We have a chat with Mr Agrawal about Oben’s first product and the electric ecosystem
Tell us more about the Oben Rorr.
We launched our first product, an electric performance motorcycle named Rorr, in March 2022. The motorcycle offers a range of 200 Kilometres (IDC) and can accelerate from 0 to 40kmph in three seconds. It has a top speed of 100kmph and can be fully charged in two hours.
The Rorr electric motorcycle has been completely designed, developed, and manufactured in-house by experienced professionals in the EV domain. Besides providing Indian riders with a neo-classic design, Rorr also offers practicality and a performance-oriented riding experience. Three colour variants are available to consumers at the moment – Electric Red, Voltaic Yellow, and Magnetic Black. The Rorr has 18 patents filed for critical components like motor, battery, controller, drivetrain, and design. It also has interactive connected vehicle features such as predictive maintenance, ride details, battery status, Geo-fencing, Geo-tagging, battery theft protection, charging station locator, on-demand service and roadside assistance. Its ‘Driver Alert System’ provides riders with visual and auditory cues, indicating when the vehicle is on, stationary or requires maintenance.
How does Oben Electric plan on capturing the market with the existence of big players such as TVS, Bajaj, and Hero in the 2W-EV space?
The Indian automotive industry itself is a very mature and conventional industry and is a huge market in terms of two- wheeler to purchase and use, across Asia. Firstly, we intend to provide Indian consumers with ICE comparable EV products and help them through a seamless transition. Besides selling electric two-wheelers, we are focused on after- sales service. Secondly, we are focusing on launching four products in a span of two years across different consumer segments. We also foresee ourselves selling 1 million units across Domestic and International markets in the next five years. Thirdly, we will be creating 3,000 direct jobs, touching millions of lives through our product, and playing an important role in the green initiative mission of the country. We are an R&D-focused and technology-driven company. Hence, we believe in designing, developing, and manufacturing grounds up than retrofitting or reverse-engineering.
What is your take on the recent mishaps which have occurred with electric scooters catching fire?
It is very unfortunate that a spate of events has occurred in recent times. We have had great EVs not just in India but around the world, that have helped consumers with savings in every way and fostered sustainability while going green. There are several aspects to delve into and consider with great depth and detail here. An electric vehicle is a meticulous and comprehensive technology and not just a battery on wheels. An understanding of its application, usage, composition, harmonious balance of elements, battery structure, cell type, and adaptability to different demographics as well as geographies requires years of expertise, spot-on technical know-how, and last-mile appropriate handling.
Not only the infrastructure, but the overall R&D which is necessary to sustain the Indian market and region is still in the early stages. Where does Oben Electric look itself in the coming years, given the current situation?
When Oben Electric was founded, the Indian EV industry was evolving. There was a dearth of EV skill sets, which was a major challenge faced as a new and young brand to attract the right talent pool. But with prior successful entrepreneurial and years of EV experience, the company was able to navigate through these challenges and launch its first product in March 2022 that had been designed, developed, and manufactured in-house.
It is our team’s strong technical expertise and years of industry acumen with which we have been able to file 18 patents for Rorr’s critical components like motor, battery, controller, drivetrain, and design. Our team is adept at designing specifically for the EV Industry whilst having a deep understanding of consumer needs from its prior EV experience. We are an R&D-focused and technology-driven company. We foresee that it is this innovation that will herald the EV industry at a level comparable to the overall Automotive industry globally. Currently, we are one of the first to manufacture electric motorcycles in the country. We do not believe in offering consumers any product that is retrofitted or re-engineered. This is a whole new segment that awaits technology-centered electric vehicles, and we are glad that we are at its forefront.
For a novel industry such as this in India, R&D, know-how, and technical skill sets are growing steadily as we speak. There are advanced courses today in these areas for individuals who wish to make a career in the EV Industry. With new and advanced technology coming from a skilled workforce in-house, India will now witness it’s very own home bred EVs.
What kind of future launches can we expect from Oben Electric?
We are now launching four new products over a span of two years. These will be a mix of motorcycles and scooters, addressing different consumer segments.
The rumour says that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will soon issue a circular to all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and to the SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) regarding the safety measures for electric two-wheelers, is Oben Electric ready to implement those changes?
We are aligned with the country’s electric mission and support the Government’s initiatives to create a sustainable clean-green mobility solution and bolster the seamless transition from ICE to EVs. Earlier, we have urged and requested the government to help regularize EV grade cells to ensure better performing EVs in India. We always ensured these and have also made sure to bring about quality and performance to our consumers. We have followed an SOP according to which we have undertaken quality checks when receiving cells to ensure their grading to maintain the harmonious balance of these cells within the battery over the years. More than an SOP, we have ensured that we have spent ample time in understanding and building a product with years of technical expertise to match the Indian market, Indian consumers, and the Indian topography. We have a ground-up Made-in-India product.
Have there been any challenges in locally sourcing raw materials for the Oben Rorr?
Due to the sector being new, there was a supply chain issue while developing our product in-house and grounds up. But with our prior successful entrepreneurial and years of EV experience, the company was able to navigate through these challenges and launch its first product in March 2022 that has been designed, developed, and manufactured in-house. Rorr is a truly ‘Made in India’ product. Currently, there are 400+ OEM’s, component manufacturers, and suppliers thriving in the Indian EV Industry.
Why should the customer opt for Rorr, especially with the existence of established players in the market space?
Our first electric performance motorcycle offers the highest range (200Km IDC), highest acceleration (0-40Kmph in three seconds)a top speed of 100kmph and two hours of charge time. Rorr is all about performance and charging time whilst keeping Indian consumer needs in the mind. Rorr has 18 patents filed for its critical components and we have undertaken QCs over the years to ensure top-notch quality is delivered to our consumers. More than an SOP, we have ensured that we have spent ample time in understanding and building a product with years of technical expertise to match the Indian market, Indian consumers, and the Indian topography. Rorr is a Made-in-India product ground up backed by a team that is adept at designing specifically for the EV Industry whilst having a deep understanding of consumer needs from their prior EV experience. Since, we are an R&D-focused and technology-centric company, we do not believe in offering consumers any product that is retrofitted or re-engineered.
