In what is claimed to be the world's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric three-wheeler vehicle, BILITI Electric has unveiled the FastMile.
FastMile can be refuelled in under three minutes and offers a range of up to 130 miles (~ 210 km), noted Rahul Gayam, CEO, BILITI Electric. “This is a major step towards shaping the future of hydrogen energy and fuel cells for global markets. We are transforming the application and commercialisation of HFCs by bringing the technology to compact and affordable vehicles as well,” Gayam said.
Equipped with a motor that offers a gradeability of 20 degrees, and a payload capacity of 1500 lbs (~ 680 kg), the BILITI FastMile has been tested for more than 9,650 km. Though the company has not revealed its plans to commercially launch FastMile in India, it is retailing one of its other three-wheelers named Taskman (BEV) in India, and several other countries including Japan, USA, UK, France, Portugal, Germany, Lebanon, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Dubai.
India, as per a report by Transparency Market Research, is the largest three-wheeler market in the world. Electric three-wheelers, as a matter of fact, have the highest adoption rate in the country. The global three-wheeler vehicle market, as per the same report, is projected to reach a valuation of $ 14.7 bn by 2031.
At a price point of $7/ kg of hydrogen, 3W fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) achieve price parity with their conventional counterparts fuelled by petrol or diesel. The production cost of grey hydrogen (produced using fossil fuels) is currently sub-$2/kg. This allows for transition to FCEVs today with the ability to switch to green hydrogen (produced from renewable energy), which, as per the company, is expected to drop to $1/kg by 2030.
Founded in 2021, BILITI Electric is a fast-growing electric mobility company that designs and manufactures compact EVs, and exports them to more than 15 countries, including the European Union.