With Bajaj announcing it is pulling out of the scooter space to focus on motorcycles, TVS Motors is perhaps the first to seize the opportunity headlong with its hybrid three-wheeler that runs on petrol, CNG and an electric battery.
The vehicle, incidentally, is already proving to be a huge hit as it ferries visitors around the sprawling Pragati Maidan complex where Auto Expo 2010 is being held.
Its biggest advantage? The three-wheeler gives 60 km to the litre against the Bajaj CNG vehicle. It’s also got a host of other features like a MP3 player and reclinable seats.
Additionally, it’s also driver-friendly in the sense that its control panel is fabricated of collapsible plastic so that the driver doesn’t get trapped in the unfortunate event of an accident.
“Sir, it’s much more comfortable than what you have on the roads today, both for passengers and the driver,” said Ganeshan, who is ferrying visitors around in one of the vehicles.
The other visitor-transporter that is proving extremely popular is the stretch version of the Tata Ace light goods vehicle that has been modified to carry 13 passengers and a driver in an open-sided format, giving passengers an unrestricted view of what is around them.
