The Indian Navy has become the first customer for Okinawa's i-Praise scooter, which the company says comes with a host of intelligent features.
24 Jan 2019 | 22787 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Okinawa Scooters, one of the country's fastest-growing electric two-wheeler manufacturers, has launched its lithium-ion e-scooter, the Okinawa i-Praise at Rs 115,000 (ex-showroom). The company says it has clocked bookings of over 450 units in the pre-launch phase, and the Indian Navy is the first customer to receive the smart scooters.
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Okinawa Scooters, one of the country's fastest-growing electric two-wheeler manufacturers, has launched its lithium-ion e-scooter, the Okinawa i-Praise at Rs 115,000 (ex-showroom). The company says it has clocked bookings of over 450 units in the pre-launch phase, and the Indian Navy is the first customer to receive the smart scooters.
The i-Praise is the fourth product in Okinawa's portfolio, with others being the Ridge (lead acid battery), Praise (lead acid battery), Ridge+ (lithium-ion battery).
The Okinawa i-Praise's features include a detachable lithium-ion battery, which requires a 5A power socket, making it possible to recharge even in areas with inadequate public support infrastructure for EVs. The e-scooter, according to the company, has a range of around 160-180km/charge and a charging time of two to three hours. The vehicle weight, Okinawa says, is about 30-40 percent less than many of the other EVs in its category.
Commenting on the strong booking for the i-Praise, Jeetender Sharma, MD, Okinawa Scooters, said: “The team at Okinawa has pulled out all the stops to create a truly revolutionary product with the i-Praise and we are delighted to see the incredible response that the EV has received even in its pre-launch phase. It is also a proud moment for us that an elite, forward-looking organisation such as the Indian Navy has become the first customer for the i-Praise. This not only demonstrates the strength of our product, but also encourages us to continue with our vision to innovate and transform the Indian automobile market.”
“As the e-scooter is officially unveiled in the Indian market, we are certain that it will raise the benchmark for the industry as a whole and create explosive growth in the adoption and acceptance of EVs across the country. With its detachable lithium-ion batteries that compellingly address the issues related to battery charging and the time consumed for the same, the EV is also generating a massive demand in Tier-II and III cities which is a great development,” added Sharma.
Okinawa says a majority of the bookings for the i-Praise have come from all cities at an all-India level, including Tier 1 cities such as Pune, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Tier 2 cities like Bhopal, Nasik, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Ambala, Vishakhapatnam and Tier 3 cities such as Mysore, Bulandshahar, Gorakhpur, Warangal, Trichy, Trissur.
The smart features of the Okinawa i-Praise can be accessed via the ‘Okinawa Eco’ app available on Google Play store. The main features include — Geo-fencing, virtual speed limit, curfew hours, battery health tracker, SOS notifications, continuous monitoring, trips, directions and vehicle status.
The i-Praise is available in glossy red black, glossy golden black and glossy silver black.
Also read: Okinawa launches Ridge+ e-scooter at Rs 64,988
Okinawa opens pre-booking of i-Praise for Rs 5,000
Okinawa claims record sales of 12,000 e-scooters in September-October
Okinawa Scooters to invest Rs 100 crore in new plant in Bhiwadi