Croyance Automotive ready with E-CV
The Gujarat-based electric vehicle manufacturer, Croyance Automotive, is ready with its electric-powered commercial vehicles. Established in 2015, the company has 2 variants in the small commercial vehicle segment namely, Electro 1.T and Electro 2.T. They are scheduled for launch in April 2019. The vehicles are completely made in India for the Indian roads. “Initially, we will be launching the EV in the metropolitan regions. We will have a pan-India presence through the 4 major metro cities and then we will move to other areas. The vehicles are 100% electric and are completely made in India with no import content. The 1-ton variant (Electro 1.T) can run up to 120 km with a single charge. Charging is as simple as charging a mobile phone,” Kapila Soni, Founder and Director, Croyance Automotive, said.
Croyance is also coming up with an app that will provide battery assistance to its customers. The app will keep them informed about the battery power and other important details. It will also notify the owner on when the battery needs to be replaced. The app will be launched along with the vehicle.
“With the maximum load, the Electro 1.T can run at a maximum speed of 45-55 Km. The vehicle is fully automatic and is also equipped with hill assistance. With the international design, it has comfortable seats and air vents for the drivers. Original road testing has been done in Gujarat, where we have our manufacturing plant. The running cost of the vehicle for a km is less than Re 1. The vehicle needs registration and the driver has to hold a valid driving license to drive it,” she said.
Soni claims the electric CV to be costeffective and eco-friendly with zeroemissions. She said the government has plans to install charging stations for every 50 km on the highways and for every 3 km in cities. This will make recharging the batteries easy for the consumers and make them use more EVs. “The government plans to have 100% pollution-free vehicles in the coming years. These electric vehicles will become very practical then. Some private firms are coming up with charging stations on their own. We also have plans to set up our own charging stations at our service and after sales outlets,” she said.
While the Electro 1.T will be able to run on the roads, the Electro 2.T is mainly designed for internal movements like inside a warehouse, airports and railway stations. The Electro 2.T has a speed limit of 25 km. Croyance has set a sales target of 700-800 vehicles in 2019. With the uniqueness of the product the company hopes to exceed the target. The founder said the competitors do not provide the specs they have which also include the driving distance. Cost also plays a major role here. The company also offers an after-sales warranty of 20000 km. The weight of the vehicle is 670 kg, and most of it is of the six batteries and their components. “Many of our competitors create an EV by converting an IC engine. But, we start from the scratch and exclusively make an electric commercial vehicle. This is another major advantage that distinguishes us from our competitors,” Soni said.
The first phase of the manufacturing facility in Vapi, Gujarat is in progress. It is spread on 10-12 acres. As an expansion plan, Croyance is also planning to set up another manufacturing facility either in Chennai or Andhra Pradesh after the launch of the vehicles in April 2019. With the additional facility the electric vehicle manufacturer aim to export its vehicles.
The 14-member R&D team of Croyance based in the Gujarat facility is working on increasing the battery range to 250-300 km from the present 120-150 km in a single charge. It is also working on a car model (4-seater) which is likely to come to the market in 2020. The company also has plans to expand the R&D centre as it is looking to set up new centres in Bengaluru and Chennai. “This is mainly done to reduce the transportation cost,” Soni said.