Pune-based Kumar Motors has launched two three-wheeler models, the Agni and the Parinda. These one-ton vehicles are available as passenger or load carriers. Agni, the load carrier version is priced at Rs 1.04 lakh ex showroom Pune, while the Parinda is priced at Rs 1.12 lakh ex showroom, Pune. The 3-wheelers have been mounted on a tubular chassis, and have independent front and back spring suspension. The vehicles have a 9.0bhp, single-cylinder 4-stroke IDI diesel engine and are available in four colours. 'We commenced product development around three years ago and have been testing the vehicle for close to two years now,' revealed Rajeev K Nair, Managing Director, Kumar Motors. Since the company has its own product design software, press shop and tooling facilities, product development costs have been considerably low. Kumar Motors is also gearing up for an IPO in the near future. The company has a set up a facility at Pirangut, Pune, with a capacity to manufacture and assemble 20,000 3-wheelers per annum. While this plant will cater mainly to Maharashtra and the Western region, including Goa. The company expects to set up similar facilities at Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat in the next six months, as it has an easily replicable assembly operation at its Pirangut plant. This represents the company's first foray into manufacturing complete vehicles. It has been supplying auto components like brake parts and seating components to OEMs like Tata Motors, M&M, and Force Motors for over 14 years, before this venture.
The company intends to sell 5,000-6,000 vehicles this fiscal with the bulk of demand coming from the load-carrying segment. The company has 30 distribution outlets in Western India. 'The three-wheeler industry is here to stay. Unfortunately it has been categorised as a nuisance as it is a poor man's vehicle. However, with a payload capacity which is equal to a 4-wheeler, the commercial use of three-wheeler is of tremendous value and hence I don't see any threat to the industry in the next couple of years,' says Nair.
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