India, the largest two-wheeler market on the planet, has recently seen a boost in the EV segment. Companies like Ola and Simple Energy claim to have addressed few key issues that most electric two-wheelers face. These include the low-speed, range per charge and low trust in China-made products. The scooter named 'Mark-2' by Simple Energy consists of about 85% local components, with lithium-ion batteries imported from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
The longer the range, the better the sale. Most EV companies primarily focus on the distance the vehicle can cover in a single charge. Keeping distance-coverage and convenience as key factors, we found two scooters to be the top competitors upcoming this year. The most awaited sleek and modernly designed E-scooters include the Ola scooter and Simple Energy Mark 2. The former claims a range of 240 km and the latter of 240-280 km in a single charge. Simple Energy plans to launch its first scooter Mark–2 in May 2021, whereas Ola Scooter in February 2021. The estimated price is said to be somewhere between 1.0–1.5 lakh INR. The launch of these scooters will be a game-changer for India's EV ambition. According to experts, the choices of EVs depend on the availability of charging stations. Lithium-ion batteries, now driving rapidly expanding electric vehicle markets, with their price continuously falling from the past decade. According to Bloomberg, in 2010, Lithium-ion battery packs priced at US$1,183 per kilowatt-hour, and nine years later, in 2019, the price dropped nearly tenfold to US$156/kWh.
EV companies also may look into the frequency of charging stations across highways and cities available to the customers rather than just focussing on the vehicles. If all the EV manufacturers come together in a written agreement to provide a single network of charging stations across cities and highways, perhaps, then the mass population will opt for EVs.
References:
Lithium Batteries' Dirty Secret: Manufacturing Them Leaves Massive Carbon Footprint, Bloomberg News, 2018.
Ola electric scooter with upto 240 km range, exciting features to be launched next year, Financial Express, 2020.
Simple Energy Mark 2 e-scooter slated for May 2021 launch, Autocar India, 2021.