Lectrix EV’s approach to e-mobility solutions

This is an excerpt from EVreporter’s interaction with Arbaab Ashraf, who leads B2B sales and operations, as well as strategic partnerships at Lectrix EV. Lectrix is part of the SAR group and manufactures electric two-wheelers in India.

Could you start by giving us a brief overview of Lectrix’s EV solutions, particularly for delivery fleets?

To begin with, I will discuss the SAR group and the solutions we have within the group for electric mobility.

Starting with Livguard, a leading company that makes batteries and is a renowned battery manufacturer. Livguard is one of our flag bearers within the group, specializing in battery technology. We also have a company called Livguard Drivetrain, currently in the field trial phase. They produce electric vehicle motors and controllers for the L3 and L2 categories. Additionally, we have a company called Lime, which manufactures telematics and Battery Management Systems (BMS) that are integrated with the batteries.

Then, there’s Lectrix, the OEM for electric vehicles, producing two-wheelers and three-wheelers in the L3 category. Our L5 category is soon to be launched. We also have a company called Mooving, which focuses on energy management and battery swapping. There’s Lectrix Technology in Bangalore, working on new products to be launched under the Lectrix brand. All these components, from batteries to swapping, are managed in-house, showcasing how the SAR group is shaping the EV roadmap for India.

Coming back to Lectrix, our vehicles come with various battery options to meet end-user needs. We offer fixed battery solutions ranging from 130 to 140 kilometres per charge. Additionally, we provide a subscription model where customers can buy a vehicle without a battery and pay a monthly EMI or subscription fee for the battery.

For the last-mile gig worker use case, we offer continuous mobility solutions. Gig workers who need to travel 100-110 kilometres daily can benefit from our extensive network of swapping stations across Delhi, Bangalore, and soon in Hyderabad and other cities. Riders can swap batteries in just three to four minutes, ensuring continuous mobility without waiting for charging. These three major product categories cater to last-mile mobility and gig worker operations, with the battery subscription option providing an unlimited battery warranty for the user.

Let’s say I am a gig worker and I take battery from Lectrix on a subscription basis. After a few years, if I feel that the battery has degraded or the performance is not up to the mark, will Lectrix take care of that? Will you replace the battery and provide me with a better-functioning, battery under the same subscription?

Yes, the minimum commitment period is three years. The rider must complete this three-year tenure, but they can continue beyond that. As long as the rider keeps paying the subscription, they will receive a newer battery whenever needed.

If a rider wishes to utilize your swapping network, how does that work?

At the time of purchase, the rider needs to decide whether to opt for a swapping package or take a vehicle with a battery on the subscription. Currently, our swapping stations are limited to a few cities like Delhi, Bangalore, and a couple of others. The battery subscription is in wide demand because of its utility, especially in areas where our swapping stations are not present. Customers still find the battery subscription very useful.

In cities where we have swapping stations, these stations provide the convenience of continuous mobility for the rider. This has increased their earning potential, whereas, with a fixed battery, the rider would have to wait three to four hours for charging.

Can you also share the pricing with us for all these models: the vehicle plus battery, the vehicle on a subscription basis, and the charges for utilizing the swapping network?

We have two kinds of vehicles. The first is a fixed-battery vehicle that gives a range of 130 kilometers per charge. The price for this vehicle is around INR 95,000. The second product is a vehicle that can be used with a fixed battery or has the battery swapped at our swapping stations. It comes with a 2.3-kilowatt battery, and the price for this vehicle is around INR 85,000.

If someone wants to buy a vehicle without a battery and take the battery on subscription, the price would be around INR 48,000 to 50,000. They can then take a monthly subscription for the battery, which varies based on the kilometres and duration, starting from INR 1,500 to 2,000 per month.

To use the swapping network, the rider can pay INR 2,500 per month and use the vehicle with unlimited swaps for up to 2,500 kilometres from our swapping stations.

How much range does a single swap give the rider?

A single swap provides a practical range of 80 to 85 kilometres. However, considering the dead miles—like the distance the rider travels to reach the swap station—there might be an additional 10 kilometers. So, a rider can effectively cover 65 to 75 kilometres and still earn from using these vehicles.

Can you also tell us about the current scale of your battery-as-a-service offering, which regions you are currently focusing on, and your future plans for expansion?

Currently, we operate our battery-swapping network in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune. We are very aggressive with our swapping station deployment. We plan to have around a thousand swapping stations across India by the end of this financial year. New cities for expansion include Jaipur, Banaras, Kanpur, Patna, and other tier-two cities, in addition to the metropolitan areas where we are already active.

Are you operating all these charging stations in-house or partnering with people on a franchisee basis?

Currently, we manufacture and deploy the swapping stations in-house. We are also building strategic partnerships with organizations to set up swapping stations at their premises. Additionally, we are working on a franchise model, but for now, all deployments are being handled directly by Lectrix.

Are you mainly focusing on the gig workforce, or do you also plan to target household users?

The new products in development are focused on the gig workforce use case. Currently, we have around 100 dealers selling electric vehicles to regular household users across India. While our main focus is on the B2B segment, we also see significant potential in the household use case. For households, buying a vehicle without a battery and taking the battery on subscription provides peace of mind regarding battery warranty and lifecycle. This model has gained traction among regular household users.

To summarize, the demand for our swapping stations is higher among gig workers and last-mile operations, while vehicles with battery subscriptions are more popular among household users.

You mentioned three-wheelers as well. Can you tell us a little bit more about that product line?

Our three-wheeler brand includes electric L3 rickshaws, loaders, and other special-purpose vehicles like garbage collection vehicles. We are also developing an L5 loader and a passenger L5 vehicle, currently under development and homologation. These should be available sometime next month. Our strategy is to offer a complete range of EV products within the group, leveraging our depth of technology.

Also read: Lectrix EV introduces high speed e-2W LXS 2.0 at INR 79,999