iVOOMi started out as a consumer electronics company in 2016. It shifted its focus completely towards the production and sales of E2Ws (electric 2-wheelers) in 2019. Started by Sunil Bansal, Founder and MD, and Ashwin Bhandari, Co-Founder & CEO, iVOOMi has been growing steadily focusing on the drivetrain and dynamics of its vehicles, not just the cosmetic nuances associated with E2Ws. They were able to foresee a massive transformation in China in 2018 when attention started drifting towards electric vehicles. The management took a year to understand the changes occurring in the powertrain - both in China and India - as they launched their own line of E2Ws. They have to factor in the then geopolitical relations and environmental hazards associated with the manufacturing of E2Ws.
The brand today stands for ‘meaningful engineering’. There is no point adding unnecessary technology to products before sorting the riding dynamics and drivetrain. From a small team of three enthusiastic people sitting in a 700 sq ft office, the brand has expanded to a 40,000 sq ft facility and a 10,000 sq ft R&D centre, comprising over 60 engineers. Currently, 20,000 plus families are owning and running iVOOMi vehicles on the streets. “I am proud to state that we have the lowest number of VOR (Vehicle Off Road) points. All the vehicles that we have created are running on the roads today, between our two E2W models,” Bhandari said..
The two-and-a-half year journey has taught iVOOMi that the vehicle must be created in a way that it should be easy for a product manager to make changes in the platform quicker. The four critical aspects of the product - body, mechanicals, battery and connected features - have been developed analysing market demands.
Third Generation Battery
Since the battery is the major component for E2Ws, a lot of research and feedback from the market was utilised to design them. The range has to be increased in order to counter range anxiety. This, however, does not mean that the performance has to be sacrificed. “All the research data has enabled us to create the third generation batteries which are 20% lighter and last 35% longer with 7kW capacity. Also, any iVOOMi scooter delivered in 2018 can be upgraded to the third gen adaptive battery. This enables earlier customers to upgrade themselves to new technologies. We are not excluding anyone,” Bhandari said.
There are also the new AIS156 standards which are mandatory to assure the safety of the batteries. This required more R&D engineering as more power had to be extracted from the same battery space. So, the new battery is IP67-certified already and IP68-compliant in the process of certification.
Smart Connected Platform
The brand understands that the connected features are not just to offer smart gimmicks to the user, but are very important for the safety of the rider as well. Geo-fencing and speed governors can be used to safeguard loved ones who happen to use the vehicle.
Saurabh Madhu heads the R&D & Product at iVOOMi and he was at hand to explain the details of this platform. “The smart module installed on every product transmits data to the cloud and is reflected on the connected platform. This means all the BMS data, temperature of the battery, even the status of individual cells, charge levels, riding behaviour, overnight charging etc is all sent to the server. The server can also push back data to the application like service reminder or other sort of warnings, if any. The analysis of all the data is processed through AI-enabled programming and is able to produce information like the condition of the 208 individual cells per pack, charge cycles and their effect on the batteries. This data can help safeguard a lot of components on the vehicle and improve safety,” he said.
All this charging analysis and riding behaviour data can easily figure out the imbalances in the system and suggest areas of improvements to either the charging practices or riding behaviour required to enhance efficiency. Also, OTA updates help keep the vehicle up-to-date to the latest software-driven upgrades and sustain the value of the vehicle over the years.
User Feedback
R&D improvements are at the crux of iVOOMi vehicles. Everything - from simulation to prototype development and on-road testing - is done in-house by the team. They demonstrated how user feedback, across motor performance and ergonomics, has to be incorporated in all the new products that are being developed.
The latest chassis, ERW-1 backbone, was selected after the team studied all other types available in the market. It is 8% lighter at 18.8kg than earlier, which translates to better stability while preserving strength of the frame. The next generation iVOOMi products will be utilising the new chassis. S1 2.0 will be released in 2024 and be able to return 50% more range, 150-160 km on a mixed riding cycle and will get all the smart connectivity features. The JeetX is also due in 2024 and it will be able to go 20% longer per charge and sport the third generation removable battery pack. The JeetXL will be released in 3-4 months. It is a completely new model with smart connectivity features.
Steady Expansion
One of the main focuses for the company currently is the expansion of its dealership across the Indian market. Although the market is ripe around the country, logistics costs are the biggest challenge articulated by Bhandari. “Logistics is directly proportional to the acquisition cost of the vehicle. So, we have to be very efficient in deciding how to position our dealers,' he added. The high-speed E2W segment is growing at a fast pace and iVOOMi will have to quickly start becoming more visible in the eyes of the consumers as a potential buying option.
Also Read
iVOOMi Unveils Advanced Battery Technology & Cloud Connectivity