Pranav Dandekar (44) confronted a refrain of recommendation from his buddies to forgo his bold plan of constructing an electrical micro-car in favour of a extra sensible two-wheeler or three-wheeler. They argued that these digital automobile options have been extra standard, simpler to construct, and higher suited to the present market calls for.
But, Pranav stood his floor, resolute in his pursuit regardless of the in depth rules for EV automobiles in India, together with the necessity for a brand new driving license and infinite trials.
“Individuals usually assume that growing new EVs needs to be easy, but it surely nearly by no means works out completely on the primary strive,” explains Pranav, who beforehand labored as a software program engineer at Amazon. He insists that an engineer’s strategy is essential, contemplating components such because the automobile’s weight, sturdiness, and the way successfully it may be assembled.
For Pranav, the enjoyment is discovered within the ongoing journey and the a number of iterations alongside the best way.
Whereas lounging of their Indore courtyard, his father organized two armchairs in a row and stated, “That is precisely how compact I would like the automotive to be.” Prakash Dandekar’s concept was for a automobile akin to an 1800s buggy — easy and cushty, good for having fun with a leisurely journey with the wind in your face. Pranav, nevertheless, had a unique concept. He most well-liked a sturdier automotive fitted to lengthy distances. “I knew it might be a tricky undertaking, so I attempted to speak him out of it,” Prakash laughs.
This led to the creation of ‘Robin’, their first electrical micro-car — a two-seater EV that Pranav and Prakash declare shall be as agile as a motorcycle. The automobile is about to be launched subsequent yr by Wings EV, their startup based mostly in Indore.
With 46 years of expertise in electrical engineering, Prakash had lengthy been passionate about creating an EV. “We used to joke that we wished to create an electrical automobile designed totally by electrical engineers, given that almost all EV firms in India design their automobiles via mechanical and automotive engineers,” he recollects.
The daddy-son group has now efficiently turned that concept right into a actuality.
Throughout a go to to his son within the US, the place Pranav had been based mostly for 17 years, Prakash and Pranav mentioned how EVs may very well be adopted in India. They debated whether or not to retrofit current automobiles with electrical motors or design totally new ones.
To discover this, they bought a tricycle from Walmart and reworked it into an electrical mannequin with a hub motor, battery, and microcontroller that allowed the rider to talk whereas in movement. Prakash thought this electrical tricycle could be perfect for navigating India’s crowded streets as a substitute of utilizing a cumbersome automotive. “We joked that with a roof, our tricycle could be like an auto rickshaw,” Pranav chuckles. Nevertheless, Pranav felt a four-wheeler electrical automotive may be a extra thrilling possibility.
Within the early levels, Pranav and Prakash experimented by drawing rectangles of various sizes on the ground to seek out the best dimensions for his or her automotive. Robin began as a easy prototype — a two-seater with 4 wheels and no physique — for which Prakash created a software program program.
They then had completely different drivers check the automobile, having them drive in circles to substantiate the automobile’s viability. The prototype ultimately handed the rigorous checks of the Automotive Analysis Affiliation of India (ARAI), and Prakash beamed with satisfaction because the automotive’s spectacular efficiency caught the examiners off guard.
When Pranav and Prakash began their automotive design course of in 2018, they used cardboard cutouts to construct a tough prototype and invited individuals to check it. They requested for suggestions on the way it felt, what options they anticipated, and any issues that they had. This enter was instrumental in shaping the ultimate design. Over the following 5 years, they performed quite a few surveys with professionals in numerous cities to determine their target market.
Pranav believes their strategy units them aside from conventional automotive firms who usually view automobiles as both two-wheelers or four-wheelers. “For customers, the precedence is environment friendly and fast transportation, not automobile kind,” he says.
As they labored on Robin, Pranav prioritised designing it with the footprint of a two-wheeler. “Dad and I insisted that if we might hold it inside the dimension of a motorcycle, it might be versatile sufficient to entry any space the place motorbikes are allowed and parked,” Pranav notes. “This concentrate on dimension made Robin extremely helpful but in addition very difficult to construct.”
“Robin is roughly half the scale of the Tata Nano, which many Indians already seen as fairly small,” Prakash says. Regardless of the automotive’s small dimensions, the father-son duo efficiently integrated all important options, together with seat belts, steering, brakes, headlamps, hind lights, and even an air con system. Prakash provides that the AC was added particularly for buyer consolation, although it’s uncommon to seek out such an amenity in a automotive as small as Robin.
