This company plans to launch its first e-motorcycle, which is expected to cost between INR 2.5 lakh and INR 3 lakh, on Indian roads in the first quarter of FY25 (April–June). It presented its first e-bike at the Global Investors Meet in Tamil Nadu in January, and it intends to debut it in the mid-premium market.
New Delhi: Ex-factory or ex-showroom subsidies, according to Raptee, an e-motorcycle maker that hasn’t yet released its first model into the market, won’t have a direct impact on the business. The business aims to compete in the mid-premium market.
After nearly five years of research and development, the company’s bike is the first high-voltage drivetrain bike with a ten- to twelve-year lifespan that can be charged using any public charger. which is what Raptee Energy’s co-founder and CEO, Dinesh Arjun, thinks makes the car special. We currently operate the only electric 2W business with a charging outlet that is CCS2 compliant with the infrastructure used for public charging.
Dinesh Arjun stated, “The e-motorcycle can also be charged at home from 0 to 80% in 45 minutes.”
Due to the reduction in auto industry subsidies, major manufacturers have chosen to lower the pricing of their products. According to one e-motorcycle (e-bike) manufacturer, the loss of subsidies is good and won’t have a significant impact. Ola stated last week that the Ola S1X+ would now only cost INR 85,000 after a 25,000 price reduction. The 450S scooter’s price was lowered by INR 20,000 by Ather last month.
According to Dinesh Arjun, cutting subsidies will improve product quality and provide potential buyers with more sensible and safe options. However, he has conceded that introducing subsidies was a wise move in encouraging the use of electric vehicles in India. Speaking about the total, he thinks that although car sales may temporarily decline following the removal of subsidies, the higher amount will still be advantageous to both OEMs and consumers.
In the first quarter of FY25 (April–June), Raptee plans to launch its first e-bike on Indian roads. It is expected to cost between INR 2.5 and INR 3 lakh. Dinesh Arjun said, “Our product will be positioned against the 250 cc vehicles.” The company debuted its first e-bike in January at the Global Investors Meet in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking more about the car charging standard Raptee’s bike complies with, he stated that because of its patented high voltage drivetrain, Raptee will be the first e-motorcycle to adopt the single charging standard (CCS2). He adds that Raptee’s e-motorcycle is capable of fast charging via both AC and DC sources. The company will provide a CCS2 connector at no cost.
In the upcoming three months, Raptee will hold its third round of funding, a Series A investment. Raptee is hoping to raise INR 20 million this time, having already raised about INR 5 million in the previous two rounds. According to Dinesh, ETAuto, the purpose of this fundraising is to increase vehicle production.
Speaking with ETAuto about its future intentions, Dinesh stated that the firm intends to produce 10,000 cars in the upcoming fiscal year, of which half will be completed this year. After launching its first e-bike for eighteen months, or by the end of 2025, Raptee intends to put its second bike on the road.
Regarding the plans for after launch, he stated that the priority was to get cars on the road and sold, and the second was to figure out how to use the data these cars would produce to improve the products.