India’s urban centers are a few of the most dense and populous on this planet, and its roadways are notoriously difficult to navigate. Some of the iconic and longstanding features of India’s vibrant cities are the swaths of colourful three-wheeled rickshaws called tuk-tuks which are used as taxis. India’s tuk-tuks are low cost to own, operate, and straightforward to weave through crowded roadways, but they are frequently antiquated designs that expel significant pollutants from their small two-stroke powerplants. Hyundai hopes to alter that, because it partnered with TVS to unveil a vision of modernized three- and four-wheeled electric rickshaws on the 2025 Bharat Mobility Global Expo. They’ve thoughtful features like height-adjustable suspension to navigate flooded roads, folding seats to accommodate wheelchairs, enhanced crash safety, and angled windshields for increased visibility.
TVS Motor is a big Indian motorcycle manufacturer that also produces three-wheeled tuk-tuks, so it’s the right way for Hyundai to realize insight into the unique requirements of durable and reasonably priced rickshaws. Even recent rickshaws that TVS sells aren’t vastly different than those sold for the past sixty-or-so years, but Hyundai’s three-wheeled E3W concept was designed from a clean slate. Its electric powertrain enables a flat floor that has a lengthened wheelbase to maximise occupant comfort, and its slanted windshield (complete with a wiper) enhances visibility over the quaint vertical ones. Larger tires make it higher suited to gnarled road surfaces, but it surely also contains a tow hook for recovery should it succumb to a very bad pothole.
These models are only concepts for now, but an enormous innovation Hyundai briefly mentions is a height-adjustable body to permit them to soundly navigate waterlogged streets in the course of the heavy rains of India’s monsoon season. This feature not only helps taxi drivers proceed offering service, but Hyundai says it also opens the door for these little machines to operate as rapid-response vehicles in emergency situations. There are not any details on how the concepts will have the opportunity to regulate their height, but the thought is great.
Hyundai says there isn’t a binding agreement between it and TVS, and that the E4W micro four-wheeler remains to be under review. These smart little people movers have the potential to make navigating crowded Indian streets cleaner, safer, and more comfortable, but when they’ll catch on they have to be reasonably priced. Beyond what’s already been covered, Hyundai hasn’t released many other details in regards to the concepts, but they’re great ideas that we hope could make a huge impact.
This Article First Appeared At jalopnik.com
