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Ahoy Bikes Focuses To Create Aspirational Value
- by Sharad Matade
- April 11, 2021
Ahoy Bikes launched an electroluminescent-technology-based bike, which enhances the safety of riders and aspirational value.
The new technology uses an electroluminescent paint-like coating system, which emits light when an electric current is passed through it, increasing the bike’s visibility through many types of atmospheric conditions such as dark fog, snow, and smoke. “In India, one of the major concerns of cyclists is safety, especially when the visibility is low. Second, most people do not find any aspirational value with their bicycles, unlike motorcycles and cars. There are very few people who own a bicycle with pride. The new bicycle will also appeal to young kids and encourage them to take physical activities,” said Abhishek Mitra, Director, Ahoy Bikes.
The company had started working on electroluminescent technology during the lockdown. It had joined hands with the US-based company Lumilor. The main task for the company was to make the electroluminescent-technology affordable for Indian consumers. “We have been working on the technology to get the cost down and bring it in the affordability range. This is the first electroluminescent bicycle, the production model that has been launched on a mass scale project,” Mitra said. A wide range of Luminous bikes will be available at an affordable price range. The prices begin at INR 20,000 onwards.
The company also manufactures all-terrain bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, kids bikes and balance bikes.
Like other bicycle companies, Ahoy is also experiencing a surge in demand post COVID. According to him, the demand for bicycles has surged between 300 percent to 350 percent post-COVID due to growing health consciousness and adaptation of social distancing and gyms closure.
According to the All-India Cycles Manufacturers Association, the bicycle industry was growing at 5-7 percent every year, but it is now expected to grow at 15-20 percent because of the coronavirus pandemic, led by a surge in first-time users.
As per the industry data, India is the second-largest manufacturer and the third consumer of bicycles globally. India manufacturers 22 million bicycles every year, with an annual turnover of INR 7,000 crore. According to industry numbers, 22 million cycles were sold in 2018-19, and 18 million were sold in 2019-20.
Talking about growing trends from bicyclists, Mitra pointed out that Indian consumers are looking for the product’s right value. “Customers want quality products. They are ready to spend a little bit more where they can find value in the products. We are giving the best of the class quality bikes with the best of class components. We are trying to offer different products in the industry so that customers can feel good about the product,” he said.
Ahoy Bikes would also make customisation options available with this new technology for cyclists willing to customise their existing bicycles.
Indian consumers are also largely influenced by international brands in terms of weight, features and performance. According to him, different bicyclist enthusiasts have other choices, and the company targets the mid-premium segment and consumers who want to upgrade their basic bicycles.
The company also sees itself entering the safety gear segment, but not soon. “Yes, we have plans to get into bicycle safety gear business, but let’s see when we can utilise them,” he added.
Ahoy has around 200 dealers in its network across the country, mainly concentrating in the North and West regions. Ahoy aims to heighten the number of dealers to 350 in FY21-22 with an increasing focus on the south region.
As for its product strategy, Ahoy also intends to attract dealers through its distinctive products instead of ramping up dealer numbers. “We do not want to push our products to the dealers. We are trying to create products that differentiate ourselves in the market and create a pull factor. And the new electroluminescent-technology-based bikes is an example of it,” he said.
Tractions on the e-commerce portal have surged, especially after COVID surge. However, Mitra thinks buying a bicycle online is yet not a convenient mode for consumers. “Buying a bicycle online is easy. But getting it assembled and serviced is a challenge. You get the bicycle’s delivery in a semi-assembled state and, to assemble it, you need to find a professional mechanic for whom you will have to pay. Even the dealer from which you can get the bicycle assembled will not be pleased about your online purchase. Let me say that too. Maybe he will charge you more. So deliberately, we are not getting into e-commerce, but we are trying to get into omnichannel sales. Consumers can visit our website and get to know about the products and buy them from the website or from the nearest dealer. If a consumer buys from the website, we deliver the product through our dealer only in a fully assembled state. That’s how we promote our dealers as well,” explained the Ahoy Director.
Ahoy entered the bicycle manufacturing business in 2018. However, the company has been in the industry for over three decades supplying components from plastic moulded and PVC components to OEMs. The component manufacturing business it shelved in 2016-17 and started a bicycle making factory in Delhi NCR 2018, and the Ahoy brand was launched. The knowledge of the bicycle component business has helped Ahoy to expand its current business rapidly.
