Chinese company to manufacture e-rickshaws in Bengal

Autohaus, a Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturing company, is investing over Rs 1300 crores in West Bengal to manufacture e-rickshaws, a mode of transport that is fast becoming popular in the suburbs and hinterland of the state, executive director Zhu Zhen Lin announced on the side lines of the Bengal Global Business Summit on Saturday.
The Chinese company has already set up the plant alongside Howrah-Amta State Highway in Howrah and the production of e-rickshaws is underway.
"We are waiting for a few clearances after which we will start rolling out the e-rickshaws. Our dealers' network is in place," said Lin.
E-rickshaws or totos have mushroomed in suburban and rural Bengal in the past four years and become the most economical and reliable mode of transport in the interiors where the roads are undulated and last mile connectivity is almost absent.
The totos are currently imported from China and assembled here before selling them which spikes up the price. "We will be manufacturing the vehicles in Bengal and maximum spare parts will be sourced locally," said Lin.
The e-rickshaws manufactured in Howrah will also be sold in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and the north-eastern states, said another company official.