Raptee aspires to address low e-motorcycle adoption in India • EVreporter

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Raptee.HV recently launched its first electric motorcycle, T30, priced ex-showroom at INR 2.39 lakhs. Deliveries are expected to start in Chennai and Bangalore in January 2025. Raptee is currently operating out of a 4-acre facility in Manapakkam, Chennai. The company has also acquired 40 acres of SIPCOT land in Cheyyar for expansion.

In this interaction with CEO & Co-founder Dinesh Arjun, we discuss T30’s high-voltage architecture (240V DC), use of CCS2 protocol to leverage the growing electric car charging network, vertical integration and in-house development of electronic components.

Can you briefly discuss the vision and design thesis behind the T30?

We wanted to understand why electric motorcycle adoption has struggled to gain traction. While we have seen many electric scooter brands emerge and people adopting these products, the motorcycle industry is significantly larger than the scooter segment. Yet, electrification in motorcycles hasn’t progressed as much.

This challenge drove our mission. We discovered that the existing architecture of current electric scooters has limitations that prevent them from delivering the power needed for a motorcycle. As a result, many products either underperform or others become prohibitively expensive for buyers.

We aimed to bridge this gap, which led to the development of our high-voltage drivetrain. We are building the world’s first—high-voltage drivetrain- motorcycles specifically designed for the commuter and premium commuter markets. We aim to make e-motorcycles a viable and more enjoyable alternative to petrol motorcycles within this price range.

Who is the target customer for this motorcycle?

Our first target group will be those seeking motorcycles in the 250 to 300 cc range. We aim to offer competitive pricing while delivering better performance.

This group includes individuals looking to buy their first motorcycle in the mid-premium range and those currently riding 125 to 200 cc bikes for the last 3 to 5 years who are looking to upgrade.

Can you help us understand what does a high-voltage architecture entail?

Currently, most electric 2Ws operate on low-voltage architecture, which ranges from 48 to 72 volts. This architecture has largely been borrowed from Eastern markets like China, where these products are common. While suitable for certain power levels, many electric scooters today are pushing the limits of physics to achieve their power output from low-voltage systems.

When you compare the power of petrol vehicles, an average petrol scooter produces about 8 horsepower, while an average petrol motorcycle delivers around 18 horsepower. This significant jump in power makes it impractical to use a low-voltage powertrain to achieve similar performance. If you attempt this, you end up generating excessive heat, wasting energy, and making thermal management challenging.

A decade ago, electric cars faced similar issues. Small electric cars operating on low voltage were not practical alternatives. Electric cars are now built on high-voltage systems, typically around 300 volts. We are bringing this change to two-wheelers as well.

The advantages for customers are threefold:

• Performance: Our vehicles will deliver performance and riding enjoyment comparable to petrol-powered vehicles, not just in short sprints but consistently over time.

• Longevity of Components: With less heat generated, thermal wear and tear on components is significantly reduced, which means our components are expected to have a longer lifespan. We plan to offer an 8-year or 80,000-kilometer standard warranty on our motorcycles.

• Unified Charging Standard: Electric cars in India use a DC charging standard called CCS2, but there is no unified standard for electric 2Ws. Each brand has its proprietary plug, which complicates charging options for customers. They often have to rely on a limited number of charging points or carry a 5 to 8-kg charger wherever they go. Our high-voltage architecture can leverage the existing electric car charging infrastructure, making charging convenient.

About 13,000 CCS2 chargers are currently available in India. From day one, our customers will be able to take advantage of these chargers, allowing them to charge their motorcycles from 20% to 80% in under 36 minutes. This effectively eliminates range anxiety as a concern for our users.

We understand there are some standardisation efforts in play for fast charging of electric 2Ws with Type 6 and Type 7 connectors. Why not opt for one of those?

The Type 6 plugs and other alternatives currently have fewer than a hundred chargers installed, and they are still evolving. Most of these chargers are found at specific manufacturer outlets and are not widely accepted yet, making it unclear which standard will become the default.

