Mahindra Alfa Plus Review

Mahindra Alfa Plus

Load carrying three wheelers are a vital cog in the last mile connectivity in the goods sector in India. Manufacturers like Piaggio, Mahindra and Bajaj have been players in this lucrative and ever growing segment. Mahindra has now introduced its latest version of the load carrying three wheeler in the form of Alfa Plus, which is a longer deck version, allowing for extra luggage carrying capacity. The 20% increase in wheelbase of the Alfa Plus three wheeler also gives these goods carrier higher stability, and that is something which is a big positive as three wheelers are usually highly unstable.

Color Options

It is available in the following colors. They are as follows:

1) Bright Red
2) Turquoise Green
3) Golden Yellow
4) White
5) Dark Blue

Dimensions

The Mahindra Alfa Plus has a pretty generous load area which has a 1730mm length and 1460mm width. It measures 3175mm in length, 1460mm in width and 1700mm in height and a wheelbase of 2165mm. It has a ground clearance of 175mm and a turning circle radius of 3800mm.

Design and Style

The Alfa Plus comes with a driver’s cabin that can seat two adults, has doors and features a monocoque chassis. The Mahindra Alfa Plus will be aimed predominantly at the intra city goods carrying space, to carry a variety of goods. It also remains unclear whether Mahindra will continue selling the shorter wheelbase version of this three wheeler, called the Alfa.

Engine Specification

The Mahindra Alfa Plus three wheeler is powered by a direct injection, single cylinder, diesel engine displacing 395cc. The air cooled engine is mated to a 4 speed transmission with 4 forward and one reverse gear. The Alfa Plus produces a peak power of 7.5 Bhp and peak torque of 18 Nm, which is a 1.3 Nm increase from the previous figure of 16.7 Nm.

Braking and Handling

The air cooled engine is mated to a 4 speed transmission with 4 forward and one reverse gear. Electric start is standard for this diesel engine. Also, the clutch life, which is a major component that has a short replacement life cycle, has been increased by 50%, which is a major boost. Mahindra has also boosted peak torque by 8%, to handle the higher loads that the Alfa Plus can now carry due to the longer deck.

Verdict

The Mahindra Alfa Plus will be manufactured at two locations, at Zaheerabad and Haridwar. The three wheeler will be sold from Mahindra’s commercial vehicle dealerships across India. Thus it is a good load carrying vrhicle with good engine specification and braking and handling system.