Bounce Infinity E1: Accelerating the Future of E-mobility in India

The future of e-mobility is here and India is already scrambling to be part of it! The air in the electric vehicle (EV) landscape is supercharged with excitement around the future of the auto industry. The State governments are going all-in by introducing FAME II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and EV) subsidies which have gained traction from international auto OEMs. However, all discussions around the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) inevitably gravitate towards the lack of proper EV infrastructure in the country.

For the common man in India, a two-wheeler is the ‘vehicle-of-choice’. The Government targets all two-wheelers having an engine capacity of up to 150cc to become electric by 2025.[1] However, there are some major issues with the E2W batteries in India and without addressing these issues the above target looks like a far-fetched dream.

● High upfront cost — There is a price difference of 35–60% between the cost of EVs and conventional vehicles. This is a significant issue for the common Indian buyer.

● Limited battery life — The average Lithium-ion battery handles around 300 to 500 charge/discharge cycles before diminishing in capacity. This translates to a run of 4000–16000 kms which is much less compared to the conventional setup.

● Long charging time of batteries — EV batteries also take longer to charge as compared to the quick refueling option available with ICE vehicles.

● The price of Lithium-ion batteries is costlier than lead-acid batteries — Lithium-ion-based battery technologies used in EVs currently costs approx. 2–2.5X more than lead-acid batteries.

● High battery replacement cost — The battery replacement cost is estimated between INR 40,000- 45,000 specifically in the high range two-wheeler models after four years of use.

● Range anxiety — Because of their nature, EVs can only be driven for a limited distance on a single charge as compared to their conventional counterparts. The average riding range of E2Ws is between 50–80 km on a full charge, whereas conventional scooters can go up to 300 km (if the fuel tank capacity is 5 liters with a mileage of 60 km/ltr).

● Inadequate public charging infrastructure — As of 31st December 2019, there are only 1,332 public charging stations across the nation.

[1]https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/niti-aayog-proposes-two-wheelers-sold-in-india-after-2025-should-be-electric-ones-nitin-gadkari/articleshow/70180899.cms

In a country like India where two-wheelers account for 80% of overall vehicle sales, the potential for growth in the electric vehicle segment is enormous. Bloomberg. NEF estimates that by 2040, E2Ws will account for 74% of all vehicles sold, a major jump from less than 1% today.[2] However, it is crucial that India evolves its EV infrastructure if we plan to make a breakthrough in the electric mobility ecosystem.

[2]https://www.livemint.com/news/india/whats-convincing-indian-middle-class-to-shift-to-electric-scooters-11636769687562.html

Let’s Bounce to the Future of E-mobility

Bounce is an Indian startup making big strides in the E2W space with its latest innovation — the Bounce Infinity E1. The company has the vision to make EV mainstream in India and is set to be a game-changer in India’s transition to EVs. The Infinity E1 is the first and only electric scooter in India that offers customers the dual option of charging at home or swapping batteries from the Bounce network of battery swapping stations. This revolutionary technology makes Infinity E1 a sustainable e-mobility solution.

Customers no longer have to worry about charging, range, battery replacement, and other battery-related challenges — thus reducing running costs by a significant margin. Not only this, but Bounce has also tried to make their e-scooters affordable. The scooters are available for under INR 50,000 with a swappable battery option and around INR 70,000 for a fixed battery model that is also removable and can be charged at home. In addition, the vehicle claims a mileage of 80–85 km on a single charge.

Bounce is now gearing up to build a large battery-swapping network that will support both its retail customers and its growing ride-sharing business. The company already has a functional network in Bangalore and Vijaywada where swapping stations are available at every 2 km. They are now planning to expand their network to six cities including Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad.

Besides the cutting-edge technology and network of swapping stations, what sets Bounce apart from its competitors like Ather, TVS, or Ola Electric is the convenience they offer their customers through their app. On the Bounce Infinity app customers can monitor battery range, battery level, locate the nearest battery-swapping station, access bike analytics, geofence the scooter, and also integrate theft protection. Packed with all these amazing features, Bounce has not merely launched a vehicle but built an entire ecosystem that makes riding responsible, convenient, economical, and fun.

With Bounce ‘charging’ the EV brigade, India is set for a smooth ride to the future of e-mobility!