On the other hand, CCS has already become the mandated standard for electric cars in India, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Mr Gadkari has announced plans to double the CCS chargers by the end of the financial year. More importantly, CCS is a relatively future-proof standard. We believe there’s no need for a new standard to emerge, and even if it did, it would take a long time to gain traction. Since CCS already has a robust infrastructure, leveraging it is an optimal solution.

Additionally, by adopting CCS2, we can help fill utilization gaps at these charging outlets.

What would be the charging speed for AC and DC charging?

We can currently take 3.3 kW for AC charging. This allows us to get from 20% to 80% in roughly 64 minutes. DC charging takes under 40 minutes to go from 20% to 80%.

The goal is that at home or the office, you plug it in for a couple of hours—ideally 2.5 to 3 hours—and then your battery is fully charged. When you drive into a DC fast charger, plugging it in for 15 minutes will give you about 50 kilometres of range.

Could you provide a breakdown of the components you have developed and manufactured in-house vs sourced from outside vendors?

A significant portion of our electronics is developed in-house. We manufacture our motor controllers, battery management systems, chargers, and vehicle control units internally.

We are arguably the most vertically integrated EV OEM in India today.

This level of integration wasn’t just a choice; it was necessary because we are introducing high-voltage technology at a cost point that hasn’t been seen before globally. We couldn’t find anything suitable for our needs when we looked for components, including in China and Europe.

Additionally, we manufacture our battery packs in-house, which is critical for us. We hold significant intellectual property regarding how these packs are assembled and designed, and we have a strategic investor who assists with manufacturing our electronics.

The electronic components are designed and developed internally. We have a contract manufacturer who works with a strategic investor to produce them in Mysore.

How do you plan to address after-sales support?

We are approaching after-sales service differently. Currently, the traditional automotive business model ties service targets to dealerships. Our strategy involves separating sales and service operations. While we’ll maintain one or two service bases at each dealership for customer needs, most service will be conducted away from sales counters.

We are adopting a model similar to white goods, where periodic maintenance is performed at the customer’s doorstep. We have partnered with third-party vendors trained by us to handle replacements and necessary periodic maintenance. In cases of major component failures, we’ll pick up the vehicle from the customer’s location and transport it to central service hubs for repair.

This approach also addresses the challenges of servicing high-voltage components at multiple locations, enhancing safety and allowing us to consolidate our infrastructure in each geography. Each area we enter will have one primary service hub supported by multiple touchpoints, ensuring efficient and effective service for our customers.

You already have a manufacturing unit in Manapakam, Chennai. Additionally, you have acquired land in Cheyyar for expansion. Can you share the current scale and your plans for future expansion?

Our current facility spans approximately 4 acres in Chennai and is conveniently located near the city centre. This campus houses our R&D, manufacturing, and distribution teams, allowing seamless communication among teams to deliver an excellent customer experience. The maximum production capacity we can achieve at Manapakam is around 9,000 units per month, equating to about 108,000 units annually. Currently, we are operating at a production capacity of 1,500 units per month.

Once we reach about half of our peak production capacity, we plan to transition to our next facility in Cheyyar, with about 41 acres allocated for expansion. Our initial production phase will remain here in Manapakam for the first two years, and later we expect to move production to Cheyyar.

You have already raised $3 million in pre-Series A and secured a grant from ARAI. What does your next round look like, and how do you plan to allocate those funds?

Our previous amount was actually $4.1 million. The PR came in before the other funds hit the bank, so we didn’t mention it. We have raised about $5 million in equity and grants.

We are in the midst of a $19 million funding round, with a significant portion expected from our existing investors. We are backed by two deep-tech VCs and several family offices in the manufacturing and transportation sectors. This funding will primarily increase production capacity and ensure our motorcycles reach customers.

Also read: Raptee.HV unveils e-motorcycle, T30 priced at ₹2.39 lakh