Electric Scooters & Bikes company Okinawa Autotech has launched its first e-scooter ‘Ridge’ priced at Rs 43,702 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and plans to invest around $40 million (over Rs 270 crore) over the next three years in the country to expand operations and introduce new products.
“We plan to invest $40 million over the next three years on R&D capabilities, expand sales network and establish another manufacturing plant,” said Okinawa Scooters Managing Director Jeetender Sharma while talking to The Pioneer.
“What we have launched is only a glimpse of our product and in time to come there would be more products. In the first quarter of new fiscal we will be launching bike which can go up to 200 km with a single charge of 2-3 units only,” added Sharma.
Okinawa already invested around Rs 35 crore to set up operations including a manufacturing facility at Bhiwadi, Rajasthan . It has 24 dealerships in States like Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and going ahead it plans to expand in smaller towns as well.
“The present manufacturing plant has an annual production capacity of 90,000 units with single shift and by 2020 we will be producing around 1 million unit annually and also will have 450 dealers by then,” he added.
When askeed, is there inclination and appetite for electric scooters and bikes in India because of infrastrucural and other related problems, he said: “We have most innovative product and we will be opening our own charging station in metors, which is a major problem for electrical scooter and bikes presently in India. So, if you provide consumers with relevant products, they will go for it.”
Commenting on the Ridge, he said the e-scooter has a range of around 90 kms and comes with two charging setups.
The fast charging unit charges the battery in 1-2 hours while the normal one takes 4-6 hours to charge the battery fully.
The scooter comes with alloy wheels, tubeless tyres and telescopic suspension and also compliant with regulatory standards.