JULY 2019 | Manufacturing Today http://www.manufacturingtodayindia.comPOLARITY
BIKES
56
A MOVING STORY
What Jadhav and Mohan have created might end
transportation woes for millions of people traversing
short distances to work and back.
By the end of the year, the duo plan to unveil
two-wheeled electric bikes that offer a top speed
of 100kmph! "We wanted to create a product that
was hitherto little thought or heard of in India. So
we considered all aspects of the product, ranging
from design, looks, weight, price, etc. Importantly,
the trouble with EVs is that if you run out of juice,
you are compelled to drag the vehicle home or the
nearest charging point. Polarity Bikes will not give
you that chance. You see, it comes with pedals and
doubles up as a bicycle as it comes with a chain
drive," Jadhav says with a smile.
For starters, the innovation has not stopped at
just one model. Mohan says, "Six different proto-
types at six different price points and six different
frames is what the Indian buyer will get. The top-
end model gets an artificial intelligent system that
will allow you to track your vehicle and comes with
GPS navigation. With maximum weight of up to
60kg, which is where lightweighting steps in, the
e-bikes will come in the price range of Rs 35,000 to
Rs 1.2 lakh. With a range of 80km, these bikes are
'road legal'. It means you will have to undergo the
pain of registration and will require a license."
The vehicle will go through Automotive Research
Association of India (ARAI) testing in Pune to be re-
leased as a road-legal vehicle.
Perhaps, providence has also smiled on these
two. Regulations of FAME-II (Faster Adoption and
Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) could
not have come at a better time. Jadhav says they
plan to ensure that all the benefits of this scheme
find favour here. The process for approvals is ongo-
ing and they don't see a problem there.PEDALS OF FIRE
The bike is certainly distinct in many ways. For one,
it is 50kg lighter than a scooter, which gives them
the advantage of even shipping it via e-commerce
portals. Made for one rider, a 100km ride will not
cost more than Rs 15, which is what eight hours of
charging might cost you. Even more enchanting is
the lack of 'charging points' that would otherwise
be required for four-wheelers. Jadhav says, "The
bike can be charged even at 5Amp. So there is the
convenience too."
With a motor power of 1-3kW, front and rear disc
brakes, a digital speedometre and odometre (one
can use it as an exercise bike too), self-starter, a
TFT/LCD screen, headlight indicators, upside down
fork, hub motor on the rear wheel powered by a
lithium ion battery, the cross-over may seem like a“We wanted to create
a product that was
hitherto little thought or
heard of in India. So we
considered all aspects
of the product, ranging
from design, looks,
weight, price, etc.”- Sachin Jadhav
“The top-end model
gets an artificial
intelligent system that
will allow you to track
your vehicle and comes
with GPS navigation.”- Anand Mohan
motorcycle in terms of performance, but looks like a
bicycle. Polarity Bikes has also furnished the bicycle
with a gas-charged monoshock at the rear and fat,
knobby tyres that can used for off-roading too. The
company is planning to introduce dual-sport tyres
in the production model so that it can be used any-
where. The lithium ion battery is easily removable
for easy charging.
The chassis has been custom made, and Jadhav
says that it will come with a chassis number, once
the ARAI approvals come in, then the buyer can avail
of a bank loan and insurance on these vehicles.
Working out of 2500+ sq-ft workshop near Hin-
jewadi, Mohan says that they have the wherewithal
"to bring out 2,500 vehicles on our own but we
intend to do a national launch". With a sense of
pride, Jadhav adds that the company has filed for
design patents and it has already received the pat-
ent for the frame and swing arm. To this Mohan
says that it was Jadhav's design maturity that
helped them realise the ultimate product in less
than two years' time.
Looks like the duo have thought through every-
thing. What few would have thought of is also shov-
ing in a gaming software that one can play on the
TFT/LCD screen. Being young, Jadhav and Mohan,
perhaps may have played truant at some stage in
their life. For this reason, they have provided for a
mechanism that would allow the patriarch to lock the
vehicle to a certain acceptable speed limit, thus en-
suring safety of the youngster.
After-sales support can be easily accessed
through locating the service centre through one's
mobile phone and avail of free service, paying only
for parts. Polarity expects to sell around 15,000 units
in the first year and plans to touch 75,000 in the next
five years.
For Jadhav and Mohan, the journey has just be-
gun. Soon, India will be impelled to begin its journey
on electric novels that come with a twist.HOW POLARITY IS WEAVING ITS WAY
INTO URBAN TRANSPORT Motor power of 1-3kW
Front and rear disc brakes
Digital speedometer and odometre
TFT/LCD screen
Headlight indicators
Upside down fork
Hub motor on the rear wheel
Powered by a lithium ion battery
Rs 15 per 100km
Can be charged even at 5Amp