EV Updates

ETO Motors Arrives In Hyderabad During ‘Go Electric’ Campaign

Hyderabad-based electric mobility as a service (EMaaS) provider, ETO Motors showcased its passenger and cargo vehicles ETO TRILUX & ETO Bulke Plus at the launch of the ‘Go Electric’ Campaign in Hyderabad. The campaign has been supported by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation Ltd. (TSREDCO).

ETO Motors deploys electric vehicles (EVs) all across the country, owns and operates the fleets. With shared mobility picking up, the company is counting on people moving from vehicle ownership model to the vehicle access model.

The company provides comprehensive electric mobility solutions including, EV manufacturing, EV fleet management (for the passenger and cargo), along with the EV battery swapping & charging infrastructure.

AT the event, the firm launched a special scheme for drivers to enable them to become owners.

ETO vehicles come with a wheel sizes of 13 Inches with disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear, a reverse camera, powerful driver motors, and the a certified range of up to 148 km. ETO Motors’ portfolio includes e-rickshaws, e-Autos, and electric four-wheelers in both passenger and cargo segments.

The firm claims that over150 passenger vehicles from ETO Motors are already being used for ride-sharing at the metro stations in Delhi, Noida, Nagpur. The company is on its way to start the service in Hyderabad and Pune also in due course. Its more than 200 cargo vehicles are part of delivery fleets of Amazon, Flipkart, Big Basket, Grofers, Udaan, and many more, claims the firm.

The use of ETO Bulke Plus for last-mile connectivity and delivery is helping firms meet their sustainability goals, says the firm. The company claims a strong order book of over 3,000 Cargo vehicles from multiple players from the e-commerce industry.

ETO Motors’ various electric mobility solutions include the availability of charging infrastructure – the Thunder Smart Charger. This EV charging box can be installed quickly in available space at a very low investment, allowing the space owner to earn revenues. The Thunder Smart Charger can be used to charge any EV, irrespective of the make or brand. No numbers have been shared by the firm for us to verify the veracity of this claim.

COGOS Expands Its Fleet with 2500 New Electric Vehicles

In an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of its fleet and to achieve sustainable growth, Bangalore-based COGOS, the end-to-end enterprise logistics company, has announced plans to expand its fleet by 2500 electric vehicles (EVs).

The company will expand across major cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Gujarat, and later in Maharashtra and Tamilnadu. This fleet is expected to achieve a reduction of 15000 tonnes of CO2, when running at full capacity, per year. The fleet addition will take place in a phased manner over the next 24 months.

COGOS has partnered with OEMs (Original Equipment manufacturers) including Altigreen, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Piaggio to enable its sustainable growth. Currently, the company operates with three-wheeler commercial vehicles that have a payload capacity of 500 kgs and is already working with the OEMs for four-wheeler EVs with a capacity of 1 tonne. These EVs will be used for the e-commerce, grocery, distribution, and mobility sector.

COGOS has already entered into deployment agreements of 500+ vehicles for leading E-Com Enterprise and another 300+ with Food, FMCG, and Mobility enterprises, as per the claims.

The firm is also bridging another gap by educating potential fleet owners on the benefits of EV. One such benefit is that the cost of operating the commercial EV is only INR 50 paise per kilometer, which is multiple times lesser than fossil-fuel-based vehicles.

Speaking on its plans to achieve environmentally sustainable growth, Co-founder & CEO of COGOS, Mr. Prasad Sreeram, said, “It is important for us, as a logistics company, to focus not just on efficiency and cost, but also on sustainability. With this fleet augmentation of 2500 EVs, we are on track to achieve as much as 30 percent of our revenues from green technologies by 2023.”

