One of the biggest automotive disappointments related to the International health crisis was canceling auto shows worldwide. For a Sri Lankan company called Vega, it must have been deep frustration: it was supposed to present its first electric car, the EVX, at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.
They had already taken the vehicle there when the show was canceled. We’re glad that it did not discourage them to keep looking for new solutions, and one of them promises to bring EVs to the masses: the ETX platform.
We have contacted the guys at Vega to learn more about the platform, but one of its first vehicles will be a tuk-tuk. ETX means Electric Three-Wheeler. The “X” must have another meaning that we are not sure about. Some people used to put an X in their company’s names as a charm: it meant they would multiply. We’ll check about that with Vega.
According to the company, the market for electric three-wheelers by 2025 will be equivalent to $30.12 billion. By 2027, it could reach $32.65 billion. Considering the number of people who ride in tuk-tuks every day all over the world, it may be even more significant.
LFP battery packs may offer electric three-wheelers the low price they needed to be affordable enough. The massive solar panel they can have with their square roofs may also help them avoid plugging in. Aptera can recover up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) per day only with its solar panels.
Although the ones installed on the roof of the ETX are significantly smaller, tuk-tuks are always under the sun due to the nature of the work they perform. Even if they can ensure just a fraction of the recharging capability of an Aptera, that will mean their owners will pay less for electricity – perhaps a lot less. Tuk-tuks are also much smaller – and lighter – vehicles than passenger cars.
These are things we will soon confirm about the new electric three-wheeler platform being now conceived in Sri Lanka. Vega plans to release the first vehicle based on it in 2022. The ETX may be the invitation developing countries need to enter the electrification efforts effectively.
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