Tata Motors pits Magic Iris against quadricycle

Is holding talks with various state govts to allow the vehicle to be registered as a fare-metered taxi

Amid many waiting for the Supreme Court to allow a commercial launch of quadricycles, Tata Motors is aggressively pushing its small commercial vehicle, the Magic Iris, as a replacement for the passenger three-wheeler.

The company, which has staunchly opposed the introduction of quadricycles in India, is holding discussions with various state governments to allow its Magic Iris to be registered as a fare-metered taxi. This will put the five-seater Iris in direct competition to the proposed quadricycle, whose launch has been marred by a series of litigation since the past two years.

Pune-based Bajaj Auto is the only company ready with a quadricycle.

Ravi Pisharody, executive director (commercial vehicles), Tata Motors, said, “The Iris meets the M1 norms, which a three-wheeler does not. It is also safer and more environment-friendly. Recently, the Supreme Court said Delhi should get more three-wheeler permits…for that, we have the Iris, too. We are getting more and more cities on board for the fare meter taxi, the Iris.”

M1 represents passenger vehicles with the number of seats not exceeding eight, in addition to the driver’s.

The automobile sector had secured a clearance to run the quadricycle for intra-city transport, provided it came in a particular colour, with a fare meter and ‘quadricycle’ written on a display board.

A few months ago, the apex court had ordered all petitions against the quadricycle filed in various high courts be transferred to it. Various public interest litigations (PILs) filed in this regard were filed by auto driver unions, lawyers and other citizens.

The PILs alleged the quadricycle, though a four-wheeler, was less safe and more polluting than a regular commercial four-wheeler. Also, a quadricycle isn’t subject to crash tests, unlike cars, and follow emission regulations applicable to two- and three-wheelers.

In June this year, the Gauhati High Court had directed the central government not to permit auto manufacturers to produce and sell quadricycles without putting these through suitable crash and emission tests.

Though Bajaj hasn’t revealed the actual price of its quadricycle, the RE60, sources say the company aims to position the vehicle between a three-wheeler and the cheapest passenger car, the Tata Nano.

That would mean the RE60 could be priced below the Tata Magic Iris, which costs Rs 2.9 lakh, even as a six seater three-wheeler costs Rs 1.75-1.8 lakh, while a four-seater three-wheeler costs Rs 1.5 lakh.

“We are facing issues only in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Otherwise, we have a go-ahead in Bihar, Assam, Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan, where we can sell the Iris as a fare-meter taxi,” said Pisharody.