Prevail Electric Launches 3 Electric Scooters Starting From Rs. 89,999

Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, Prevail Electric, an automotive solution providing startup, is gearing up to launch three premium model electric scooters– Elite, Finesse, and Wolfury. Prevail is bringing three electric scooters at different prices with different features. The most affordable one is Wolfury, Prevail ElectricWolfury, priced at Rs. 89,999. This electric scooter can offer a top speed of 50 km/h with a maximum load of 200 kg. Equipped with a Lithium battery, the scooter is claimed to be capable of a 110 km range on a single charge. The model takes around 4 hours to juice up fully. The model comes with a control model of a 12-tube brushless controller with a one-click fix function.Prevail Finesse Scooter The next one is a middle-range electric scooter, Finesse. Priced at Rs. 99,999, this scooter can offer a top speed of 60 km per hour with a maximum load of 200 kg. With a Lithium-ion battery, the scooter is capable of a 110 km range on a single charge. It has a charging time of 0 to 100% in 4 hours, along with swappable battery options. The model comes with a control model of a 12-tube brushless controller with a one-click fix function. The third one comes at Rs. 129,999, The electric scooter Elite can offer a top speed of 80 km per hour with a Prevail Elite Scootermaximum load of 200 kg. With a Lithium-ion battery and swappable battery options, the scooter is capable of a 110 km range on a single charge. Once the battery is drained, it can be fully charged in 4 hours. The model comes with a control model of 55A controller with a one-click fix function. The vehicle also has an integrated Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, primarily used for navigation, control, and entertainment purposes. Thus, the users can groove to their favorite tunes and even attend phone calls without doing it manually, simply experiencing a convenient and feasible mode of commuting.

Made of High-tensile Steel and Aluminium alloy wheel hubs, the three scooters weigh 80 kgs (without battery). They can produce mechanical power up to 1000W in a single charge. These scooters come with built-in mobile charging ports. All three models have a three years warranty and accept Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) services. The scooters are also equipped with Hydraulic Damping for avoiding shock.

NHAI To Install EV Charging Stations Along National Highways

The National Highway Authority of India is planning to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along the country’s national highways.

As India has already set its targets of achieving 70% of all commercial cars, 30% of private cars, 40% of buses, 80% of twowheeler, and three-wheeler sales to be electric by 2030.

To boost the EV Infrastructure of the country, the NHAI has recognized around 650 properties across 22 states with a combined area of over 3,000 hectares to develop highways infrastructure, according to the reports. Consequently, the authority has already invited bids for 138 sites out of the 650 sites recognized and received several responses from private entities to help them in this development project.

Interestingly, out of 650, 94 cities fall alongside the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, 376 sites along new highways and expressways under construction, and around 180 sites along with an existing network of highways across the country. Also, NHAI will partner with the private sector in the next five years to boost the EV infrastructure and related developments for a long-term goal to be achieved. Additionally, the authority is also planning to enhance commercial spaces such as restaurants, food courts, retail outlets, along national highways to boost infrastructure.

Indian governments, be it state or central, are aggressively encouraging EV adoption in the country. Many states like Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, etc. have brought up their respective EV Policies 2021 or amended old EV policies to increase EV adoption in their region. These policies comprised various incentives and subsidies on EV purchases, several targets of the states to develop an EV infrastructure, and mandated the state administration’s mode of commute to be electric.

Although, achieving the target of 2030 is not an easy task to accomplish. According to a report by Grant Thornton Bharat-Ficci, India needs around four lakh charging stations for 20 lakh EVs by the year 2026. Also, India needs to focus on key points, including increasing government support, decreasing the cost of technology, and distressing pollution levels to accelerate this transition. However, there is a silver lining of hope as, according to a report by techARC, a new-age technology market research firm, EVs took over 1.3 percent of total vehicle sales in India in the fiscal year (FY) 20-21.

New Maharashtra EV Policy Hikes Subsidies, Incentives

Following the footsteps of various states, the Maharashtra government has also announced an upgrade to its EV policy of 2018, earlier than its previous plans from April 2022. The new policy aims to use the state’s pre-eminent role as a manufacturing centre, as well as provide local support to EV adoption. Valid till March 31, 2025, the new policy has a lot of the old, and many new benefits on offer. Key highlights include:

Broad Push:

An aim to make electric vehicles (EVs) up to 10 percent of all new vehicle registrations – around three lakh vehicles a year – in the state by 2025, the new policy exempts EVs from road tax and registration charges. The target is to have 10 percent of all new registrations by 2025 as EV’s.

On the demand side, the state will make it mandatory for all vehicle aggregators, be it ecommerce firms, delivery firms to transition to at least 25 percent EV’s for their urban fleets by 2025. In doing this, the state plays into a trend that is already taking shape on its own actually.

Public transport too is set to play a role, with a target to have 25 percent of public transport fleets running with EV’s, along with last mile delivery in 6 urban areas by 2025.

The state’s bus transport undertaking, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, will also be targeted, to make at least 15 percent of its fleet electric by 2025.

Charging infrastructure has been given a push by offering property tax rebates for housing societies that install charging infrastructure within their premises.

Incentives:

On incentives, the state policy will now offer incentives ranging from a maximum of of Rs 2,75,000 for 4 wheelers to Rs 5 lacs for chargers.

