5 reasons to vroom with these electric vehicle startups
As the government takes a stance on EV, there are some unicorn players that are revving up their engines for a pollution-free riding experience
The Indian automotive industry is at the cusp of a major change. The Government is eager to shift India to an Electric Vehicle (EV) powerhouse. While traditional car and bike makers have been ruling the roost with internal combustion engines, Indian start-ups are benefiting from first movers’ advantage. In fact, they are ready to soar ahead of traditional auto manufacturers. Here are a list of five Indian start-ups which are revolutionizing the way India rides:
1) Tork Motors: From Isle of Mann TT to Indian streets
Based in Mumbai, Tork Motors was founded by Kapil Shelke whose college project has grown to bring laurels to India. In 2009 Tork Motors’ TX-01 managed to reach the podium of the prestigious Isle of Mann TT race! Later Kapil honed his skills at Zongshen, one of China’s biggest two-wheeler manufacturers. When he came back to India, he converted his own motorcycle to an EV to test Indian riding conditions.
After deciding to go commercial, Tork Motors showcased its first series production bikes to media back in September 2016. TX6 was originally announced with a price tag of Rs 1.25 lakhs (ex-factory). The Tork T6X uses an electric motor that churns out a whopping 27 Nm of peak torque. It has a top speed of 100 kmph and a range of 100 km. Charging the battery to 80% takes an hour, while a full charge takes two hours.
Funded by Ankit Bhati (co-founder and CTO, Ola) and Bhavish Aggarwal (co-founder and CEO, Ola). Tork Motors recently announced industry veteran Roy Kurian as Head of sales and marketing. While there has been a delay in launch, they may have lost the first-mover advantage to Revolt. However, expect the bike to make its way later this year with an improved product.
2) Revolt Intellicorp: India’s first AI enabled motorcycle
Blazing its way through the crowded Indian two-wheeler market, Revolt Intellicorp is Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma’s latest claim to fame. They unveiled their first product RV400 in June 2019 with pricing and delivery details to be revealed later this month.
The Revolt RV 400 gets three riding modes, Eco, City and Sport. It boasts of a range of 156 km on a single charge. That’s not all, the bike has a top whack of 85 kmph. These numbers are not the only impressive thing about the bike. It comes with a dedicated mobile app offering a complete range of features, including satellite navigation, bike locator, real-time bike information and diagnostics. The application also offers geo-fencing for security, doorstep battery delivery, online payment gateway for battery swap, and anti-theft features.
Expect the Revolt RV400 to carry a price tag around Rs 1 lakhs. Pre-bookings for the bike are currently active on Amazon and the company website. The company is wholly owned and funded by Rahul Sharma who has invested Rs 500 crores. The company has a production facility in Manesar, Haryana.
3) Emflux Motors: India’s electric supersports revolution
Middleweight supersports may seem like a dying segment but that did not stop Bengaluru-based Emflux Motors from doing the impossible. Unveiled at the Auto Expo 2018, Emflux One is the company’s first production-ready products. Founded by IIT Delhi alumni Varun Mittal, Ankit Khatry, and Vinay Raj Somashekar, Emflux has also released teasers of upcoming naked sports motorcycles.
The prototype showcased at the Expo was fitted with premium cycle parts seen only in expensive imports. Its three phase AC induction motor has 60 kW of maximum power and 84 Nm of peak torque. Besides that, city range stands at 200 km, and on the highway, it can go up to 150 km, at 80 kmph speed. Also, its top speed is a whopping 200 kmph with a 0 to 100 kmph sprint in 3 seconds.
Funding details have been undisclosed, but Emflux did receive support from Narendra Sujan (director, Sujan Group) Samar Singla (co-founder, Click-labs and Jugnoo) and Fabian Brian Crain (co-founder of Chorus One and Epicenter).
4) Ather Energy: Powering dreams to reality
Founded in 2013 by IIT Madras alumni Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, Ather Energy has become India’s biggest name in EVs. The company currently retails 2 products, Ather 340 and Ather 450, with the later being the more powerful model. The company has a production facility in Bengaluru. That’s not all, they are even setting up a charging grid (Ather Grid) in Bengaluru and Chennai.
The more premium Ather 450 is powered by a 5 kW electric motor developed by the team. The scooter can accelerate from 0 to 40 kmph in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 80 kmph. The range is claimed to be between 55 km to 75 km. The Ather 450 is priced at INR 1.13 lakhs (on road). That’s not all, one can even lease the scooters. However, there is a catch. Ather products are available only in the two2 above mentioned cities.
Ather Energy was initially funded by IIT Madras, followed by US $1 million by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal (Founders, Flipkart). Besides that, the company picked up US $12 million from Tiger Global in May 2015 followed by US $30 million from Hero MotoCorp in October 2018. Hero further provided US $18 million in funding in 2018. Ather Energy further raised US $51 million in the latest round of funding.
5) Ultraviolette Automotive: The Dark Horse of India’s EV revolution
Founded in December 2015 by Narayan Subramaniam and Niraj Rajmohan, Ultraviolette Automotive breaks the myth of EVs being slow. While exact range data has not been revealed so far, but the product has been fully developed indigenously. Right from the powertrain to the battery management system, everything is local. The team is also attempting to source the battery raw material.
The company claims to be working on a high-performance electric motorcycle which will be enabled with on-board diagnostics, ride customisation and preventive maintenance. Using an energy efficient technology, the company aims to outperform conventional internal combustion quarter-litre motorcycles in the market.
Ultraviolet Automotive is funded by TVS Motors, a brand which has been known to be working on its own range of EVs for several years now. An official unveil of Ultraviolet Automotive products are expected by 2019 end.
