EV maker Bounce launches new scooter variant E1X with battery swapping technology

Bounce launches new EV variant

Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Bounce on May 15 launched its new scooter variant ‘E1X’, priced between Rs 59,000 to Rs 60,000 per vehicle that comes with battery-swapping technology, founder and CEO Vivekananda Hallekere told Moneycontrol.

“The scooters will be available by the end of this month across India and it is our first scooter with battery swapping technology made for both B2C and B2B customers,” said Hallekere.

The battery swapping is in partnership with players like SUN Mobility and VoltUp. The firm is also in active discussion with Battery Smart to partner for battery swapping technology.

In February of 2024, Bounce Infinity partnered with SUN Mobility to deploy over 30,000 Bounce Infinity Scooters in key markets across the country, starting with Bangalore and Hyderabad, and extending to Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi NCR in phases.

“We will be deploying the 30,000 scooters to SUN Mobility and the scooters will also be available for consumers and fleet owners to purchase from our outlets across cities,” Hallekere said.

The scooter is designed for both B2B and B2C customers but the design and cost are much suitable for B2B Fleet owners, Hallekere added.

The new variant aims to bring down ownership and maintenance costs to users. While the scooter’s price ranges between Rs 59,000 and Rs 60,000, the cost of battery swapping will be Rs 1 to Rs 1.5 per km.

“Within the ICE category, Honda activa would cost approx 1.2 lakhs on road, petrol costs 3 per km and 50 paise minimum service however ounce with battery swapping will be maybe Rs 60,000 ( 50 percent lesser in upfront cost) and 1/3rd in running cost,” Hallekere told.

Launched in 2021 by Vivekananda Hallekere, Bounce Infinity sells smart electric scooters with removable batteries. The company aims to democratize commuting by providing affordable and reliable EV scooters designed for people from both rural and urban cities.

Bounce Infinity has sold over 10,000 scooters since its launch and has its presence in all the major metros and also in the rural markets. The firm has a capacity of around 2,20,o00 scooters per annum and hopes to sell around 6,000 scooters per month.

The company started as Wicked Ride in 2014 as a rental service for high-end performance motorcycles. It then changed its focus and launched app-based scooter rentals and rebranded itself as Bounce. Since 2020, the firm has pivoted to manufacturing and selling EV scooters.

The firm will also be exporting the scooter to at least 20 countries.

“We have already received interest from Kenya, Philippines and South America. We will be looking to export to these countries as well,” Hallekere said.