Progress: A Blueprint for Retrofitting Three-Wheelers Internal Combustion Engine to Electric

In collaboration with Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), ICA India conducted a study on advancing retrofitment solutions for converting existing Internal combustion engine (ICE) three wheelers to electric for decarbonising road transport in Indian cities. With India’s transportation sector set to growing exponentially, a significant opportunity remains largely untapped – the electrification of passenger autorickshaws or the quintessential tuk-tuks. These autorickshaws serve as crucial first and last mile transport connectors in many Indian cities, facilitating about 5-25% of all motorised trips in cities.1 Electrifying passenger autorickshaws could help boost electric vehicles adoption, decarbonise the road transport sector and reduce urban air pollution. The government aims to take advantage of this opportunity with its commitment to achieving a 30% market share of EVs among new vehicle sales by 2030 with an ambitious target of an 80% market share among new two and three- wheeler registrations by 2030.2 In order to fully take advantage of that opportunity, creating and following a blueprint to retrofit existing vehicles for electric use could help bridge gaps and support largescale transport electrification.