In the US, transportation often boils down to just a few options: car, motorcycle, or maybe a pickup if you’re hauling stuff, or are after that rugged lifestyle aesthetic. But in much of Asia, mobility has always been more fluid. It’s not uncommon to see vehicles that defy convention—part bike, part car, all utility. At the heart of that middle ground is the autorickshaw, a vehicle born out of necessity, compromise, and creativity.
It’s a simple idea: take a small motorcycle engine, bolt it to a lightweight chassis, give it three wheels, a roof, and space for a few passengers, and you’ve got one of the most iconic forms of transport in India, Thailand, the Philippines, and beyond. For decades, the “tuk-tuk” has ferried people, cargo, groceries, and even livestock through congested cities and narrow alleys. It’s a machine that’s woven into the fabric of daily life.
Now, in 2025, the TVS King EV Max takes that same ethos and gives it a full-electric upgrade. Built by TVS Motor Company, one of India’s biggest motorcycle manufacturers (and the folks behind the BMW G 310 series and the upcoming F 450 GS), the King EV Max is a new-age autorickshaw that trades in its sputtering gas engine for a 51.2-volt lithium-ion battery and a whisper-quiet 11-kilowatt motor.