That means a further drop in EV costs in the state, something that will be welcomes by manufacturers who qualify for the same. All this, even as it indicates that from April 2022, all new government vehicles will be electric vehicles.

The policy stipulates that subsidies will be available for the first 100,000 electric twowheeler buyers, who are eligible for an incentive of Rs 5,000 per kWh of battery capacity (incentive limit: Rs 10,000; twice the previous cap of Rs 5,000). There is also an early bird incentive of up to Rs 15,000 (for an e-two-wheeler with a 3 kWh battery) for those who purchase the two-wheeler before 31 December, 2021. This means provided the chosen e-two-wheeler has a battery capacity of close to 3 kWh, buyers will be eligible for a total benefit of Rs 25,000 this year. That comfortably makes the state policy the most lucrative for buyers in 2021.

It’s the same story for 4 wheelers or cars, with a per KW subsidy of Rs 5000, applicable for capacity till 30 Kw. That translates to a total incentive of Rs 1.5 lakh (Rs 50,000 higher than the previous limit). An early bird incentive here too edges the state ahead of its nearest competitors, with an additional incentive of up to Rs 1 lakh for those buying before December 31, 2021.

Keep in mind that the state has to compete with the big consumption centre that is Delhi, besides neighbouring Gujarat. These early bird incentives effectively take Maharashtra ahead of both these.

Finally, there is a Rs 7,000 scrappage incentive to nudge people to upgrade to an EV faster.

The new policy will be welcomed by industry, and consumers we suspect, as the case for EV’s becomes ever stronger with the all time high fuel prices.

Ather Energy Expands To Delhi

Indian electric scooter maker Ather Energy has inaugurated its new experience center (retail outlet) ‘Ather Space‘, at Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. This is Ather Energy’s 10th experience center in India, to provide a unique ownership experience along with service and support for owners. The Ather 450X, Ather’s main offering, alongside the Ather 450 plus will be available to test ride and purchase.

The firm began deliveries of the Ather 450X in the Capital in early April and also invested in setting up public fast-charging points, the Ather Grid across the city. The company has set up 14 fast-charging points across key hotspots in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram & Ghaziabad and aims to double the number of charging stations byAther Energy Charging the end of this year. The fast-charging points in Delhi are available in locations like Green Park, Dilshad Garden, Krishna Nagar, and Connaught Place. A key aspect of Ather’s fast charging points is that they require minimal engagement, other than plugging in, from a user. No clicks to authenticate, app to pay etc.

The Ather 450X comes in four different colors- grey, white, green, along with the limited-edition Series 1. It comes with an 85 km of true range and an 80km/h top speed. the scooter is powered by a 6 kW motor and a 2.9 kWh of Li-ion waterproof battery with a 3-year warranty on the battery as well as the vehicle. The scooter can go from 0 to 40 km/h in just 3.3 sec in Warp mode. It can fast-charge at 1.5km per minute, additionally, the electric scooter has a 4G SIM card and Bluetooth connectivity, allowing riders to manage phone calls and music on the touchscreen dashboard. The 7” touchscreen dashboard, comes with a color depth of 16M and a Snapdragon QuadCore processor. Ather 450X utilizes Android Open Source to offer Google Map navigation, on-board diagnostics, and other unique features like Over-the-air updates, Auto Indicator off, and Guide-me-home lights. The prices in Delhi would be out soon however, prices in Bengaluru after FAME II incentives are Rs. 1,25,490 and Rs. 1,44,500 for 450 and 450X , respectively.

The EV maker has also given a comparison with other domestic electric scooters of the country and claimed that Ather tops every aspect. Ather Energy Comparison

Ather Energy inaugurated its first experience center in Bengaluru in June 2018. Earlier this year, Ather expanded its presence across 27 cities including Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kochi, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad. Co-founder of Ather, Tarun Mehta announced that the firm is targeting to expand its distribution across 100 cities by the end of the fiscal year 2023 (FY23), along with installing 500 charging points by the end of FY22. Additionally, he declared that the firm will expand its manufacturing capacity to 500K units by FY23.

The electric scooter maker has reported its best quarter (Jan-Mar) till now, with a rise of 250% in its sales and six times increased test rides. The firm has also stepped up from 79 to 142 charging points in just three months.

Mr. Mehta informed today that their manufacturing is completely domestic from the dashboard screen to the scooter batteries. Only the battery cells being the imported part. Their production capacity reached 1750 units per month in 2021, which was 750 in 2020. Currently, it is at an annualised 150,000 units.

