In an exclusive with Autocar Professional at the NATRiP facility in Pithampur during the Baja SAE India endurance race, Tej Naik, the co-founder of Powerland Agro Tractor Vehicles, demonstrated the capabilities of its new electric ATV as a track marshal vehicle. He revealed his strategies for the electric off-roader and the opportunities that lay in store for this niche product in India and abroad.
What are the USPs of this new electric ATV?
The all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have always been our most promising product because it is highly in demand with the farm owners abroad. It is neither too big like a 4x4 jeep and nor too slow like a tractor. It strikes the right balance. Electric ATV makes the segment even more appealing.
The electric ATV could be charged using a regular 15A socket. Powerland is providing a fast charger set at a premium of Rs 30-35,000
It is powered by lithium-ion batteries and is driven by in-wheel motors. The indigenously developed VCU (vehicle control unit) enables 900Nm of torque and in the 4x4 mode and with the boost mode enabled, you will be able to experience top-spec acceleration, which is 0-60kph in 4.5 sec. The VCU also enables torque vectoring and zero-radius turning. We have opted for a full digital monochromatic display that supports Bluetooth connectivity and provides all the information related to the vehicle. With a 7.5 kWh pack that charges in 2-3 hours and gives a range of 160 km, it is the best choice for the farmland owners and off-road enthusiasts. We have also calculated the average operation cost of this vehicle which comes to around Rs 0.75 as against diesel which is Rs 5.8 per km.
What are the biggest challenges that electric ATVs are facing in India?
There is hardly any demand for it here. That is why we are developing it and pushing it aggressively for the European and the US markets. The new FAME-II policy does not have any points to support the development of electric ATVs in India. However, we are developing an electric utility vehicle for logistics and passengers that does find its mention in the new policy.
The biggest stumbling block is the overall homologation process for electric vehicles which is difficult for small companies. The mandatory electromagnetic test for the cells is very expensive at around Rs 5-6 lakh. Then there are other tests for the motors and other components. The entire homologation cost itself comes to around Rs 15-17 lakh which is lot when you consider the miniscule size of the electric ATV market, which is 300-400 units. Abroad, there is something called the IVA (Individual vehicle approval) which any company can approach for certification and is much simpler in its process. In India, the tests for electric vehicles are done at ARAI centre in Pune and at iCAT in Gurugram.
The homologation tests are feasible for big players like Tata Motors and Mahindra who have a vehicle parc of more than 20,000 units per annum.
What is Powerland’s business strategy for its global and Indian market?
From induction, our products have been focused towards the farm sector and the niche off-road segment. As per demand, we have diversified into the defence sector, police, oil exploration and other sectors. We have delivered our diesel ATVs to a Russian company that is working for ONGC for seismic surveys. However, today, the volumes in India are very low and hence we are majorly focussing on the exports to the European and the US markets. We are also targetting the low-speed vehicle market for exports and we have developed a Tata Ace-size electric logistic and passenger vehicle with a 2-seater, 4-seater and even a 6-seater option.
For the next 4-5 years, we would continue to focus on certain niche sectors like the off-road and the utility vehicles where the big automotive players would not venture into because of the low volumes.
L-R: Tej Naik with his father and founder of Powerland Agro Tractor Vehicles, Narayan Naik, at the Baja SAE India event in Pithampur
Currently, we are developing, importing components and assembling our vehicles at our Verna plant in Goa. It is from here that we are delivering our vehicles from Kashmir to Kerala and exported to certain European and the US markets. We currently have four active touchpoints in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and one in Kerala. We will be tapping into the multi-billion US market which accounts for more than 70 percent of the total ATV sales across the globe. Our Made in India products enjoy certain cost benefits in comparison to other global ATV counterparts. As the volume goes up, we would be increasing our localisation levels which would further bring down the operation costs and enable us to look into developing more products. If all goes well, then we would be one of the first companies in the US to showcase a lithium-ion powered, in-wheel motor-driven electric ATV at the expos that will be held in June and November there.