Buoyed by excellent market response, company is bullish on future growth prospects
Home-grown electric two-wheeler manufacturer Okinawa Scooters, one of the first companies to have received the FAME II approval in the country, is making waves with its exciting range of products priced attractively to woo consumers. In this exclusive interview, Mr. Jeetender Sharma, Founder & Managing Director, Okinawa Autotech Pvt. Ltd., speaks to N. Balasubramanian, Motorindia, about the company’s genesis and rapid growth within a short span of time and its plans to come up with a one million-vehicle capacity manufacturing facility over the long-term.
Excerpts:
When was Okinawa Scooters found and what is the vision of the company?
Okinawa Scooters was founded in 2015 by me and Mrs. Rupali Sharma, our Chairperson. Today, it is one of the fastest growing and most disruptive Indian automobile companies. Okinawa is also the first company to get FAME II approval and our brand aims at contributing to the growth of EVs in India by manufacturing efficient e-scooters and bikes that are at par with the petrol run vehicles. We believe in the larger picture of #PowerTheChange and echo the same message through our offerings. We are headquartered in Gurugram and the manufacturing facility is in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan.
What is the product range offered by Okinawa? What are your future plans for new product roll-out?
We are into Made-in-India e-scooters and offer high-speed and slow-speed -scooters in lead acid and Li-ion battery variants catering to all the demands of the people. Our product array includes PraisePro, iPraise+, Ridge+, Ridge, Raise, R30, Ridge30, Praise and LITE. We are also planning to launch our first electric motorbike next year.
Where are your scooters made and what is the production capacity? What percent of the parts in your scooters are locally sourced / manufactured?
We currently have our manufacturing plant in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. The existing facility has the production capacity of 1,80,000 units in a year. Okinawa is the first electric two-wheeler manufacturing company to have got the FAME II approval which promotes the ‘Make in India’ products. More than 80% of our products are sourced locally.
There is burgeoning growth in the electric two-wheeler space with so many brands entering the fray to grab a share of the huge market potential. How does Okinawa differentiate itself from the rest and ensure you come out ahead of competition?
The EV market in India has seen number of players enter in last two years. While every player is trying to promote EVs in India, we have also been working towards addressing the customer’s concerns and breaking the myths. We ensure that our products are an answer to any query, inhibition or myth that customers might have. For example, we recently launched PraisePro with detachable battery, which would ensure easy charging. We also came up with anti-theft battery system which enables battery to get locked in, thus avoiding any theft. Hence, we have been taking steps to provide products that are efficient in every manner. Also, our array of e-scooters flaunts style that goes in sync with today’s lifestyle. Therefore, offering a product that is modish and efficient, both.
What are your views on the govt’s FAME II policy and the implementation of the same? What more do you think the govt and other industry stakeholders need to do to further drive e-mobility?
The FAME II policy has given a much-needed push to the EV industry in India. It will surely take time to implement all the aspects that it intends to address. Employment increased in the sector, with priority focus on the infrastructure and more localization of the parts. Government is also planning to procure electric buses for public transport which will fuel the growth. With further implementation of the policy, one can expect things to move fast and in a holistic manner.
How much of a challenge do you think the charging infrastructure is for the adoption of e-mobility by passengers?
EVs have just entered the Indian market. Its adoption among customers itself is going to be a gradual process. A strong infrastructure can certainly ensure a faster pace. To support the rising demand of EVs, an equally efficient charging infrastructure is required. The government is parallelly working towards the same. In addition to this, Okinawa Scooters has provided detachable Li-Ion battery which allows the consumer to charge anywhere, anytime. Hence addressing the challenge for users.
What are Okinawa’s plans for medium to long-term?
Given that we have got good response to our e-scooters range, we are now ready to launch our first electric motorcycle in India. In terms of design, it is going to be at par with its gasoline counterpart. It would have a speed of 100 km/hr with a range of 150 km/charge. We also plan to establish a new facility in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan next year, with an annual capacity of one million units.
