Hyundai Motor Company and TVS Motor Co. Ltd are preparing to expand their electric mobility partnership beyond three-wheelers by developing an electric mini truck to rival Tata Motors Ltd's Ace, according to two executives familiar with the plan. The companies have now confirmed the 2027 rollout for the mini truck, following the formalization of their electric three-wheeler partnership in April 2026. The plan comes as the companies test their jointly developed electric three-wheeler in Gurugram through Blue Move, a ride-hailing app being piloted with consumers and Hyundai India employees.
An entry into the segment will help TVS expand its auto ambitions beyond two- and three-wheelers, while the partnership will allow Hyundai to move beyond passenger vehicles in the country. The proposed four-wheeler would mark a further expansion of the partnership into a segment where TVS does not currently offer an electric mini truck. Hyundai already sells the Porter II Electric, a small electric cargo truck, in South Korea, which is designed for urban deliveries and has a claimed range of 217 kilometres on a single charge.
Under the arrangement, South Korean Hyundai will lead the design and leverage its research and development expertise, while Hosur-based TVS will co-develop the vehicle using its electric platform and three-wheeler engineering capabilities. TVS will also lead local sales, with manufacturing operations in India to cater to domestic demand and future exports. The companies unveiled electric three-wheeler and micro four-wheeler concepts at the January 2025 expo, with the four-wheeler concept designed for last-mile mobility.
Retail registrations of electric trucks and light commercial vehicles rose to 14,869 in fiscal year 2025-26 from 5,537 in FY25, according to Vahan data. Registrations reached 16,995 in April-September FY27, already exceeding the previous fiscal year's total. Tata Motors and Euler Motors were the two largest players in September, with 1,267 and 1,068 electric goods-vehicle registrations, respectively, followed by Mahindra Last Mile Mobility with 464 registrations.
The growth opportunity is being driven by the expansion of e-commerce, parcel deliveries, and urban logistics, where small commercial vehicles make frequent trips. Electric mini trucks can offer fleet operators lower running costs, particularly on high-utilization routes where savings on fuel and maintenance can offset the higher upfront cost of an electric vehicle. The government is also working on fuel efficiency standards for commercial vehicles, with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency releasing draft standards for light and medium commercial vehicles weighing 3.5-12 tonnes.