States with Attractive Subsidies Under Their EV Policies

The country is in a constant hustle to ramp up EV adoption. Although the central government has brought up schemes like Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME I and FAME II). Recently the government has extended its ambitious scheme to promote electric mobility by two years till 31 March 2024. Also, DHI (Department of Heavy Industries) has increased the demand incentives under FAME II by 50 percent (at Rs 15,000 per kWh) for the electric twowheeler (E2Ws). As EVs reach 1.3 percent of total vehicle sales in India in the FY20-21, the only way is a steep climb from here on. Especially with fuel prices being kept on a high floor, thanks to high taxes and duties imposed by the government. Considering the key role of the auto sector, states in the country have moved to add their own incentives for EV adoption and manufacturing. The list comprises states like Bihar, Karnataka, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, and now Rajasthan. A total of 13 states have notified their EV Policies as of now but we are going to discuss the ones that have recently been modified or released/drafted their EV Policies.

Rajasthan

Following Maharashtra and Gujrat, Rajasthan has also released its new EV policy 2021. It brings incentives for electric two-wheelers with a battery capacity of up to 2 kWh of Rs 5,000. Models with a battery capacity of 2 to 4 kWh will be provided with a Rs 7,000 incentive, those with a battery capacity of between 4 to 5 kWh will receive a Rs 9,000 incentive while e-two-wheelers with a battery capacity of over 5 kWh will be eligible for a Rs 10,000 incentive. All of these incentives are additional to the center’s FAME II incentives for E2Ws.

Maharashtra

Following the footsteps of various states, the Maharashtra government has also extended its EV policy till March 31, 2025. The state policy will now offer incentives ranging from a maximum of Rs 2,75,000 for 4 wheelers to Rs 5 lacs for chargers. Subsidies will be available for the first 100,000 E2W buyers, who are eligible for an incentive of Rs 5,000 per kWh of battery capacity (incentive limit: Rs 10,000; twice the previous cap of Rs 5,000). There is also an early bird incentive of up to Rs 15,000 (for an E2W with a 3 kWh battery) for those who purchase it before 31 December 2021. This means buyers will be eligible for a total benefit of Rs 25,000 this year. For electric four-wheelers or cars, with a per KW subsidy of Rs 5000, applicable for capacity till 30 kW, making a total incentive of Rs 1.5 lakh. Early bird incentive will also be provided with an additional incentive of up to Rs 1 lakh for those buying before December 31, 2021. Additionally, there is a Rs 7,000 scrappage incentive to nudge people to upgrade to an EV faster.

Gujarat

Gujarat brought its EV policy with an aim of becoming a hub for manufacturing EVs and various related materials to encourage electric mobility. The state will be providing subsidy support double the amount of subsidies in any other state for EVs on a per kilowatt basis over four years. Gujarat will provide up to Rs 20,000 subsidy on E2Ws, 50 thousand for E3Ws, and up to 1.5 lakh for four-wheelers/cars. Also, the subsidy amount will be directly credited to bank accounts through DBT. The state announced the installation of 250 additional EV charging stations and provided a 25 percent capital subsidy with a limit of Rs. 10 lakh for charging stations, under the new EV Policy.

Delhi

Delhi Government launched its EV policy in August 2020, however, the government is deliberately bringing modifications to it. Like adding scrapping incentives, including up to Rs 7,500 per vehicle for auto and light commercial vehicles, under Delhi EV Policy 2020. The policy offers Rs 5000/kWh subsidy on E2Ws, subject to a maximum

limit of Rs 30000. This means the maximum subsidy you could get in Delhi would be Rs 15000. The state also offers a subsidy of up to Rs 30000 on E3Ws, and Rs 1.5 lakh on electric four-wheelers/cars. Delhi has exempted the registration fee and road tax for EV buyers within the state.