The daddy-son group now presents check drives in six cities, and whereas persons are initially enthusiastic, in addition they have reservations about electrical automobiles. “Their issues fade away as quickly as they start driving,” Prakash shares. They based mostly the automotive’s design on Prakash’s dimension — he’s over 6 ft tall and weighs 110 kg. “If Dad is snug, then anybody needs to be too,” Pranav believes.
Of their surveys, Pranav and Prakash discovered that many members both didn’t know how one can drive or had stopped driving. Some have been involved that Robin would possibly really feel too cramped or unstable. “But, inside 5 minutes of driving, most customers rapidly adjusted and felt very snug,” Pranav shares. The automotive’s automated options get rid of the necessity for clutches, and the flexibility to take a seat proper in the midst of the automotive presents customers clear visibility in all three instructions, serving to them really feel safer.
Those that often keep away from massive automobiles on slender streets discovered Robin’s dimension good for higher management and security. “Customers felt it was like using a motorcycle however a lot safer,” Pranav explains.
‘Our objective was to create a private mobility automobile’
Prakash, an avid driver, usually discovered himself alone in his automotive. “Driving my Wagon R, it aggravated me that, regardless of it being a five-seater, it was at all times simply me within the automotive. I couldn’t ignore the emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide; it felt nearly legal,” he reminisces. He believed {that a} smaller automotive would utilise sources higher.
As the previous head of Laptop Programs at Tata Motors, Prakash usually mentioned smaller electrical automobiles however confronted scepticism from friends who felt such automobiles would require too many sources and wouldn’t promote. “Automakers usually aren’t occupied with making smaller automobiles,” Prakash notes. Most automobiles available on the market cater to households of 4 or 5, leaving a distinct segment for compact automobiles like Robin, perfect for solo or duo use, equivalent to grocery procuring or selecting up a baby from college.
“Our objective was to create a private mobility automobile,” Pranav explains, noting that they intentionally selected to not design a household automotive. Prakash, drawing from his expertise at Tata Motors, discovered that smaller, extra reasonably priced household automobiles usually didn’t succeed available in the market. “I noticed how poorly the Tata Nano carried out,” he recollects. As an alternative, Prakash views Robin not as a compact household automotive, however as an enhanced various to a two-wheeler. “Although it’s a two-seater, it’s actually designed for a single individual to navigate town effectively and conveniently,” Pranav provides.
“Most every day commuters journey simply tens of kilometres, not lots of, so a smaller, compact automotive could be rather more sensible for them,” Prakash explains. He notes that whereas many places of work wrestle with restricted parking for four-wheelers, there’s often ample room for two-wheelers. “Our goal is to offer the consolation of a four-wheeler whereas permitting customers to park in two-wheeler areas,” he provides. The price of driving a typical four-wheeler is round Rs 10-12 per kilometre, however with Robin, it drops to simply Rs 1 to 2 per kilometre.
Robin is particularly fitted to older individuals and girls who could not really feel assured on two-wheelers. Prakash shares that in check drives performed throughout the nation, “nearly each girl has reported feeling each liberated and excited.” It is because the automotive permits them to journey independently with no need the help of husbands or drivers, he explains.
Dinesh Keerthy, who took Robin for a check drive earlier this yr, has been wishing for a automobile prefer it. “Robin is as small as my Royal Enfield bike, which is ideal for dealing with Bangalore’s visitors. Its glossy and classy design is an added bonus,” he remarks.
Praveen Vadavi, an enthusiastic biker and automotive engineer, agrees with Dinesh, labelling Robin because the “want of the hour” for metropolitan areas because of its consolation and pace.
Srikanth, who drives a Tata Nexon EV — considered one among India’s high electrical automobiles — is contemplating Robin for his spouse. “It’s on par with Nexon EV and is good for households trying to make sure their youngster’s security,” he explains.
Bargava Subramanian was left surprised after getting behind the wheel of the two-seater electrical automotive. “Robin stands out and is unquestionably creating a brand new class within the Indian market,” he remarks. “This automotive will redefine our idea of mobility.”
