Accordingly Hyderabad based electric vehicles startup Gayam Motor Works is getting ready for the roads of Nepal. Meanwhile this T-Hub startup, which makes electric autorickshaws that run on lithium-ion batteries, has begun exporting its Smart Autos to Nepal and is in the process of setting up a dealership network there and it has already exported 43 Smart Autos.
According to Harsha Bavirisetty, COO of Gayam Motor Works, the idea is to replace the Chinese e-rickshaws that ply on the roads of Nepal currently. He adds “Over past 3-4 years, Chinese e-rickshaws have been gaining market share in Nepal thanks to their lower cost. But certain parts of the country have slowly started banning them since they are very slow-moving vehicles and are causing traffic congestion and accidents in fast moving lanes and this is because they run on lead-acid batteries and have limited application”.
Presently GMW wants to replace these Chinese e-rickshaws with its Smart Autos and has already appointed an independent super dealer to build a dealership network across Nepal. Reportedly GMW has also developed a proprietary battery swapping mechanism, where the batteries are removable, can be swapped and charged separately. This removes the need to depend on a charging station. Moreover Gayam’s clientele includes IKEA, Bigbasket, Flipkart, Walmart, ID, Amazon, Chaiguru, Gati, Shadowfax, among others. It is also working with municipalities in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.
