Innovators in the production of electric vehicle batteries, Ipower Batteries Pvt Ltd., and Benling India recently announced that they have formed a strategic cooperation. According to the companies, Ipower has been tasked with creating custom LFP batteries for Benling’s new two-wheel scooter, Believe. The newest e-scooter in the Benling portfolio has been priced at Rs 97,520 (Ex-showroom) and the company claims that it is designed to sustain the Indian roads and driving conditions.
Commenting on the announcement, Amit Kumar, ED and CEO- Benling India said, “We are confident our strategic partnership with Ipower will allow the EV consumers in India to look forward to more promising products from our brand as our prime focus is on delivering innovation with excellence. With Ipower, our major upgrades and switching to a more promising battery system has been realized”
Meanwhile, Vikas Aggarwal, Founder and MD- Ipower Batteries Pvt Ltd said, “Our batteries are completely ideated, engineered and Made in India with utmost attention given to safety and reliability to offer our partners world-class batteries. Our strategic collaboration with Benling India highlights the company’s transition to promising and futuristic LFP batteries in their 2-wheeler segment”
Benling stated that the Believe e-scooter is available in six enticing colour options which are Magic Grey, Yellow, Blue, Black, and White. It further added that Believe’s USP is its Smart Breakdown Assist feature, which allows riders to safely go 25 kilometres while experiencing a breakdown by just turning a knob. An interchangeable battery pack that is driven by a 3.2 kw waterproof BLDC motor is included with the electric scooter. The company claims also that it has a top speed of 75 kmph, a range of 120 km, and a total weight of 248 kg.
The scooter is offered with an LFP battery pack that comes with a micro charger and an auto cutoff mechanism that enables a complete charge in about four hours. Keyless start, several speed settings, an anti-theft alarm feature, regenerative braking, mobile app connectivity, park-assist functionality, mobile charging, and real-time monitoring are just a few of the other features that are available on the new Believe.
Additionally, the e-scooter also gets front and rear disc brakes and the vehicle is ARAI/ICAT certified. The company claims that in a few months, 3000 Believe scooters will be prepared for distribution in the Indian market, and another 9000 units would be prepared by November. 1,20,000 deliveries have already been planned by the firm for FY 23 And presently, it provides three E2W versions at both fast and slow speeds.
As per the companies in this strategic cooperation, IPower will combine its cutting-edge features that have been designed and developed internally at the company’s R&D centre and be suitable for Benling’s latest scooter. Ipower will produce batteries that are ARAI-approved, fireproof, waterproof, durable, and swappable. Furthermore, the company’s stated that the environmental impacts in India will also be taken into account when designing these batteries.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries or LFP batteries now have 80% of the market share for EVs alone, surpassing NMC batteries, which are currently only holding 44% of the worldwide market. The “zero-emission transport policy,” which was implemented in response to rising gasoline prices, is driving up demand for LFP batteries in the market. LFP batteries have an edge over other types of batteries due to their safety, long lifecycle, lower cost, and cheaper cost.
