[anjan_c2007]

Activa is India's best selling scooter and has always sold several lakhs units every year. The start-up enterprise is also targeting all other similar gearless scooters. Imagine what kind of turnover such an enterprise with an investment of Rs 2.1 crores with two years R&D to develop a conversion kit for this model will generate ! Only provided it lives up to its promises and offers an affordable price for the kit and delivers a hassle free use with economy in mind.

It could only then click with the present owners to jump the bandwagon and go electric.

In a development that can accelerate the transition to a fully-electric ecosystem, Starya Mobility claims that they have come up with India’s first electric propulsion kit for scooters. The kit will be used in combination with a swappable battery. It will be used to convert gearless petrol powered scooters into fully electric units. The kit has been developed after more than two years of extensive research.

The details here:-

https://www.rushlane.com/honda-activ...-12407744.html

[extreme_torque]

I might come across as harsh but this sounds like another poor juggad being masqueraded as something revolutionary. I think its about time we stopped celebrating juggad as a long term solution to the unique problems we have in India.

[abhishek46]

In theory, the idea is quite good.
It will find takers too.

However, i foresee major issues in dealing with Regulation & RTO aspects.
Once a vehicle is converted into an electric vehicle, the existing registration details must be modified.
I am not sure if RTO currently allows such kind of modification.

[corvus corax]

From the picture it looks like the kit sits too close to the ground, reducing the ground clearance. Wonder how useful the 'Act-ev' will be on our Indian roads.
Good idea, though. I do believe that such coversion kits are necessary to achieve the ev transition goals. Not everyone can afford to buy a full size ev. If the existing vehicles can be converted to evs, it will be lighter on the customer's pocket and can save many people's prized possessions going to the scrap yard.

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

I might come across as harsh but this sounds like another poor juggad being masqueraded as something revolutionary. I think its about time we stopped celebrating juggad as a long term solution to the unique problems we have in India.

Rightly pointed out. There are too many players in the field, quite many out to make quick bucks. Considering the fact that the ARAI certifies all kinds of mechanical ICE vehicles as fit for manufacture through rigorous testing, to withstand and endure the harsh oddities of usage under the Indian conditions such monitoring of conversion kit manufacturers is also called for.

Its high time that the ARAI needs to issue guidelines for EV conversion kits, to meet expected reliability and endurance standards set by it. Such guidelines could be studied from the existing ones prevalent in the few developed countries that have permitted marketing and usage of such kits.

After issue of guidelines, each such make or type of kit needs to be fully checked, tested in their test tracks and certified by the ARAI as meeting all its set, extant guidelines. Only then, such kits need to be approved for marketing and fitment by such agencies manufacturing these.

Even the Motor Vehicles Act and Central Motor Vehicles Rules need to incorporate suitable laws and rules for such kit fitment and certification for use by the owner of such vehicles.

Very soon, we could have a deluge of two wheeler and car conversion kits in the market and any and every humpty dumpty as a start up could end up manufacturing and supplying conversion kits to make fast bucks.

The safety of the owner who fits such kits other traffic users and stakeholders are all at stake and despite the government's encouragement for EV and conversion kit manufacturing and the leeway given to such companies, vigilance and monitoring need to be strictly implemented.

[condor]

Came across this Starya advt:

[giri1.8]

Imagine trying to claim insurance with this kit!

P.S: with the fuel prices going up, we can expect more such startups.

[iamgyan]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Its high time that the ARAI needs to issue guidelines for EV conversion kits, to meet expected reliability and endurance standards set by it.

AIS 123 is the document that covers this exact requirement and was first published way back in 2013. It has 3 parts and covers type approval requirements for all kind of retrofit vehicles across L, M & N category. The document is freely downloadable on ARAI website and via ICAT website also.

From past experience, this calls for type approval of the application, not the kit alone i.e. the manufacturer would need separate approval for the same kit on Activa & Jupiter for example. This pushes up the cost for the manufacturer. Once the type approval is granted, the manufacturer needs to run around a bit and go through process of having the same updated in state RTO offices. AFAIK this needs to be done state by state but I may be wrong here. Once this is done, the manufacturer can sell/convert vehicles and needs to get the RC updated for the converted vehicle. Same would also need to be intimated to insurance company to continue having cover.

TL;DR: it is cost intensive and a lot of effort to do it properly or make a proper business case out of it.

[arvindmanju]

Sorry to be reviving an old thread.
Was interested to know has anyone tried this electric conversation? Any feedback on performance and pricing of the conversion.