EKA 3S

The EKA 3S is a battery-electric L5M passenger three-wheeler from EKA Mobility, built for last-mile city connectivity. It is sold in India at a starting ex-showroom price of ₹3.50 lakh for the 3 Seater/Electric variant and competes with the Mahindra Treo, Piaggio Ape E City, Montra Super Auto and Bajaj RE in the electric auto-rickshaw segment. EKA positions it as a dependable daily-earning vehicle for commercial passenger transport, with a fully built body on a chassis-with-cabin layout and seating for a driver plus three passengers (D+3).

Range and charging

The EKA 3S runs on a 10.75 kWh Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (LFP) battery at 51.2 V operating voltage. EKA quotes up to 160 km of range on a single charge depending on the application and driving cycle. Charging is flexible: about 3.5 hours from a single-phase AC home charger (3-pin 16 Amp socket) or about 2 hours on a DC fast charger (Type 6 DC port), which suits an operator who can top up between shifts or overnight at home. The battery carries a 5-year or 1,20,000 km warranty, whichever comes first, and EKA throws in the first-year AMC free.

Performance and payload

A 10 kW electric motor producing 55 Nm of peak torque drives the 3S to a 60 km/h top speed, with 21 per cent continuous gradeability to handle flyovers and inclines. Hill hold assist and regenerative braking are standard, and the 187 mm ground clearance rides over rough city roads. It gets a front disc and rear drum brake setup, helical spring and hydraulic damper front suspension, and an independent trailing arm with helical spring and hydraulic damper at the rear, on a stable ladder-frame chassis. The 120/80 R12 tubeless tyres and a clear TFT instrument cluster round out the package.

Who should buy it

The EKA 3S suits commercial passenger operators and fleet owners who run fixed city routes and want the lowest running cost per kilometre, home-charging convenience and a long battery warranty. Its D+3 capacity and 160 km range make it a realistic shift-long workhorse, and the DC fast-charge option keeps it earning during a mid-day break. Buyers comparing it with the Mahindra Treo or Piaggio Ape E City should weigh EKA's warranty and payload-focused build against the more established dealer and service networks of those rivals.