Having first showcased the E3W concept at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, Hyundai and TVS have now formally signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to advance the development and commercialisation of the same. Autocar India was the first to report exclusively about this partnership between the brands in January 2025.
- Design of E3W to be led by Hyundai
- TVS will provide the EV platform and support sales and manufacturing
- Both companies are targeting a high level of localisation
As part of the agreement, the products, designed specifically as last-mile mobility solutions, will be co-developed by both brands, sharing their engineering expertise. Hyundai will lead the vehicles’ design, while the electric vehicle platform will come from TVS, which already has three-wheeler engineering expertise and deep local market knowledge.
TVS will also lead local sales, with its manufacturing operations catering to domestic demand and future exports. Both brands say the products will be tailor-made for India and will be launched here first, with India being the world’s largest three-wheeler market. Both companies are also targeting a high level of localisation, with major components to be sourced and manufactured locally within India.
Hyundai-TVS E3W: What to expect
The E3W concept showcased earlier drew design inspiration from India’s ubiquitous rickshaw but offered significant improvements in size and capability. For instance, it features a 280mm longer wheelbase than a regular rickshaw, translating into more interior space. Additionally, the track of the three-wheeler was increased by 20mm, and it featured adaptive ground clearance to deal with India’s flooded roads during the monsoon season. It even came with a sophisticated independent rear suspension and digital screens on its fascia to display messages, much like what we see in many public buses these days. It remains to be seen how much of it translates from concept to production.
The vehicles will likely be built with flexible interior configurations for multiple use cases – from passenger transport to goods delivery and emergency services. Both companies will now undertake rigorous testing, localisation refinement and certification processes to meet Indian regulatory standards and customer expectations. There’s, however, no word on the production of the E4W concept, which was also showcased at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025.
Hyundai’s main goal with the E3W was to create an affordable yet functional vehicle. By focusing on micro-mobility, electric powertrains and affordable design, Hyundai is aiming to capture a significant share in a market it has never previously entered.
Suraj Viswanathan
Sergius Barretto
Hormazd Sorabjee
Viraaj Bhatnagar
