The electric motorbike market is set to see a new entrant. Chennai-based electric vehicle (EV) start-up Raptee Energy on Sunday rolled out its first electric bike from its manufacturing plant in Chennai.
Co-founded by four engineers, Raptee was launched in 2019 as an electric alternative to the mid-premium motorcycle market. The company’s full-stack electric motorcycle runs on high voltage powertrain technology for high performance of the two-wheeler. This is a technology that typically drives the passenger car industry. As a result, Raptee claims its motorcycles are compatible with CCS2 charging points, and once in the market, it can be charged in the points currently used for electric cars.
Raptee co-founder and CEO, Dinesh Arjun, told businessline that Raptee’s assembly line in Porur, Chennai, has rolled out its first vehicle and is fully operational. “The plant has a capacity of around one lakh units, but we intend to take it slow in the beginning. The first batch of motorcycles that are now rolling out will undergo rigorous testing including ARAI certification and on-road safety checks,” he said. “We will likely go for a commercial launch within this quarter,” he added.
First store
Jayapradeep Vasudevan, Raptee’s CBO, said that they will set up distribution networks across India starting from Chennai, and there will be a hybrid approach with online and offline channels. The bike is set to be priced in the ₹2.5-lakh range.
The EV start-up set up its manufacturing plant alongside its R&D centre in Chennai in June 2023. Raptee then said it was investing ₹85 crore in the facility. The company also makes its own battery packs and has a designated assembly line for it.
Raptee has raised around $5 million in funding to date from a mix of VC firms and high net-worth individuals. It is also in the process of raising a new round as it gets ready for commercial launch. The start-up also plans to open its first store in Chennai, which will serve as both a point of sale and a brand experience centre.
The electric two-wheeler category in India is dominated by scooters. Ultraviolette, Revolt, and Tork are among the EV motorbike makers that sell commercially.