Three-wheeler segments ripe for electrification: SUN Mobility India CEO

These segments need high uptime and low upfront costs for mass adoption of EVs, Badjatya said

SUN Mobility, which provides battery-swapping services for electric vehicles, unveiled a new partnership with Japanese EV maker Terra Motors Corp last week.

The Bengaluru-based company has struck similar deals with the likes of EV maker Omega Seiki, zero-emission logistics provider Zyngo, e-commerce behemoth Amazon India and Italian automaker Piaggio.

Anant Badjatya, the chief executive officer of its India business, told DH’s Prathik Desai more about its latest partnership with Terra, its expansion plans and the rationale behind doubling down on the three-wheeler segment. Edited excerpts.

Will all Terra Motors vehicles be integrated with your battery swapping technology?

Terra Motors would launch electric 3-wheelers (and electric 2-wheelers in the future) integrated with SUN Mobility’s swappable batteries offering users unlimited range through two-minute quick swaps. The users will have an option to buy vehicles without batteries and opt for batteries on a subscription (pay-per-use) model. The first vehicle model under this partnership will be available in early Q3 of FY2023, with more vehicle models to be launched in the subsequent part of the year.

Will the partnership also provide access to SUN Mobility’s existing battery-swapping station network?

Yes, Terra Motors customers buying or converting into SUN Mobility compatible EVs will have access to Sun Mobility’s existing network pan India. We have a network of over 90 “swap points” spread across 15+ cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Trivandrum, Calicut and Noida. We also have plans to double our network in these cities over the next 3-4 months, enter cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune this year and a few eastern cities such as Kolkata in the future.

Will SUN Mobility set up more stations for Terra exclusively? If yes, which cities will we find them in?

Sun Mobility will set up stations in cities jointly identified with Terra Motors for the deployment of SUN Mobility swap-compatible vehicles. We will reveal the names of the cities closer to launch.

What is the rationale behind doubling down on the electric three-wheeler commercial and passenger segments?

Three-wheeler commercial and passenger segments are ripe for electrification. These segments need high uptime and low upfront costs for mass adoption of EVs. SUN Mobility’s global interoperable smart mobility solution involves modular “smart batteries” that are safe, robust, efficient, and connected to the cloud. This system also addresses the issue of extensive charging times and range anxiety, as the spent batteries can be swapped for fully charged ones in less than two minutes. The network of “swap points” allows for EV refuelling in a faster, cheaper, and more convenient manner than for conventional petrol and diesel vehicles. This solution also works on a pay-per-use model that empowers EV users to pay for only the energy used per swap.

Could you talk a little more about the expansion plans in Eastern India?

We are strongly evaluating eastern markets, an area where Terra Motors has in-depth knowledge. We identified that there is a huge e-rickshaw population in the area, which is a major target segment for SUN Mobility.

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