The electric revolution in India is making headlines almost every day. Automakers are introducing electric scooters, motorcycles, cars, 3 & 4-wheeled commercial vehicles and heavy-duty electric trucks. However, apart from the above mentioned vehicles, electrification of some lesser known vehicles is also happening without making much noise. Here, EVJoints brings to you 5 unique products which are available in battery-operated variants in the country:
Electric Cycles:
Cycles with battery-powered assistance are known as electric cycles. These generally fall into two categories:
a) With pedal-assist: The pedal-assist offers electric support to the rider while pedalling.
b) With power-on-demand: The motor is activated by a throttle, usually handlebar-mounted, featuring moped-style functionality.
Electric cycles/bicycles, also known as e-bikes, act as a source of workout for individuals who have trouble exercising for an extended time as the cycle can allow the rider to take short breaks from pedalling.
Modern electric cycles feature robust frames, advanced battery technology and powerful motors. And no need to run to EV charging stations. People can charge these at home, using the normal socket to plug in the charger. Every plug is a fuel point for these e-cycles.
In India, Hero Lectro (A division of Hero Cycles) & Stryder (A Tata Enterprise) offer high-quality electric cycles. Average price of a branded electric cycle is around Rs 25,000.
Electric Kickscooters:
A regular kickscooter, also known as a push-scooter, is a human-powered street vehicle with a handlebar, deck and wheels propelled by a rider pushing off the ground with their leg.
Electric kickscooters, as the name suggests, are motorized & battery-powered self-propelled kickscooters.
A motorized electric kickscooter is a stand-up scooter powered by an electric hub motor in its front and/or rear wheel. It is classified as a form of micro-mobility. It is usually designed with a centre deck larger than regular kickscooters, on which the rider stands. The battery is generally placed below this deck. Average price of an electric kickscooter in India is around Rs 27,500.
In India, multibrand EV platform BLive recently deployed electric kickscooters for food delivery at the Delhi and Mumbai International Airports.
The staff usually had to cover the distance from counters to customers on foot and the sheer size of the airports resulted in dropping of orders, exhaustion in workers and longer waiting times for flyers. By adopting electric kick scooters for deliveries provided by Blive, the food kiosks were not only able to cater to the heightened customer demands and enhance staff performance but were also able to contribute to the airports’ sustainability targets with clean mobility.
Electric Golf Carts:
A golf cart is a small vehicle designed originally to carry two golfers and their golf clubs around a golf course. Over time, upgrades were introduced to allow the vehicles to accommodate more passengers and were certified as street legal low-speed vehicles. Electric variants of these golf carts are powered by a battery & an electric motor.
Apart from golf courts, these electric golf carts have also found application in situations where authorities want to run something more sophisticated than e-rickshaws. For instance, in the Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Project in Delhi, the authorities have proposed to run electric golf carts in the area between 9AM & 9PM. These low speed electric golf carts will have a maximum speed of 25 km/hr. The service is being proposed to support the elderly and disabled who visit the popular Chandni Chowk market, and will be run for free.
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The demand for golf carts in the Indian market is mainly fueled by urbanisation. Rapid urbanization has spurred mall culture, amusement parks and smart housing townships. This phenomenon has led to the demand for internal transportation to carry people and cargo. In addition to this, golf carts are also becoming an important part of manufacturing units for internal transportation. Average price of an electric golf cart in India starts from Rs 2 lakh (for 2-seater).
Kinetic Green recently launched a new range of electric golf carts which are designed in Italy, manufactured in India and will eventually be exported worldwide.
Electric Trikes & Reverse Trikes:
Three-wheeled vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels are known as trikes, while vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel are known as reverse trikes. The same vehicles, when powered by an electric motor & battery, become electric trikes & reverse trikes. These vehicles are popular for leisure purposes like off-roading and have also found use as taxis. Average price of branded car-like reverse trikes in India is Rs 4.50 lakh (Strom R3).
eBikeGo, an electric two-wheeler company, has acquired rights to manufacture Velocipedo, an electric trike from Spanish automotive company Torrot. eBikeGo claims that the Velocipedo is designed in such a way that it combines the comfort, stability & safety of a car with the quickness of a motorcycle.
Gensol, the parent company of electric cab startup BluSmart, is planning to introduce a reverse trike. Hero Electric too had unveiled an electric trike at the 2020 Auto Expo.
Electric Micro Car:
Small electric cars are getting popular across the world.
In India, EV startup PMV Electric introduced the ‘PMV EaS-E’, which is a two-seater micro electric car. It is expected to be priced in between Rs 4 to 5 lakhs. The claimed top speed is 70 km/hr and it can be fully charged in less than 4 hours.
MG India has the MG Comet EV in its portfolio, which is a compact city hatchback that has impressed people with its design & features. Prices for the Comet EV start from Rs 7.98 lakh.
MG is also working on bringing the Baojun Yep ‘micro SUV’ to India. Baojun is a part of MG’s parent company.
Conclusion:
As the electric revolution in India gathers pace, we can expect electric variants of more mobility products. Apart from the vehicles mentioned above, companies have also rolled-out electric versions of skateboards, BMX cycles, jet skis, quad bikes and farm tractors. Companies are also taking into consideration environment-friendliness, connected features and modular nature of this new-age electric tech, and adopting the same for future products.
