The recent launch of electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers along Chennai-Tiruchi-Madurai highway by Bharat Petroleum has brought home a new motoring reality — the growth of alternative means of transport in Tamil Nadu.
The repeated hike in fuel prices and closure of public transport during the pandemic-induced lockdown proved to be a blessing for the EV sector in the State, as motorists began looking out for budget-friendly two-wheeler options.
In Tiruchi, there has been a quiet rise in the number of people shifting to ‘e-bikes’, a blanket term that covers electric bicycles, scooters and motorbikes. “Earlier, we got young customers who had read about e-bikes online; now we are getting a bigger group of people who want to cut down their expenditure on petrol and diesel,” Noorul Hassan, proprietor, Flame E-Bikes, a dealer of Ampere Vehicles in Puthur, told The Hindu.
“E-bikes are not like regular oil bikes. They don’t require monthly maintenance. Periodic check-ups once in three months are enough,” said Mr. Hassan. “For a single charge, it will go up to 84 km and because it is considerably cheaper than other comparable models, the vehicle is popular locally.”
The Coimbatore-based Ampere brand’s Magnus Ex is a top-seller in Tiruchi, he added.
Motorists looking to use the vehicles commercially would prefer high-speed variants that require registration like regular two-wheelers. But while the e-bike batteries can be recharged on the domestic electricity grid, independent fast charging stations are still scarce in the city.
“Some of our customers use their e-bikes to operate motorbike taxis or work as food delivery agents. Sufficient charging stations for motorists who drive beyond the daily distance limit for one charge are in shortage. If they could be set up in places like parking lots of eateries or in fuel stations, e-bikes would become more accessible to commercial e-bike users. The only option for such drivers currently is investing in a spare battery,” said Mr. Hassan.
At REH E-Bikes in Palakkarai, which deals in ‘Stella’ brand (managed by Kolkata-based Kyte Energy and assembled in Hosur), budget-conscious customers are looking for low-speed scooters that can be used for family transport, said proprietor B. Sultan.
“Our vehicles start at ₹55,000, with two battery options: the lead acid that takes eight hours to charge, and the lithium-ion variant that needs only three hours. Next month, Stella is launching 80km speed models that give mileage of up to 140 mph. There will also be a loader type electric vehicle that can carry up to 500 kg,” said Mr. Sultan, who has sold 15 e-bikes to retail customers and 60 to wholesale buyers in recent weeks.
A greater adaptability to Indian road conditions is a major unique selling point for e-bikes, said M. Pradeep, product specialist at Ather Space Electric Scooter Experience Centre in Tiruchi. “Our vehicles all come with batteries with a three year warranty, that can last for up to seven years. The battery has an IP67 waterproof rating. So it will not be affected even if it is driven in up to a metre of water on the road.”
He advises e-bike riders to use their vehicles regularly, and also to recharge the battery well before it dries out. “We have had customers successfully taking long rides on their e-bikes from Tiruchi to Karaikudi on a single charge, but ideally, it is better not to wait until the battery is completely empty,” said Mr. Pradeep.
