Strom R3 three-wheel EV - 200km range, price Rs 4.5 lakh

Strom R3 is a full-electric three-wheel personal mobility vehicle that has seating for two, a claimed range of up to 200km on a single charge and costs Rs 4.50 lakh.

EVs have been making waves in India for the past few years and the future only looks better for electrically powered cars in India as several global and local manufacturers are set to launch their EVs. The Strom-R3 is an Indian EV that has been making the news because of its affordability and unique approach to the concept. The three-wheeled EV is priced at only Rs 4.5 lakh (ex-showroom) and seats two.

Measuring 2,915mm in length, 1,510mm in width and 1,545mm in height, the car carries a design that only highlights the small size of the car. The front carries a fascia that resembles the Mahindra e2o from certain angles, but has a more modern approach to it with a tall and wide grille element stretching from both the ends and wrapping around the bonnet. There are hexagonal shaped doors on either side, post which the unique design becomes apparent as the bodywork is upswept from the bottom and a black waistline merges into a tail. A singular wheel sits at the rear, the small car even features a small sunroof.

The interiors feature three screens, one measuring 7 inches, the other two 4.3-inch and 2.4-inch respectively. These are used as the infotainment, instrument and climate control screens. There are two aircon vents on the central console, and a two-tone interior in black and light grey is offered. The Strom-R3 gets 4G connectivity and supports navigation, voice-control, gesture-control and more.

Strom Motors has not revealed details of any safety measures on the R3, but being based on a high-strength steel space-frame it is expected that the car uses a very light construction method to keep the weight low at 550kg, both for efficiency and the ability of the rear wheel to handle the load. It has been a known disadvantage of the single-rear wheeled three-wheel vehicles that they lack lateral stability of a four-wheeler, i.e. the vehicle is more susceptible to top-over to its side during turning, especially at higher speeds. Braking is handled by discs at the front and a drum brake at the rear.

Powering the Strom-R3 is a single electric motor rated at 15kW and 90Nm of torque. This is mated to a high-performance single reduction gearbox. Strom claims that the top speed is 80km while three different Li-ion battery configurations are available offering a claimed range of 120, 160 or 200 kilometres. There are three driving modes, Eco, Normal and Sport.

The Strom-R3 is priced at Rs 4.5 lakh (ex-showroom) and the Mumbai-based company has already received bookings for 165 of these.