Piaggio Ape E-City Ultra

The Piaggio Ape E-City Ultra is a passenger electric auto-rickshaw (L5M category) from Piaggio Vehicles, priced at Rs 3.88 lakh (ex-showroom). It seats a driver plus three passengers in a fully built metal body and is aimed at city passenger transport and last-mile connectivity operators who want the lowest running cost per kilometre.

Range and charging

A 10.2 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack (51.2 V) powers the E-City Ultra, with a certified driving range of 236 km on a single charge and a typical on-road figure of around 205 km (the brand quotes 205 +/- 5 km). A full charge takes about 3 hours 45 minutes, which suits overnight or between-shift top-ups for a daily-use commercial three-wheeler.

Performance and payload

A 9.5 kW electric motor delivers 45 Nm of torque for a 55 km/h top speed and 28% gradeability, enough for slopes and flyovers in city traffic. The auto has a 748 kg gross vehicle weight, about 300 kg of payload capacity, a 1,920 mm wheelbase and 170 mm ground clearance, with hydraulic self-adjusting drum brakes and a leading-arm front suspension with a coil spring and hydraulic damper.

Who should buy it

The Ape E-City Ultra suits auto-rickshaw drivers, small fleet operators and last-mile passenger services that cover long daily distances and can charge overnight. Piaggio's 5-year / 2,25,000 km super warranty, i-Connect 4G telematics, digital instrument cluster and a 400+ dealership service network lower the ownership risk for livelihood buyers, though the 55 km/h top speed and AC-only charging make it a city vehicle rather than a long-distance one.