If you think about it, 10 years ago, EVs in India were not as cool as they seem to be now. Keep your gaze on the road for a while and some of the vehicles passing by may be powered by electric motors. The buses in a city, like Mumbai, certainly are. According to CareEdge, the total EV sales reached about 1.5 million in 2023, up from about a million in 2022. So, India’s push for cleaner and greener mobility solutions may be seeing some success.
And in the Indian startup ecosystem, what does it take for one to differentiate itself from traditional transportation models and other EV companies?
Hari Kiran, Co-Founder & COO – eBikeGo, remarks, “At eBikeGo, our goal is to stand out in the market by employing the most progressive technologies integrated with practical approaches for urban transportation. In currently overcrowded cities, the problems of pollution and traffic jams are becoming more acute. Our EVs make a cleaner, more intelligent and, of course, more efficient substitute to fueled vehicles, while our flagship model Acer MUVI 125 5G represents the highest peak of this cleaner approach. These models are not only good for the environment but are also affordable so that affordable transportation can be accessed by more people. Installing rental kiosks enables our eBikeGo brand to cater to eco-choices for city commuters and work on fair prices for the rental of eco-friendly vehicles in the markets”.
And EVs seem to have to deal with infrastructure challenges associated with electric mobility adoption in India, like charging infrastructure, grid capacity, supply chain challenges, and more. But, what are the other challenges lurking below the surface plaguing EV founders?
According to Kiran, “One of the main challenges and hindrances in EV adoption in India is inadequate infrastructure, specifically charging stations and early development of the supply chain for EV components. While these are areas of improvement, there are more significant issues that deserve more attention than these, the reliability of power grids and encouraging that electric vehicle parts meet consistent standards being the most important ones. These play a crucial role in ensuring credibility, efficiency and satisfaction among customers to make sure EVs are embraced by the users and are adopted at a faster rate”.
And what could it take for an EV business to be scalable, while also being asset-light?
Kiran declares, “We count on a strategy that makes us capable of expanding rapidly with no significant investments. Partnerships play a key role in achieving this. This mode of delivery provides us with an opportunity to expand our technology and tap into new markets without the need for a significant investment in fixed assets, their requisite maintenance and related overheads. Such an alliance with tech giants like Acer Electric has provided an opportunity to utilize their resources to enhance our product and enter new areas with equally reduced spending to remain flexible”.
EVs are said to be more eco-friendly, compared to gas-guzzling vehicles. But, what about when it comes to disposing of electronic waste? What are the sorts of challenges associated with this?
“eBikeGo actively focuses on developing solutions to address the disposal of batteries and other electronic components in an environmentally-responsible manner. The growth of the EV sector brings with it concerns about electronic waste, so our initiatives include take-back programmes, where used batteries are responsibly recycled, reducing waste and helping to recover valuable materials that can be reused in new batteries”, adds Kiran.
And what does it take to build a culture of innovation at an EV company in India?
Kiran states, “Creativity and innovation are the qualities we promote in all team members. We encourage them to come up with new ways to better our products and services. Such a culture has given rise to technologies like IoT-enabled scooters and AI-driven maintenance systems that both boast more enhanced operational efficiency in addition to significantly better user experiences than previous technologies. Never resting on our laurels, our innovation and commitment to technology mean we remain a leader in the increasingly viable electric vehicle market as it continues to grow and develop”.
And what more could Indian policymakers do to foster a more conducive ecosystem for the country’s EV realm?
Kiran opines, “For a sustainable EV ecosystem, we advocate more policy support from the government. These measures may include financial incentives for EV buyers, subsidies for the local battery production industry and a streamlined regulatory environment allowing fast development of EV infrastructure. Continuous government support is vital for the transition towards electric mobility and helps achieve national goals of sustainable energy and lowering the level of pollution in urban cities”.
What does the future look like for eBikeGo?”
Looking ahead, eBikeGo is excited about our expansion plans for 2024 and beyond. We are actively exploring entry into additional international markets, where we believe there is significant demand for innovative electric mobility solutions. We also plan to broaden our product line to include new innovative products that meet diverse consumer needs, further solidifying our position as a global player in the electric mobility sector”, quips Kiran.
So, what does it take to democratize access to sustainable transport options? Will EVs become an indispensable part of your daily routine?