“The biggest advantage was for us was a network of OEMs, suppliers and vendors across the country we have built over the years. We had supplied the components to OEMs and dealers, procured raw materials vendors over three decades, and created our credibility. Those three decades in the bicycle component business helped us to understand the industry deeply. Being a component maker, we visited various factories from OEMs, suppliers, and vendors. They shared their knowledge and experience about the business, which would have been impossible if we had been only into bicycle manufacturing. We also understood the pain points of the suppliers, vendors and consumers, and that’s where our products find values,” he said.
Ahoy has no plans to export bicycles in the near future. Electric motor-driven bicycles are gaining popularity in India. He also sees the future as e-mobility but added the company does not have any plans to manufacture e-bicycles. “As of now, we are focusing our energies on building, you know, this particular kind of products which are different for different from what other people are offering,” he said.
The company has a production capacity of producing 20,000 units per month. The current challenge for Ahoy is the supply of components to make bicycles. “Demand for bicycle has gone up exponentially, but the supply chain has gone up haywire. Supply-demand has widened,” he added. (MT)
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India’s Electric Two-Wheeler Thrust
- by Aditya Gowda
- August 14, 2021
July 2021 was a month of much activity and announcements in the Indian electric two-wheeler industry. Much of it had to do with the announcement of Phase II of FAME II scheme by the Central Government, which seemed to favour the early adoption of electric two- and three-wheelers. Many states followed suit with a new or revised electric vehicle (EV) policy. Of the opinion that the new FAME II scheme will disrupt the two-wheeler market in India, Tarun Mehta, CEO and Co-founder, Ather Energy, said, “They could clock sales of over six million units by 2025.”
The increase in maximum subsidy limit from 20 to 40 percent in the case of initial acquisition cost has enabled electric two-wheeler OEMs to reduce the sticker price of their products a good deal. The arrangement is such that the government will reimburse the OEM the subsidy amount after it has sold the vehicle to its customer, the actual beneficiary. “Lowering the prices of electric scooters will help to persuade more riders to switch to an electric one,” said Jeetender Sharma, MD and Founder, Okinawa Autotech. Sohinder Gill, Director General, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), informed, “The Gujarat State Government’s subsidy of INR 20,000 for electric two-wheelers that cost up to INR 150,000 has a potential to make it an EV hub,” Referring to the Maharashtra EV policy, which provides a subsidy of INR 10,000 on an electric two-wheeler, Nagesh Basavanhalli, MD and CEO, Ampere Vehicles, remarked, “The policy will not only boost electric vehicle growth, it will also provide employment.”
Helping electric two- and three-wheeler proliferate, the Phase II of FAME II and the EV policies of various states, it is clear, are looking at attracting investments and employment opportunities. These policies are also looking at creating a self-sufficient (Atmanirbhar Bharat) ecosystem of fundamental manufacture – that of chips, battery cells, motors and controllers. India has the software but needs the hardware, mentioned a source. He pointed at Ola’s high voltage campaign for its e-scooter, and said that the real slog will start only after the plant is up and running. It will begin when the e-scooter hits the road and starts competing against numerous others. Stressing on the presence of equally capable global, regional and local players, he explained, it is as necessary to understand the psyche of the market as much as it is to have the technology and the money to invest. Carrying with them the image of being premium and technologically superior, the Ather e-scooters have been attracting attention for some time.
Its dealer from Maharashtra mentioned that awareness for electric two-wheelers is growing and the number of footfalls after the fuel price hike. Range anxiety, however, remains to be a challenge, he said. Across segments – Ather e-scooters are said to be premium offerings compared to others with a price premium of roughly INR 30,000 to INR 40,000. Range anxiety is a factor that is proving challenging to many. Especially along with the higher initial acquisition cost. The innovative technological achievements like a detachable battery pack that could be taken out for charging at home or in the office are helping to an extent. They are also highlighting the efforts of the electric two-wheeler OEMs to understand the dynamic regulatory and market requirements.
Investments in technology involving materials and sciences are yielding better products no doubt. With the emergence of demand for commercial-use electric three-wheelers, companies like Komaki are quick to respond. Its XGT CAT 2.0 e-bike with a 350 kg payload is designed to address the needs of e-commerce logistics companies like Delhivery and Ekart, and aggregator platforms like Swiggy and Zomato. Looking at maximum uptime and reliability in the last-mile space, commercial electric three-wheeler users, tasked with attacking as many pin codes and as many customers as they could in a strict time stipulation, are keen to control costs as well as reduce their carbon footprint. Leveraging IoT and AI to analyse data, they are choosing between Lithium-ion powered and lead-acid battery-powered electric two-wheelers. (MT)
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Suzuki Hayabusa Teased Ahead Of Premier On February 5th
- by Mt Bureau
- January 29, 2021
Japanese bike-maker, Suzuki, is set to showcase their iconic flagship motorcycle on February 5th. The Hayabusa, first launched in 1999, gained a massive cult following from eager fans all over the world. Once termed the world’s fastest production motorcycle, this superbike will soon be back in action.
