US-based Biliti Electric (Biliti) on Tuesday announced that it intends to set up the world’s largest electric three-wheeler factory in Telangana with an investment of $150 million (₹1,144 crore) and a production capacity of 2.40 lakh electric vehicles (EVs) each year.
The new plant is also expected to create over 3,000 jobs in the State, aligning with the State’s policy to become a global hub for EV and energy storage manufacturing, the California-based company said in a statement.
Biliti currently operates through an exclusive manufacturing partnership with Hyderabad-based Gayam Motor Works (GMW) for manufacturing its three-wheelers. Biliti’s Taskman is a popular last-mile delivery vehicle which is deployed in 15 countries including Japan, UK, France, Portugal, Germany, Lebanon, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Nepal, Bangladesh and Dubai.
In addition to the manufacturing facility, it has assembly plants in the US, Portugal, and Kenya, it said adding that the Taskman is being used by Amazon, Ikea, Wasoko (Sokowatch), BigBasket, Zomato and Flipkart among others.
“The Taskman has already made more than 12 million deliveries worldwide with many more to come. Our batteries and drivetrain are compact and modular in design, allowing them to have wider applications in auto, marine, warehousing, and backup power sectors enabling the buildout of an EV ecosystem,” Rahul Gayam, Chief Executive Officer, Biliti said.
The facilities will be built in two phases over an area of 200 acres. Phase I will be developed over 13.5 acres with the capability to produce 18,000 vehicles per year and is expected to be operational in early 2023. The larger facility spread across 200 acres will be operational in 2024 and have the capability to produce 2.40 lakh vehicles per year. The plants will produce all of Biliti’s products including the cargo model Taskman and the passenger version Urban to serve customers in the global markets, the company added.