AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the electric vehicle market rapidly expands, one Austin-based company is aiming smaller.

AYRO designs and produces electric vehicles (EVs) to enable sustainable fleets. With rapid, customizable deployments that meet specific buyer needs, AYRO is spearheading the transition to EVs across a variety of market segments and needs.

Rod Keller, the company’s CEO said that while it’s a light-duty truck, it’s not intended to function like a typical one.

“We are one of the only EV manufacturers not just in Austin but in the state of Texas,” Keller said. “It is a light-duty truck. It is considered and designated in all 50 states a low-speed vehicle, an LSV, what that means is it is street legal. You can drive it up to 25 mph. “

The vehicles are designed to replace gas and diesel-powered pickups — the types you typically see at stadiums, resorts and universities.

“Instead of students going into dining halls, now, a number of universities are placing these around the campus and they’re prepopulated with hot and cold food and beverages,” Keller said.

And it’s estimated to be cheaper, Keller said.

“The operating expense of this vehicle is half of what you’d typically see in an entry-level gas-powered truck. It’s about 30% narrower than a traditional truck, and because there are no CO² emissions, you can actually run it indoors.”

The EV market is one of the fast-growing in the country. In 2020, around 10 million electric vehicle’s were in use around the world. A year earlier, there were around seven million. But the light-duty market is still fairly untapped.