Chennai Autos (Piaggio Ape Models) - Investment & Returns
This happend two weeks ago. I was returning from my home town by bus and landed at Kathipara. Got an auto to velachery and started speaking to the driver. The auto I hopped in is a big Piaggio Ape model (Not the regular bajajs). He revealed some interesting facts about the chennai ‘APE’ autos - Investments and returns.
1. Those big autos (usually driven as small share Autos) are actually earning more than regular autos
2. Such small-share autos (made by Ape, Garuda etc) runs on Diesel and has a fuel-efficient yet powerful engines. Easy to maintain and their mileage is 35kmpl. (Re.1 per kilometer)
3. These autos cost Rs.2.5 lakhs (including the permit i think)
4. He is driving from 7am in the morning till 9 or 10pm in the evening and earns around Rs.1000 per day average.
5. Running the auto in share-auto mode yields more income per kilometer than a ’single-savaari’.
6. From the daily earnings, Rs.500 per day goes to loan and remaining to his pocket. Apart from fuel charges and other maintenance, he still earns Rs.200 per day minimum.
7. He said he bought the auto 10 months ago, and the loan is about to close in 2 months.. and from then on, around 50% of his earnings is complete profit !
8. Also driving a rental-auto (Rs.400/day for Ape models, and Rs.140/day for bajaj models) is more profitable for daily-income. But on the long run, a own auto will give more profit.
9. He is planning to buy another auto this year.
I was thinking that probably all chennai auto drivers must be earning in 5 digits. But my friend told that income depends on where the auto stand is. Auto stands located in happening places, bus termials, central, kathipara type of busy places are earning more.
Anyway that’s interesting ! 