The electric mobility segment is in the verge of entering its heyday in India. Every passing day, the number of electric two wheeler makers in the country has been increasing. The EV scene is currently populated by well funded young startups and established brands in almost equal mix.
Pune-based Techo Electra became the latest entrant in the market by launching three e-scooters namely Neo, Raptor and Emerge. The scooters are priced at INR 43,967, 60,771 and 72,247 respectively (all prices are ex-showroom, Pune).
The trio of electric scooters from Techo Electra is powered by a hub-mounted BLDC motor which is rated at 250 watts. The entry level Neo and mid-range Raptor employ lead acid battery packs whereas the flagship emerge gets a lithium ion unit. The battery packs are portable.
The lead acid batteries take 5-7 hours to charge while the lithium ion pack only takes 4-5 hours. The Techo Electra Neo has a claimed range of 65 km while the Raptor and Emerge can travel up to 85 km and 80 km respectively on a full charge.
In terms of design, the Neo and Raptor adopt a modern appeal with Honda Dio-inspired apron-mounted headlamps. The top-end Emerge resorts to a retro classic design. All the three scooters are equipped with LED headlights, USB charging and central locking.
The Raptor and Emerge are equipped with front disc brake and reversing function while the base Neo makes do with drum brakes at both ends. The Emerge also gets a fully digital LCD instrument console.
Techo Electric currently has a good dealership coverage in its home state of Maharashtra and is currently in the process of setting up outlets across the important tier-1 and tier-2 cities across the country. The range of Techo’s electric scooters compete with similarly specified models from the likes of Hero Electric and Ampere Vehicles.
The government of India’s updated regulations for EV subsidy under FAME-II scheme have sent most of the electric two wheeler makes back to drawing board. Some brands which were caught off-guard by the new regulations had to bring their retail operations to a stand still until the updated models are ready, thus hurting the dealers.
However, with the arrival of new brands like Techo Electra, the electric two wheeler segment is expected to gain momentum.
