Dhoni to make world’s largest EV cycle gigafactory

India (Commonwealth) _ Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a world famous cricket player, supports the electric vehicle startup EMotorad, which is constructing the largest integrated electric cycle gigafactory globally. The company intends to follow Ola in growing its Pune-based manufacturing facility. With this development, two of the biggest gigafactories in the world—one for EMotorad e-cycles and the other for Ola Electric two-wheelers—will be located in India.

Phase one of EMotorad’s gigafactory, spanning 240,000 square feet, will be dedicated to producing all giga components—such as the battery, motor, display, and charger—that are essential to the production of electric vehicles (EVs). The gigafactory’s initial manufacturing capacity of more than 500,000 e-cycles per year intends to satisfy the growing need for other forms of transportation.

There are four stages to the construction of the e-cycle gigafactory.  It will be the largest integrated e-cycle gigafactory in South Asia and the largest outside of China after phase one is finished. August marks the start of phase one, which will concentrate on producing mega components. Later stages will increase internal manufacturing capacity.

“As we developed our electric bicycle business, we saw how large a worldwide market there is. It was valued $40 billion in 2022 and has continued to increase, according to Kunal Gupta, EMotorad’s co-founder and CEO. China was the world’s primary source of raw materials. We think India has the technological know-how to develop these skills. We began operations in 2020, and in just four years, we have grown to be the leading e-bike exporter. In terms of domestic sales and distribution within its niche, it is also the biggest brand in the nation. People are using e-bikes as their primary or secondary mode of transportation for commuting at a rapid rate.

Driven by intelligent factories and smart production, EMotorad has integrated Industry 4.0 standards. The corporation is also getting ready to launch a range of electric cars as part of its product lineup expansion. These cutting-edge vehicles, created on sophisticated Gen-2 platforms, represent a significant advancement for the EV market.

From an innovative standpoint, we recognize that other nations, such as China and Taiwan, excel in manufacturing. But software and technology are where India excels. Chief marketing officer (CMO) and co-founder of EMotorad Aditya Oza stated, “We are bringing the best of both worlds.” “We are the only organization developing a single technological solution with an additional software layer on top of it.”

For example, Oza stated that the e-cycle would have technology that would let users monitor their caloric expenditure. In addition, it has accident detection capabilities that notify riders’ loved ones and geo-fencing capabilities that let users designate safe zones or virtual borders using the e-cycle’s app.

India’s economy, currently the fifth biggest in the world, is driven by important industries including manufacturing, services, information technology, and agriculture. As a result of businesses like Ola and EMotorad utilizing the large domestic market and a youthful, tech-savvy labor population, there has been a sharp increase in both local manufacturing and exports.

In 2020, Rajib Gangopadhyay, Kunal Gupta, Aditya Oza, and Sumedh Battewar started the firm. EMotorad completed a Series B investment round headed by Panthera Growth Partners in November 2023, raising Rs 164 crore. This money was utilized to improve its research and development (R&D) facilities, broaden its worldwide reach, and strengthen its production skills.
As founder and corporate strategist Rajib Gangopadhyay put it, “EMotorad is proof that capital invested towards developing assets in a startup continues to fuel the scale and growth of any attempt capital-backed enterprise.” These kinds of strategic ventures will turn startups into businesses that will last generations.

In addition to its online presence, EMotorad has a network of more than 350 dealers and ten EM experience centers throughout India. Despite having its roots and headquarters firmly established in India, the company’s operations span eight nations, demonstrating its dedication to worldwide expansion.

Co-founder and chief business officer (CBO) Sumedh Battewar of EMotorad stated that automation, government programs, and technology breakthroughs are what motivate the firm to grow its gigafactory. “Gigafactories are paving the way for alternative mobilities in the face of the climate crisis, with India leading this transformative journey,” Battewar concluded.