A pair of IIT-ian entrepreneurs is set to roll out an electric scooter that they promise will be as powerful as conventional, petrol-based two-wheelers. And it gets recharged in just about an hour.
Electric scooters existing in the Indian market require about eight hours to get completely recharged and clock top speeds of about 25kmph on average.
Graduates of IIT-Madras Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, founders of Ather Energy, have developed the e-scooter S340 which takes less time than a mobile phone to get fully recharged.
Currently, the product is being developed further with the backing of institutional investors and entrepreneurs, including Flipkart founders Sachin and Binny Bansal.
According to an article published by Quartz, the S340 reaches top speed of 75 kmph powered by its patented, lighter, long-lasting battery pack.
“Our batteries go on for 50,000 kilometres, and can easily last for five to six years,” Mehta has told Quartz. Other batteries last for only about six months.
Besides the usual set of gadgetry, such as speed dials and charge indicators, the S340 is being equipped with a built-in navigation system and a touchscreen interface.
The model is also able to synchronize with Android phones to provide ride data. The model is expected to be launched sometime next year, the report adds.
Although the S340 will be priced much above regular two-wheelers, manufacturing and technology costs justify the price tag, Mehta says.
At present, electric two-wheelers do not form a significant portion of the total number of two-wheelers (14 million sold last year) in the Indian market.
Sales has dipped from 1 lakh units two years ago to 21,000 units last year after the government removed the Rs22,000 ($346) subsidy on lithium battery packs in 2012.
Also, the company should face tough competition from big players in the market such as Mahindra and Hero.
Ajith Kumar S