Indian two- and three-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor has received a bulk order for 500 units of its King EV Max electric rickshaw from Chennai-based mobility startup OOR Cabs, the company said on Thursday. The agreement marks a significant step in expanding the availability of the electric three-wheeler to southern India, after a limited rollout earlier this year.
The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the supply of the King EV Max on Thursday. TVS Motor handed over the first 10 units during the signing ceremony, with another 10 units scheduled for delivery in June. The remaining vehicles will be delivered in phases, with all 500 units expected to reach OOR Cabs by March 2026.
OOR Cabs will deploy the King EV Max for intra-city rides across Tamil Nadu, beginning in Trichy, followed by Madurai and Coimbatore. The company plans to expand its electric fleet incrementally by introducing 20 to 30 units each month. âWith a vision to expand our fleet to 500 electric vehicles this year, we are proud to kick-start the journey with TVS Motor Company, whose product and engineering capabilities match our high standards,â said Maria Issac, CEO of OOR Cabs.
TVS Motor, which is also headquartered in Chennai, launched the King EV Max in January 2024. Initially available only in Delhi, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, and West Bengal, the modelâs entry into the Tamil Nadu market marks a broader regional push. âThe TVS King EV MAX has been engineered for high performance, that provides superior rider comfort and makes it an ideal choice for OOR Cabsâ vision of redefining urban transportation,â said Rajat Gupta, Business Head of Commercial Mobility at TVS Motor.
Priced at INR 295,000 (approximately âŹ3,000), the King EV Max features a permanent magnet synchronous motor generating 11 kW and 40 Nm of torque. It uses a 9.2 kWh LFP battery pack that charges from 0 to 80% in just over two hours and provides a certified range of up to 179 km per charge, with a top speed of 60 kph. The vehicle is designed to support all-day urban transport without the need for mid-day recharging.
India remains the largest market globally for electric three-wheelers, with nearly 700,000 units sold in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. The segmentâs growth has attracted international interest, with South Koreaâs Hyundai reportedly exploring a partnership with TVS Motor to enter the space.