Meraki by Ninety One e-cycle, with range of 35 kms, launched at ₹30,000

AlphaVector, a homegrown startup, on Thursday announced the launch of its Meraki by Ninety One e-bicycle at ₹30,000 in a bid to make a mark in the growing e-cycle and e-two-wheeler space in the country in Covid-19 times. The need for personal mobility, coupled with a 'Work from Home' and 'Exercise at Home' set up has led to the growth in demand of two-wheelers, cycles and e-two-wheelers.

Meraki comes equipped with a 250 watt, IP 65 (waterproof ) BLDC Motor which gives it a top speed of 25 kmph. The lithium-ion battery with 6.36AH will last 750 cycles of charging and comes with a 1-year warranty. The company claims the lithium-ion battery with 6.36AH will last 750 cycles of charging and comes with a 1-year warranty.

Significantly, the e-cycle claims to have a range of around 35 kms per charge which means that it could be a viable option for city commutes on daily basis. There are four ride modes available as well - Pedal Assist, Throttle, Cruise and Pedal which means the last option is always available when the battery is completely depleted. And powering the battery back to full will take around 2.5 hours.

For safety purposes, AlphaVector states that Meraki is fitted with e-brakes with automatic brake cut off. And in order to prevent theft, the e-cycle comes with a key-lock switch that ensures that it can't be started/operated without its key.

AlphaVector is ready to offer the e-cycle across 350 cities in the country through its 700 retail stores and states it is also ready to accept orders through its website.

Offered in Black-Red and Silver -Grey colour options, the e-cycle also gets a display unit which puts out battery-level information, among others. And the high-tensile streel frame weighing in at 22 kilos promises to make the bike durable.

AlphaVector is confident that Meraki will be able to put itself up as a strong alternative to not just conventional cycles but many e-two-wheelers as well. "We are excited to announce the launch of our flagship e-bicycle in India, which we believe is going through a Cycling Revolution," says Vishal Chopra, Co-Founder. "We aim to contribute to the adoption of e-bicycles in India in line with the Government’s initiative of introducing smart mobility and ultimately build smarter and sustainable cities for citizens."

While there are a number of players which have emerged in the e-cycle segment with strong product offering, the Meraki will have to mainly compete with the Hero Lectro range which currently dominates the space. But with its style and practical quotient, the latest e-cycle does seek to make a good case for itself