, which includes the classification of E3Ws in India, charging and battery swapping infrastructure, and role of E3Ws in last-mile connectivity, with application in different areas. Chapter 3 discusses the findings and key insights from the consumer survey. It examines the key challenges, concerns, and expectations from the consumer perspective. Chapter 4 presents the key insights from the stakeholder consultation and discusses the various challenges, such as manufacturing concerns, financial challenges, the battery swapping ecosystem, and state policies' role in E3W adoption. Chapter 5 provides recommendations to address the barriers to E3W adoption in India. The recommendations presented in the whitepaper focus on topics ranging from consumer perceptions and demand incentives to addressing product issues such as awareness, servicing, safety, and other related topics. The recommendations comprise important aspects of the E3W ecosystem, such as installing more and regularly maintaining charging points, providing investment support to charging and swapping players, and conducting regular EV awareness forums to educate people about the benefits of EVs. Additionally, providing better training to service center technicians, improving the build quality of EVs through customer feedback, and partnering with financial institutions to provide cheaper loans, will be crucial in overcoming the challenges faced by EV drivers. The market transformation for E3Ws in India will require the stakeholders in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem to further deliberate and implement strategies in line with the recommendations presented in the whitepaper.