BENGALURU:
Balan Engineering
on Thursday launched 6
utility EVs
in a bid to boost the
rural economy
. The Bengaluru-based automaker managed to achieve a 100% localization inclined towards the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision.
The
EV line-up consists a total of 6 utility vehicles that include Vishwas (loading vehicle), Swach Rath (garbage collector), B5 (
passenger rickshaw
), Kamala (push-cart), a sanitizing vehicle and a fumigation vehicle. The line-up is quite relevant to suit the needs of large civic corporations and institutions and other B2B consumers too.
Jagdish Shettar, Minister for Industries, Karnataka (left) with N. Balakrishnan, Director, Balan Engineering (right)
Keeping the norms and regulations of L3 category in mind, the vehicles have been restricted to a speed of 25 kmph. All the
EVs
in the line-up boast a 1.9 kW motor, a 2-speed gearbox and a 5.1 kW lithium-ion battery. Balan Engineering claims that the vehicles will offer an efficiency of 50 paise/km.
The automaker also offers a 4 years warranty on the motor controller, battery and the gearbox, which is a relatively good warranty period keeping the nascent industry mind.
Electric fumigator
Balan Engg currently aims at achieving a retail figure of around 300-400 units a month. Their production facility at Bengaluru is well suited to achieve the current sales target. But the automaker is also aiming to expand to North Karnataka to increase the production and also boost the local economy.
According to the automaker, achieving 100% localization was a challenge but it has managed to refresh its supply chain and tie-up with reliable Indian suppliers.
B5, the electric rickshaw
“The company’s key focus at present is to manufacture vehicles that would be used for cargo transport, rickshaws for the rural population, rural economy relevant vehicles for use in agriculture, and in forest areas and resorts, for civic amenities and inside large corporate campuses and educational institutions. We are committed to manufacturing products that would ease the lives of even the street vendors through our electric pushcarts which would help especially the fruit and vegetable sellers in their daily work,” said N Balakrishnan, Director, Balan Engg.