Gravton Motors plans to expand e2W unit

Hyderabad-based electric two-wheeler start-up Gravton Motors plans to expand its manufacturing capacity to 300,000 units from the existing 48,000 units facility in Telangana.

The start-up launched its first electric two-wheeler, the QUanta in 2021 but increasing Covid numbers delayed the delivery plans.

The Quanta, which retails at Rs 99,000 is a performance-oriented sturdy electric two-wheeler and has a unique design (it resembles a moped) a rib-caged trellis chassis, a claimed maximum load capacity of 400kg, and features a proprietary 3kw motor (peak 3.6Kw), top speed of 80kph and 17-inch wheels, the company said.  It said the battery can be charged at home in under 3 hours and can be fast-charged with an optional proprietary charger in 90 minutes.

The Quanta e-scooter’s range can be increased to 300km with optional add-on batteries (upto 3 additional batteries). The e-scooter comes with a smartphone app that offers features such as roadside assistance, mapping service stations, remote lock/ unlock and turning on or off the lights from a remote distance. Users can also check the whereabouts and overall health of the vehicle through the app.

What’s more, to demonstrate the product’s capabilities Parshuram Parkha, founder and CEO, Gravton Motors covered 4,011km from Kanyakumari to Khardung La (Ladakh) in 164 hours and 30 minutes (six and a half days). The team drove the bike non-stop from Kanyakumari to Manali, travelling close to 3,500km and with an overnight halt at Manali. The feat was achieved using battery swapping to reduce the time required for charging.

Parkha told Autocar Professional that the company has received pre-orders for 6,000 units, 700 dealer enquiries of which 125 have been shortlisted. Furthermore, it will open 36 dealerships this month in the southern part of India, while it has established partnership for online delivery and service in northern India.

Taking a cue from the proposal of Budget 2022, the company will pilot battery swapping stations in Hyderabad. Its plan is to have a swapping station every 3km. Gravton Motors which is also readying an e-motorcycle slated for an unveil in April and launch in June. The e-motorcycle’s performance will be similar to motorcycles in the 110cc-125cc category, the company said. “We are working on a modular approach to enable us to work on any type of configuration. We have invested around Rs 3 crore for dyes and the tooling is done.”

The upcoming e-motorcycle is expected to have similar performance, while the chassis and exterior will different. Parkha claims that the “chassis can withstand upto 400kg of weight”. The company has also received  offers for co-branded partnerships. The deliveries are expected to begin end-May and the start-up also is planning to introduce ‘Battery as a Service’ concept by end-2022.