The teaser, which runs 25 seconds long, shows glimpses of the 4-cylinder sports bike, on a bowl track, doing around 180 mph at 10,000 RPM, 1,000 RPM still left for its redline.
The Hayabusa still retains the analogue instrument cluster, an uncommon sight in today’s premium motorcycle market. The engine will meet the latest European (and consequently Indian) emissions regulations.
The world-wide unveil next week is expected to shed more light on the details of the motorcycle.
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JK Tyre is all set to host the 24th JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship (JKNRC) 2021 at the Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore on 23-24 Oct 2021. The event will also witness the debut of the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup.
Royal Enfield has announced its debut into track racing with its flagship racing motorcycle – the Continental GT 650. Typically involving faired/sports motorcycles, the Continental GT Cup is India’s first retro motorcycle racing format. It is aimed at making track racing accessible for new entrants as well as experienced racers.
With over 300 aspirants applying for the race, 100 racers were shortlisted and invited to Coimbatore for the selection on Monday, 18 October. Making up the final racing roster are 18 riders who qualified for the races on Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, two media wild cards were also shortlisted for the race.
Riders from across the country took part in the qualifiers with Anfal Akdhar, a rider from Thirssur, topping the chart at 1:23.126 minutes, Anish Damodara Shetty, a well-known rider, also provided strong competition. Lani Zena Fernandez, a young lady from Puducherry, took the track by storm with her confidence on the track. Raivat Dhar, a young racer from Jammu, also made it to the final grid. With the majority of the racers being from Southern India, Raivat will represent the northernmost state of the country at the race on Sunday. (MT)
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Add Comment- Ultraviolette Automotive
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Ultraviolette Automotive Elevates Vinayak Bhat As Chief Product Officer
- by MT Bureau
- August 20, 2024
TVS Motor Company-backed Ultraviolette Automotive, a premium electric motorcycle company, has promoted Vinayak Bhat to the position of Chief Product Officer.
In his new role, Bhat will be tasked to expand Ultraviolette’s product portfolio through the entire lifecycle from inception and design to development and market introduction. He will lead Ultraviolette's endeavours in broadening its product range and catalysing innovation in the high-performance EV space.
Vinayak Bhat said, "I've witnessed Ultraviolette's unwavering pursuit of innovation. My goal is to craft exceptional products for global markets through our strategy of vertical integration - specifically across critical elements like the battery technology, drivetrain and vehicle architecture. Our aim: redefine standards and solidify Ultraviolette’s position as a global leader in electric mobility."
Before assuming the role of CPO, Bhat served as the Technical Director and Principal Engineer at Ultraviolette. Since joining the company in 2017, he has played a pivotal role in the development of the F77 Mach 2 and F99 Racing Platform and overseeing coordination across all aspects of product development, engineering, operations, and manufacturing functions.
Narayan Subramaniam, CEO & Co-Founder, Ultraviolette Automotive said, "Vinayak's in-depth understanding of aerospace and electric vehicle technologies provides him with a unique perspective that will be critical in driving our culture of innovation. His leadership was instrumental in the successful launch of our flagship products - the F77 and the F77 Mach 2. I am confident that with Vinayak’s appointment as CPO, we will achieve newer heights in innovation and market penetration."
Bhat started his professional journey in 2013 at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a structural engineer. Further transitioning to Safran Engineering as a design analyst, he is said to have contributed significantly towards key projects for Airbus and Boeing, with a focus on landing gears, nacelles, and fuselage components.
Niraj Rajmohan, CTO & Co-Founder, Ultraviolette Automotive said, "Vinayak has been instrumental in driving our product development initiatives. His exceptional technical prowess and exemplary leadership have been pivotal in realising our vision. As CPO, his visionary leadership will play a crucial role in our quest for global leadership in electric mobility. We eagerly anticipate the strategic direction he will provide, propelling us forward and opening new avenues for growth and innovation.”
Ultraviolette Automotive plans to introduce new products for multiple mobility segments over the next five years, targeting both domestic and international markets.
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