Upon its launch, Bounce electric scooter will go up against a host of rivals from Ather Energy, Ola Electric and Simple Energy to name a few
It has been raining electric scooters in India over the last few months. The latest entrant to this list will be Bengaluru-based startup Bounce which is known for its scooter rental service. The company announced its entry into the electric vehicle (EV) market of India earlier this month with the launch of its first model scheduled towards the end of November.
Deliveries of this yet unnamed electric scooter are expected to commence from January 2022. Ahead of its launch, the e-scooter has been spotted testing on the streets of Mumbai in its undisguised avatar. The biggest talking point of this e-scooter will be its battery-swapping technology which is still a very novice feature in the EV market.
Bounce Electric Scooter Spied – Swappable Battery Technology
To support this tech, Bounce will be setting up a network of battery swapping stations across the country. This battery-swapping network will cater to retail customers as well as the ride-hailing business. The company hasn’t revealed any specific data regarding the installation or frequency or how soon such stations could come up. This would allow customers to rent a battery on a subscription basis.
It would also bring down the cost of ownership of the upcoming e-scooter and future electric two-wheelers equipped with battery swapping technology. Customers should be able to opt for a battery pack on monthly or yearly rental plans. With this module the company aims to offer the electric scooter at an extremely competitive price, around Rs 60,000 – Rs 70,000 (ex-showroom).
Bounce E-scooter Details
Coming to the scooter, it gets a very conventional flowing design with a round all-LED headlamp and neatly tucked pillion footrests. It appears to be based on the Flow e-scooter from 22Motors, however, the former gets a different seat cover. Other highlights revealed in the latest spy shots include an LCD instrument console, a hub-mounted motor and single disc brakes at both ends.
Considering the competition it will be up against, the e-scooter from Bounce would most probably be powered by a larger battery pack than the 2.1kWh unit available in Flow. While the battery pack and battery management system are indigenous, the cells in the battery packs will be imported, specifically from Panasonic and LG Chem.
Bounce Acquires 22Motors
For the uninitiated, Bounce recently acquired 22Motors about a month ago at a reported value of around USD 7 million (approx. Rs 52 crore). As a result of his acquisition, Bounce has gained control 22Motors’ intellectual property, as well as its manufacturing facility in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. This plant has an annual production capacity of 1,20,000 electric two-wheelers.
Bounce also plans to set up another manufacturing plant in southern India. The EV startup will also utilise its existing 170 service points from the ride-sharing business in South India and also build new ones to set up its battery swapping stations.
