Ultraviolette-backed TVS set to kick off e-bike race as rivals move ahead | Tech Reddy

Amidst prototypes, whiteboards, and projectors, a working model of an electric motorcycle is laid out for examination at Ultraviolette Automotive’s office in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru. Located in the neighborhood of Domlur, it is one of the first startups to venture into the premium electric bike market in India.

In a few weeks, this office will turn into an experience center as potential customers will be invited to experience the soon-to-be-launched F77 bike. Another new four-story office—housing its engineers, research and development (R&D) team, designers, and more bikes—is also a stone’s throw away.

“We want our R&D team and our engineers to come and talk to customers. We also want our manufacturing facility not too far from the office, says co-founder and chief technology officer (CTO) Niraj Rajmohan. Their production facility is located 26 kilometers away in the Jigani industrial area, which is outside the city.

Pre-bookings for the F77 opened late last month and the official launch is set for November 24. While pricing and specifications are yet to be revealed, the vehicle has already created a flutter in the industry.

Compared to other electric bikes sold in India that currently offer lower speeds and smaller battery packs, the F77 will offer a 10 kilowatt hour (kWh) battery pack and a top speed of 147 km per hour. In contrast, Revolt Motors’ RV400, launched in 2019, has a top speed of about 85 km per hour and a 3.2 kWh battery. The bigger the battery pack, the bigger the power.

Ultraviolette offers three modes for the F77—’airstrike’, ‘illuminate’, and ‘shadow’. Its claimed range of 307 km on a single charge is the highest of any electric two-wheeler (EV) in India so far, almost equaling Tata’s electric four-wheeler Tiago. At least three car reviewers Ken talked to him and said that the best route on the road would be about 280 kilometers, but that would be good too.

The launch, however, comes almost six years after Ultraviolette was founded. It took the company a long time to build a strong internal R&D team, develop proprietary battery technology and vehicle design, and acquire intellectual property rights.

“We’re not in a rush to go to the moon with this one,” said Vishesh Rajaram, founder of Speciale Invest, an early stage venture firm that was one of the first investors in Ultraviolette. We know that a car company cannot be built in one year, and once we give a car to a customer, we cannot take it back and fix it again.

Unlike the electric scooter sector, which is mixed with products by startups and legacy players, the electric bike space has been a quiet place.

This, despite the fact that about 70% of the Indian two-wheeler market is made up of bicycles.