Goa

Goa has just unveiled the draft of its ‘Goa Electric Mobility Promotion Policy 2021’ which aims to have 30% of annual vehicles registered in Goa, starting from the year 2025, accounted by electricity. The policy also aims to give Financial Incentives including Purchase incentives, Scrapping incentives, and Interest subvention on loans, along with a waiver on road tax and registration fees. Incentives to units engaged in manufacturing of EVs, batteries, EV components, EVSE, etc., shall be applicable as a capital subsidy of up to 20% of Fixed Capital Investment (FCI), 100% net SGST reimbursement for 5 years, and 100% stamp duty exemption will be provided to Pioneer, Mega, and Ultra-Mega units manufacturing EVs. A capital subsidy of 30% of the cost of capital provided the subsidy on building/ office is restricted to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to micro manufacturing MSME units while Rs. 10 lakhs will be provided to small and medium MSME units. A purchase incentive of Rs. 10,000/kWh of battery capacity shall be provided per vehicle to the registered owner and subject to a maximum incentive of Rs. 30,000 per vehicle for E2Ws. Under the policy, a scrapping incentive up to Rs. 5,000 for the owner of ICE two-wheeler. A purchase incentive of INR 30,000 per vehicle shall be provided to the registered owner for the purchase of one E3W or E-rickshaw or one E-cart per individual. A Purchase Incentive of INR 10,000/kWh of battery capacity shall be provided per electric four-wheeler/car (subject to a maximum incentive of Rs.1,50,000 per vehicle) to the registered owners of e-cars to be registered in Goa after the notification of this policy. Additionally, the state government will provoke all electricity infrastructure costs, up to Rs.8,00,000 associated with the installation of charging stations. Let’s wait for other states to come up with their EV policies, it will be interesting to know what they have in their bags. The electric vehicle division of Okaya Power Group, Okaya EV has unveiled a new range of electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) amidst great anticipation and fanfare. ‘Okaya Electric 2 Wheelers’ boasts are equipped with cutting-edge latest technology. On Monday, Okaya announced together with the launch of these E2Ws, Okaya EV has also launched its experience centers in Delhi and Jaipur.

Designed exclusively for Indian road and weather conditions, ‘Okaya Electric 2 Wheelers’ are also equipped with all the required technologies to manage the increasing volatility of Indian power conditions. Okaya’s E2Ws are available in four variants, both in VRLA Lead Acid Battery and Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) Battery. Offered in a multitude of colors from white, red, blue to black, green, brown, and beige, Okaya EV has launched these E2Ws in two variants: AvionIQ series and ClassIQ series.

Okaya EV has already set up a manufacturing plant in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh with its plans of starting another plant in Haryana for the seamless supply of this state-of-the-art E2Ws. Meanwhile, Okaya EV has also announced three more manufacturing plants spread over 34 acres to be launched in Neemrana from 2023 to 2025.

Mr. Anil Gupta, Managing Director, Okaya Power Group said, “Combined with two state-of-the-art research and development centers exclusively for EVs in India and one overseas, OKAYA EV is uniquely placed to bring out E2Ws and bikes of the future. Further, to ensure a seamless supply of these E2Ws, we aim to open showrooms as well as distribution and service centers all across the country. Moreover, we have immediate plans to roll out four products under this segment in this financial year and all these products would be fully made in India and add velocity to the Government’s dream of one crore electric scooters on Indian roads by 2025.”

Okaya Group forays into Electric Two Wheeler Segment

CESL Invites Bids from OEMs to get Empaneled for Supply of E-rickshaws

Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) has issued an expression of interest (EoI) to empanel original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to supply electric three-wheelers (e-rickshaws) in India. While the pre bid meeting will be held on July 13, the deadline for bid submission is July 26, 2021, on which bid opening is also scheduled.

CESL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), is focused on delivering clean, affordable and reliable energy. The full EoI document can be accessed here.

The selected manufacturers would be required to design, engineer, manufacture, test, inspect, supply, transport, and provide complete system warranty and after-sales support. A quarter of the tendered quantity is reserved for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) suppliers, of which 4% is earmarked for procurement by SC and ST entrepreneurs, and 3% is reserved for women entrepreneurs.

All MSEs are exempted from paying the security deposit subject to providing proof of registration as MSE (indicating the validity date of their registration) with any agency mentioned in the notification of the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. CESL will deploy the e-rickshaws per the needs of the end-users and the product availability to suit the functional requirements within the stipulated period of seven days from the date of the issuance of the letter of award.

Additionally, if the MSE vendor participates in the tender quotes within the price band of lowest (L1)+15%, he will be awarded 25% of the total tendered work requirement subject to acceptance of the L1 price. In the case of more than one such MSE, the supply will be shared proportionately. If the work cannot be split, then the MSE quoting price within the price band of L1+15% may be awarded the complete supply of the tendered value. Post the roll out of the amendments to the FAME-II electric vehicle policy, electric scooter maker Ola, joined the likes of Hero Electric, Mahindra Electric Mobility and Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions, to gain contracts from CESL for the supply of electric two and three wheelers along with charging infrastructure.

