Thank you Ankit for you time, please introduce GoZero Mobility to our readers.
GoZero Mobility is a British electric bike maker which manufactures premium electric performance bikes and signature lifestyle merchandise. Headquartered in Birmingham, GoZero has established the operations base in Kolkata, India. GoZero works on futuristic product line to suit the market demand and meet unmet needs. The current product line includes One and Mile.
Tell us about the GoZero One and GoZero Mile, and the idea behind the name of the e-bikes?
GoZero One is powered with 400Wh lithium battery pack which is optimized to provide 60 Kms of range on single charge. It is made keeping in mind the dual purpose of city commute as well as off-roading.
GoZero Mile is powered with 300Wh lithium battery pack which provides a mileage of 40 kms in a single charge. It is primarily for the city commute purpose.
The idea behind the name of Mile is based on what the product offers. We want the users to travel for Miles when they commute in the city and repeatedly keep on using it.
We wanted to come with a unique name for our flagship model and after multiple thoughts we named it “One” as this is the first model by the company.
What propelled the company to dive into the Indian EV segment?
India is such a high potential market for bicycles and scooters/motorcycles. Combined together, the market is ~ 37 Million Units, and we saw an opportunity to create a new market segments for E-Bikes which stands between the bicycle and scooter/motorcycle industry and offers a combined benefit to the consumers.
What type of market do you see for e-bikes in India now and after five years?
The market is rapidly progressing and adopting EVs. We see people to be very enthusiastic about e-bikes and the power it offers which consumers do not expect. This year we anticipated to sell around 3000 units and scaling it up to 75,000 units in next 4 years. However, after the launch we have witnessed a surprisingly high number of enquiries for our ebikes and I would not be surprised if we crossed a 5000 mark this year. Our UK exports for Project X is going to start from October onwards which is furthermore going to add ~500 units (between October to December).
Today prospective e-bike buyers can go to a dedicated e-bike store, or a traditional bike shop with a handful of e-bikes or shop online for e-bikes. Could you lay out the pros and cons of the various e-bike retailer options? And how GoZero taking care of issues that a customer usually face in the retail stores?
We have taken our own time to understand this market and carve out the best offerings for the consumers and the channel partners. Today, most of the ebikes in India are sold through online channels; these are being bought by people who have either seen ebikes or driven one. The fact is that whenever a new product/segment comes in the market, the experience takes a priority seat and act as an enabler for sales. We have taken a 3-pronged approach to address the market:
- Experience Centres across country – We will have 18 experience centres across country which will be franchise owned and franchise operated. These experience centres would have retail center for ebikes, merchandise & accessories, after sales desk and test drive enabled. These centers would also act as fulfillment centers for any online orders from that territory.
- Channel Partners – We are planning to have 80 channel partners in next couple of years. These Channel Partners would be primarily distributors who will be tapping the market through their retail network of 1000 + retailers.
- Online Sales
I have seen an insurance that you are offering with the e-bike, this is something unique can you tell us something more about it?
Yes, both the e-bike comes with optional insurance. The insurance covers the complete e-bike including the EnerDrive Battery Packs. The insurance can be renewed every annum.
Bikers around the world have been complaining about the extra weight of the ebike, how do you plan to address that?
We have used an ultra-low weight steel frame which limits the weight of the cycle to 20 kgs. One of the best features of the e-bike is lockable battery system which makes it easy for the user to charge and drive.
What tips would you give to choosing an ebike?
Today in the era of technology, e-bike offers a sync between healthy lifestyle, daily commute and off-roading. I believe, it’s very much important to decide on the usage and choose the right e-bike.
What makes your brand unique?
As a brand, GoZero is placed as a Lifestyle Brand. We find ourselves unique in terms of three things:
- Design & Build of E-Bikes
- Keeping a customer centric approach
- Signature Offerings (Range of Apparels & Merchandise)
Which bike out of the two One and Mile is your favorite? Why?
My personal favorite is “One”. As I go for off-roading and long distance ride, basis my usability “One” perfectly suits my need and offers an amazing thrill while accelerating.
What are the most common myths about e-bikes that you debunk for customers?
The most common thing I hear, “E-Bikes are not safe to drive on Roads”. You can call this as a myth. E-Bike comes with a quick acceleration of 0-25 km/h in 5 seconds and top speed of 25 Km/h with headlamps & rear lights; They are completely safe to ride on roads.
I notice both One and Mile are fat tire e-bikes and wonder if you are seeing more people buying fat bikes for off road or for just commuting?
None of our models are fat bikes, One is for the off-roading and comes with a tire size of 26*2.35″ which is thicker than the Mile, which is meant for city commute.
Anything that we have missed and you’d like to add?
I think you have covered majority of the aspects here. One thing I would like to mention here, “Today, our country is facing one of the most difficult challenge to curb the rising pollution levels, the situation is metro cities have been worse. This is an alarming situation and we as a responsible citizen need to contribute towards curbing the same in whatever ways we can.”
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