EV maker Etrio Automobiles ropes in Prabhakar Kadapa as board member

Startup electric vehicles (EV) maker Etrio Automobiles Pvt Ltd on Tuesday said an automotive industry veteran, Prabhakar Kadapa, has joined its board of directors.

Kadapa served most recently as the CEO & Managing Director (MD) at PSA AVTEC Powertrain Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between PSA Groupe, France, and CK Birla Group, besides being the CEO & MD at AVTEC Ltd, which is a leading powertrain and components manufacturer, the company said in a statement.

”He will bring into the boardroom his several years of invaluable experience in developing strategy, developing and introducing new products, building strategic partnerships, managing supply chain, and vendors, and building quality organizations,” Etrio Automobiles’ MD and Co-Promoter, Kalyan C Korimerla said.

His extensive leadership experience in the automotive sector and the development of EV platforms will help the company to create a strategic product roadmap for the near future. It will also help in stabilizing its current product portfolio of the four-wheeler and three-wheeler electric cargo vehicles through operational and manufacturing efficiencies, Korimerla added.

In a career spanning nearly 40 years, Kadapa had also served as the CEO & MD of Tecumseh Products India, Country Manager of Delphi Automotive India, Operations Director of JCB India, and GM – Satellite Plants and R&D Function of Mahindra & Mahindra, the statement said.

He also had stints at Bosch, L&T Construction Equipment, Timex Watches, and Whirlpool India, it added.

Etrio offers electric three-wheeler and four-wheeler light commercial vehicles with payloads ranging from 350 kg to 700 kg targeting the logistics sector.