MG Motor, Fortum Set up a 50KW Public EV Charger in Pune

The Indian subsidiary of Chinese automotive manufacturer SAIC Motor, MG Motor India, and clean-energy Finnish company Fortum Charge & Drive India together have set up a 50 kW Superfast public EV charging station in Pune.

The smart chargers can be accessed by anyone who has an EV car compatible with the CCS2 (Combined Charging System), by registering on Fortum’s mobile app.

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Gaurav Gupta, Chief Commercial Officer, MG Motor India, said, “Our collaboration with Fortum reiterates our commitment towards enabling the infrastructure for environment-friendly mobility solutions in the country. The ZS EV’s availability in more cities in a phase-wise manner is a step closer to achieving sustainability goals. After launching the ZS EV in 6 more cities in 2021, the MG ZS EV is now available across 37 Indian cities.”

MG Motor India and Fortum had announced their partnership in 2019. Since then, the carmaker and Fortum have built a network of 11 DC chargers across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad.

Commenting on this inauguration, the Vice President of Fortum Charge & Drive India, Mr. Awadhesh Kumar Jha said, “We are happy to extend our partnership with one of the leading automotive companies to further bolster the super-fast charging network in the country. With this charger on the Fortum Charge & Drive network, an EV user can travel between Mumbai and Pune without any range anxiety as both the cities have Fortum chargers.”

MG ZS EV can be charged from 0 to 80% in 50 minutes at Fortum superfast charging stations, as per the company’s claims. Other charging options with the ZS EV include a freeof-cost AC fast-charger (installed at the customer’s home/office), a plug-and-charge cable onboard, and charge-onthe-go with Roadside Assistance. Additionally, it has extended the charging network in select satellite cities.

Tata Power Installs EV Charging Station in Gujarat’s Statue of Unity Area

Tata Power has installed the first-ever DC fast charger for electric vehicles at the site of the world’s tallest statue and a famous Indian landmark – Statue of Unity, located in Gujarat.

The statue is of India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The Tata Power EZ Charge (Charging Station) at Kevadia, near the railway station, is expected to become an important pit stop for EV users, who can access this charger through Tata Power EZ Charge application.

The app offers a seamless user interface, making it convenient for all EV owners to locate, navigate, book, charge, pay & check the availability of the nearest e-charging stations in real-time, says the company. Last month, the Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Governance Authority (SOUADTGA) said that it would develop the “country’s first electric vehicles-only area” in Kevadia. The authority added that the area surrounding the 182-metre tall statue will be converted into an EVs-only zone in a phased manner.

The announcement came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Kevadia is to become the country’s first electric vehicle city.

E-bike Startup Toutche Launches its ‘Heileo H100’ Hybrid Bike

ABangalore-based two years old startup Toutche Electric has today launched its new e-bike (bicycle) Heileo ‘H100’ in India. Heileo H100 is a hybrid-style electric bike, launched at a price starting from Rs. 48,900. Toutche has also opened bookings for the new bike from 5th July 2021 along with its earlier successful models – Heileo M100, M200, and H200, on the company website.

Heileo H100 offered in two colors, spring green & Feta white. E-bike is built with 6061 Aluminium alloy, packed with 345 & 460 watt-hours of power. Heileo H100 is equipped with an intelligent controller, detachable Li-ion battery made of Panasonic cells, and a 250W Rear BLDC hub motor. Similar to the other models in the Heileo stable, the H100 comes with two range options of 60 and 80 km per charge (on the pedal-assist mode).

Heileo’s bike comes with three modes of operation. It gives you a choice of being a regular bicycle (with 7-speed Shimano gears) or run on electric modes (pedal-assist or throttle). The electric model is powered by 5-levels of Power Assist and a right-hand-side Throttle.

Speaking on the launch, CEO,& Founder of Toutche Electric, Mr. Raghu Kerakatty said, “The all-new H100 Heileoebike comes with style & energy. We are glad to widen our portfolio at a time when the demand for eBikes has surged in recent months. Be it work or recreation, it’s simply a Toutche away!”

The Heileo e-bikes are manufactured at the Toutche manufacturing unit in Mysore. Toutche offers 18 months warranty on the battery, electric motor, and controller of the bikes, along with a 2-year warranty on the frame.

As per the company’s claims, Toutche has its Technology unit in Bangalore, where it carries out cutting-edge work around electric transmission, battery technology, and onboard electronics.

Toutche has a dealer network of premium bicycle stores across six cities in India. It has an authorized service network across 18 cities in India offering after-sales service and support for its products.