Creating an electrical automobile from scratch
Two-seater automobiles haven’t gained traction in India as they’ve in Europe or China. Pranav explains that traditionally, India’s decrease financial standing meant that consumers most well-liked automobiles with 4 seats, viewing them as extra legit. There have additionally been issues about battery vary and charging services. But, with the development of electrical automobile know-how, together with high-quality motors and sensors, client confidence in EVs is rising.
Setting up an electrical automobile from scratch was no small feat. “The toughest problem was discovering producers who might create elements for an electrical automotive like ours,” Prakash reveals. A notable instance is Robin’s central steering wheel, which contrasts with the standard left or proper placement present in most automobiles.
Prakash, who manages all mechanical and electrical features of the automotive, has outfitted it with a drive-by-wire powertrain — a know-how just like fly-by-wire methods utilized in trendy plane. By way of this setup, driver inputs are relayed to a pc, which then communicates with the automotive’s motor controller.
As a result of Robin couldn’t accommodate a traditional differential gear, its rear wheels are outfitted with hub motors — a characteristic generally utilized in scooters and small automobiles. Prakash tackled the problem of pace regulation throughout turns utilizing digital differential know-how and ensured its security by having race automotive drivers push the automobile to its limits in testing.
Finding compact headlamps, that are authorised for two-wheelers however not usually for four-wheelers, was additionally a problem. The true problem, nevertheless, was making a battery system that customers might handle on their very own, as importing a battery system from one other nation was not possible attributable to doable restore points.
“Not one of the firms have been prepared to construct a battery administration system for us,” Prakash shares. “They informed us that with out a vital order, they couldn’t accommodate our wants.” This example prompted the duo to turn out to be their very own battery producers.
Constructing an entire automobile diagnostic framework
Moreover, they’ve created a sophisticated pc community that regularly transfers and shops all automobile knowledge on the cloud. This community displays facets, equivalent to motor temperature and GPS coordinates, together with a complete diagnostic system that gives real-time insights into the well being of every automobile.
The diagnostic system permits them to pinpoint issues in any automotive successfully. “Consider it as having an individual related to an ECG and coronary heart price monitor on a regular basis,” Pranav describes. The system gathers real-time knowledge, processes it via an AI mannequin, and detects anomalies like an overheated battery. “Such knowledge evaluation offers a clearer image of car well being than any driver’s subjective enter,” notes Prakash.
What occurs if one thing goes improper with the automotive? Can an bizarre mechanic repair it? “Probably, an everyday mechanic would make issues worse,” Pranav explains. Robin options distinctive elements that aren’t simply repairable or replaceable with standard instruments. Its important components — sensors, software program, batteries, and motors — are specialised and never usually identified to common mechanics. “Our diagnostic system addresses this by detecting points early and permitting us to carry out predictive upkeep or updates earlier than the consumer even notices an issue,” Prakash notes.
Robin will come outfitted with an app designed to maintain customers knowledgeable about their automotive’s well being and upkeep. This app will ship real-time updates on automobile efficiency and supply ideas for higher use. The duo can also be planning to arrange cell after-sales service items in a number of cities to carry out inspections following the automotive’s launch. With automobile knowledge saved within the cloud, technicians could have a head begin in diagnosing points, making the service course of extra environment friendly and fewer reliant on troubleshooting.
“Robin has efficiently handed ARAI Pune’s security checks, so it’s safer than present two or three-wheelers,” states Pranav. “We’re aiming to promote 3,000 items within the first yr, although our Indore plant can produce 10,000 items annually.”
Its lineup consists of three variants — a fundamental model with no AC and a 65 km vary priced at Rs 2 lakh; a mid-range possibility with a fan and a 90 km vary for Rs 2.5 lakh; and a premium model providing a 90 km vary, AC, and patented audio alerts for enhanced security at Rs 3 lakh.
Pranav and Prakash are actively conducting check drives nationwide to broaden their attain. In line with Pranav, there’s no want for aggressive advertising, as a result of “the utility of Robin turns into clear to individuals as quickly as they see its images and movies.”
“Creating a wholly new class of car isn’t one thing you get to do daily,” Pranav remarks. “If Robin efficiently merges the benefits of each two-wheelers and four-wheelers, it might be a reasonably neat contribution to make. I additionally hope it encourages others to construct modern automobiles of their very own.”
“We’ve put our heads down and labored at this for over 5 years. It’s satisfying to see that our efforts have resulted in one thing that individuals actually need and admire,” he provides.
Edited by Pranita Bhat; Photographs Courtesy Pranav Dandekar
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