Electric mobility startup VAAN launches e-bikes, to hit Kochi market first | Fast lane | Cars

Kochi: Lifestyle e-mobility startup VAAN Electric Moto Pvt Ltd has launched its brand new e-bike in the country. The company, headed by a young Keralite, announced the launch of the product at a grand ceremony in Kochi on Friday.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skills Development, Entrepreneurship, Electronics and Information Technology, has digitally launched the Van Electric Moto brand in the country. VD Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly and Kapil Garg, Chairman and Managing Director of OilMax Energy Pvt Ltd have together launched VAAN e-bikes in the Indian market.

Hibi Eden MP unveiled the VAAN brand logo. Former MP Chandran Pillai was also present.

The e-bike is available in two variants – Urbansport and Urbansport Pro. The Urbansport and Urbansport Pro are priced at Rs 59,999 and Rs 69,999 respectively and will initially go on sale in Kochi, before launching in other high-potential markets like Goa, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi in the future.

VAAN has started taking pre-orders for the bikes through their official website https://vaanmoto.com/ and deliveries would start soon.

Both the Urbansport and Urbansport Pro are lifestyle products with high levels of engineering prowess. These two vehicles had already been presented and launched worldwide at the EICMA 2021 motorcycle show in Italy.

Both e-bikes get compact unisex 6061 aluminum frames, saddle, rims and handlebars designed by Benelli Biciclette, the Italian brand’s upright e-bike. VAAN has linked up with them for engineering and supply chain and worked closely with the Benelli team for the development of the Urbansport duo.

Almost all of the key mechanicals remain the same on both bikes. The bikes are equipped with a Shimano Tourney 7-speed derailleur system, front and rear disc brakes and Spinner USA front shocks. The electric pedal assist system consists of a 250 W hub-mounted electric motor, a removable 48-volt, 7.5 Ah lithium-ion battery and a total of 5 “speed levels » electric. The removable battery is a first in this segment. The vehicles offer a maximum assist (top speed) of 25 km/h and a pedal-assisted range of 60 kilometers. VAAN claims that a full charge would only require half a unit of electricity, costing around Rs 4-5. The removable battery, with a net weight of 2.5 kilograms, would provide more convenience and need 4 hours for a full charge.

VAAN Urbansport e-bikes have a smart LCD display showing all the necessary information, which can also be used to control the front and rear lights. The Urbansport is the more practical of the two and gets 20-inch spoked wheels, a luggage rack that can carry up to 15 kilograms and an exposed electric motor.

Urbansport Pro is a sleeker, higher-end e-bike that offers alloy wheels and a perfectly integrated electric motor in the rear hub.

“Our Ernakulam plant has the capacity to assemble 2,000 cycles per month, and we are initially targeting sales of 8,000 to 10,000 cycles per year. We targeted a younger audience earlier, but now we’re even targeting people between the ages of 40 and 55. years who don’t need to be bike enthusiasts considering the benefits of our product which comes with three modes,” said Jithu Sukumaran Nair, CEO and Founder of VAAN Electric Mobility.

“The electric bike has an assisted mode with five electric gears and a full throttle mode to reach a speed of up to 25 km per hour. The removable lithium battery weighing approximately 2.50 kg with a guarantee two-year-old can be fully charged in about four hours and last 50-60 km depending on how the bike is used.The intelligent battery management system offers 14 safety measures, which, among other things, eliminate potential overcharging “, he added.

KISKA GMBH, owned by KTM, Austria, manages the brand for VAAN. A range of clothing, bike helmets and bike jerseys are also on the anvil. The startup’s connected watches are already on sale on Amazon and Flipkart.

The company plans to launch two more products in the next 3-6 months. The focus is on the main European markets. VAAN had recently raised 6 crore in funding from Asian Energy Services Ltd, and many new investors showed strong interest.