We’re starting this one with a question: What commute-related problems do we all face in a city? Most of you would agree that there are four major ones – air pollution, cost of transportation, congestion on roads and lack of parking. Now, we’re sure you’re going to dismiss us and our thought process entirely if we were to say that this tiny EV could be a potential solution to all those problems. But bear with us as we try and explain!

What is it?

Called the Strom R3, it is essentially a personal transportation solution. It has three wheels, two doors and as many seats in the mix. Other noteworthy numbers include 400 litres of luggage space and 185mm of ground clearance. In terms of features, the EV comes with stuff like a sunroof, 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, power windows, climate control air conditioning, 4G connectivity with onboard navigation and parking assist.

Don’t think of it as a family car, because it isn’t! Think of it as a means of daily transportation to-and-fro from work. Most of us head-out for our daily activities, either alone or, at max, with one more passenger. And if you have a kid to accompany, Strom offers a three-seat layout as well.

What powers it?

Propulsion comes from an electric motor which produces 20bhp/90Nm, enough for a top speed of 80kmph. Juices come from a lithium-ion battery. Strom claims that the R3 can travel up to 200km on a full charge (depending on the variant). There’s an onboard charger but no word on the size of the juice-box. However, it can replenish itself in three hours. That means there is no rapid charging available. You might see that as a disadvantage, but a simpler electrical system also helps in saving money—more on that later.

Those performance figures aren’t the best in the world. But ask yourself, do you need any more? In cities, we’re always driving at speeds of up to 50kmph. Moreover, most of us don’t travel more than 50km in a day. The R3 meets those requirements comfortably. And because it is an EV, there are no local emissions which will help curb air pollution.

How will it help ease congestion and free up parking space?

Well, there’s just a straightforward answer – the Strom R3 is compact. It measures less than 3 metres in length and a smidge over 1.5 metres in width. With those dimensions, we can park more cars in the same allotted parking spaces. On the move, the R3 should fit in quite well, especially where roads are cramped.

Price?

That’s not out yet. Expect that to happen as soon as things start to normalise. If we had to guess, the range-topping variant should not cost more than Rs 5 lakh. Rope-in the concessions available from the government for electric vehicles and the Strom R3 makes a strong case for itself.