Electric Two-Wheelers Reshaping Indian Transportation System for Good
The vehicular emission spikes up the air pollution in Indian cities, especially in the national capital. Combined with the heavy air, the pollutants make the situation worse. Where many solutions have been implemented and ultimately failed, a few including the electric vehicles have made some improvement in reducing air pollution.
Electric Two-Wheelers: Practical, Economical and Ecological
Electric two-wheelers have been reshaping the transportation system of the country for good. Not only do they help reduce vehicular emission, but they also make daily commutes easier and are affordable. There are several automobile manufacturers in the country that have been producing electric two-wheelers to improve the current situation. Here are some of the noticeable ones which pave way for the future of eco-friendly transportation in India.
Electric Two-Wheeler Mantis
Ahmedabad-based electric vehicle startup Greenvolt Mobility will soon be launching its first ‘no challan’ electric two-wheeler Mantis across select metro cities in India.
Mantis has a range of 50 km between charges and can be juiced-up in just 2.5 hours. The portable battery weighs 3.5 kg and can be charged with any domestic power socket. The customers do not require a driving license or vehicle certification or registrations for the Mantis, making it a very accessible and hassle-free traveling medium.
Revolt RV400
Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma’s startup Revolt Intellicorp has manufactured an AI-enabled electric motorcycle RV 400. Along with a range of 156 km and four hours charging time, RV 400 is also connected to a Revolt mobile app, which enables the rider to search Revolt’s mobile battery swap stations. The features of this electric motorcycle allow saving money and time.
The RV400 is powered by a 3.24 KWh Lithium-Ion battery that generates 72V of power and comes with a maximum range of 150 km on a single charge giving it a top speed of 85 km/hr. It comes with a CBS braking system (Front Disc – 240 mm/ Rear Disc – 240mm) and an adjustable mono-shock system.
Peugeot e-Ludix Electric scooter
Mahindra electric scooters have also been a buzz in recent times. This year, French firm Peugeot Motorcycles (now a Mahindra Rise company) has exported a brand new Peugeot e-Ludix to France from India making it the first electric scooter to join the French Presidential fleet. The domestic market will soon be flooded with this brand new electric scooter.
The 3kW e-Ludix is in the 50cc-equivalent scooter category, with a top speed limited to 45kph. It weighs only 85kg, of which 9kg constitutes the Bosch lithium-ion battery. The e-Ludix motorcycle has a range of approximately 50km and a braking energy recovery system. Charging takes three hours with an external charger.
Emflux ONE
Bengaluru-based Emflux Motors will be launching the country’s first indigenously made electric superbike – the Emflux ONE, in the coming year. An electric superbike will definitely be able to cut back the cost of fuel and save the users from long traveling time.
Powered by its proprietary liquid-cooled modular Li-ion battery pack, its nominal capacity is 9.7 KWh. One can charge its batteries up to 80% in just 36 minutes using fast charging technology, while at a regular EV charging station, it would take three hours.
Gemopai Electric
Delhi-based electric vehicle manufacturer Gemopai Electric has expanded its reach in the market with the inauguration of its first outlet, M/s Electric Bike in Pune, Maharashtra. Gemopai Electric currently offers two products – Ryder and Astrid Lite.
The Ryder electric scooter has a range of 70 km per charge. Whereas the Astrid Lite claims to deliver a range of 75-90 km, which can be doubled with an extra battery pack. It has a 2,400 W electric motor along with a 1.7 kWh lithium-ion removable battery. The Astrid Lite can clock a 150-180 km before it needs a powerpoint or other fully-charged batteries.
Electric Two-Wheeler Rentals Trending in India
Moreover, India’s scooter rental apps have provided an accessible and affordable transportation system. EV rentals have been successfully paving their way onto Indian roads. According to a report by Unu, (a German manufacturer of electric scooters), the fleet of India’s scooter rental apps have crossed 15,000, which is higher than that in the US and many European countries.
As per this report, in India, electric scooter rental apps Vogo and Bounce currently have a fleet of over 7,000 scooters each. Uber and Ola are both adding motorcycles and scooters to their fleet in India in order to offer lower fares. As it does not involve the driver fees, scooter sharing presents urban Indians with an even economical substitute.
Image: The Statesman
Although Bengaluru has emerged as the hub of electric two-wheelers and electric two-wheeler rentals, other cities are also adopting this environmentally-friendly mode of transportation.
Chennai-based dockless bike rental startup Flyy launched a fleet of keyless, smart, and eco-friendly bikes for hassle-free bike rentals and quicker daily intra-city commute. Flyy will be charging INR 1 per minute to users for renting their electric bikes.
Advantage of Electric Two-Wheelers
The roadblocks for two-wheelers, especially scooters, are fewer. Compared with cars, scooters are lighter, which means they can use less powerful batteries that are cheaper. The electric scooters can be charged quickly and more easily, often using existing plug points in homes, and their price is similar to petrol-powered models but they surely reduce the further costs.
The reduction in the cost of fuel and easy commute makes these electric two-wheelers and their rentals such a popular mode of transportation on the busy roads of India. Moreover, with the pollution levels spiking electric two-wheelers in India are a good option to reduce the vehicular emission.
