Pune: In a bid to electrify India’s bustling city lanes and give fossil fuels a much-needed coffee break, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd has rolled out two zippy new contenders in the EV rickshaw league — the Apé E-City Ultra and Apé E-City FX Maxx. And no, they don’t run on jugaad. They run on juice — electric juice.
With its made-for-India philosophy and made-in-Italy lineage, Piaggio’s latest Electrik duo is here to prove that going green doesn’t mean going slow. In fact, the new Apé E-City Ultra can zoom (relatively speaking) at a top speed of 55 kmph — fast enough to make a street dog reconsider crossing the road.
Under the hood (or what passes for one in a three-wheeler), the Ultra packs a serious punch: a certified range of 236 km, peak power of 9.55 kW, and a torque-tastic 45 Nm — enough grunt to conquer city gradients, flyovers, and that one annoying slope outside your local mandi. With climb assist and boost mode, it’s practically a gym trainer on three wheels.
Meanwhile, the Apé E-City FX Maxx — the no-nonsense, reliable performer of the pair — offers a solid 174 km range, peak power of 7.4 kW, and battery life longer than most family WhatsApp group arguments. Thanks to prismatic cell technology, it ensures minimal battery drama, even after endless stop-start traffic chaos.
Both vehicles come equipped with digital dashboards, intelligent telematics, geo-fencing, remote immobilization (for the occasional “Where did I park?” crisis), and warranties more generous than your local mithai shop on Diwali — a full 5 years or 2.25 lakh km.
Diego Graffi, Chairman & MD of Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd., sounded equal parts visionary and grounded:
“EVs are more than just a mode of transport. They’re an economic opportunity, a technological leap, and in India’s case — a much-needed pollution sabbatical. The Ultra and FX Maxx are built for Indian cities, Indian drivers, and Indian hills that sneak up on you at every turn.”
Amit Sagar, EVP, CV Domestic Business, added, “Our users want value, uptime, and something that won’t die halfway up a slope. These EVs deliver on all fronts — long range, solid power, minimal maintenance. And they even look smart doing it.”
The Apé E-City FX Maxx starts at ₹3.30 lakh, while the Ultra goes Ultra at ₹3.88 lakh (ex-showroom, India). Both are available at Piaggio dealerships across the country, waiting to transform city commuting — one silent, zero-emission ride at a time.
Forget horsepower. This is rickshaw-power, electrified and unapologetically desi. The roads may be chaotic, but with Piaggio’s new trio of features — range, reliability, and remote tracking — last-mile transport just got a major glow-up.
