Pranav Dandekar (44) confronted a refrain of recommendation from his pals to forgo his bold plan of constructing an electrical micro-car in favour of a extra sensible two-wheeler or three-wheeler. They argued that these digital car options have been extra in style, simpler to construct, and higher suited to the present market calls for.
But, Pranav stood his floor, resolute in his pursuit regardless of the in depth laws for EV vehicles in India, together with the necessity for a brand new driving license and limitless trials.
“Folks typically assume that creating new EVs must be easy, nevertheless it virtually by no means works out completely on the primary strive,” explains Pranav, who beforehand labored as a software program engineer at Amazon. He insists that an engineer’s strategy is essential, contemplating components such because the car’s weight, sturdiness, and the way successfully it may be assembled.
For Pranav, the enjoyment is discovered within the ongoing journey and the a number of iterations alongside the way in which.
Whereas lounging of their Indore courtyard, his father organized two armchairs in a row and stated, “That is precisely how compact I need the automotive to be.” Prakash Dandekar’s concept was for a car akin to an 1800s buggy — easy and comfortable, good for having fun with a leisurely experience with the wind in your face. Pranav, nonetheless, had a special concept. He most well-liked a sturdier automotive suited to lengthy distances. “I knew it might be a troublesome venture, so I attempted to speak him out of it,” Prakash laughs.
This led to the creation of ‘Robin’, their first electrical micro-car — a two-seater EV that Pranav and Prakash declare will likely be as agile as a bike. The car is ready to be launched subsequent yr by Wings EV, their startup primarily based in Indore.
With 46 years of expertise in electrical engineering, Prakash had lengthy been obsessed with creating an EV. “We used to joke that we wished to create an electrical car designed completely by electrical engineers, given that almost all EV firms in India design their autos via mechanical and automotive engineers,” he remembers.
The daddy-son group has now efficiently turned that concept right into a actuality.
Throughout a go to to his son within the US, the place Pranav had been primarily based for 17 years, Prakash and Pranav mentioned how EVs may very well be adopted in India. They debated whether or not to retrofit present autos with electrical motors or design completely new ones.
To discover this, they bought a tricycle from Walmart and reworked it into an electrical mannequin with a hub motor, battery, and microcontroller that allowed the rider to talk whereas in movement. Prakash thought this electrical tricycle could be very best for navigating India’s crowded streets as a substitute of utilizing a cumbersome automotive. “We joked that with a roof, our tricycle could be like an auto rickshaw,” Pranav chuckles. Nevertheless, Pranav felt a four-wheeler electrical automotive may be a extra thrilling possibility.
Within the early levels, Pranav and Prakash experimented by drawing rectangles of various sizes on the ground to seek out the best dimensions for his or her automotive. Robin began as a easy prototype — a two-seater with 4 wheels and no physique — for which Prakash created a software program program.
They then had totally different drivers check the car, having them drive in circles to verify the car’s viability. The prototype ultimately handed the rigorous exams of the Automotive Analysis Affiliation of India (ARAI), and Prakash beamed with pleasure because the automotive’s spectacular efficiency caught the examiners off guard.
When Pranav and Prakash began their automotive design course of in 2018, they used cardboard cutouts to construct a tough prototype and invited individuals to check it. They requested for suggestions on the way it felt, what options they anticipated, and any issues they’d. This enter was instrumental in shaping the ultimate design. Over the subsequent 5 years, they performed quite a few surveys with professionals in numerous cities to establish their audience.
Pranav believes their strategy units them aside from conventional automotive firms who sometimes view autos as both two-wheelers or four-wheelers. “For customers, the precedence is environment friendly and fast transportation, not car sort,” he says.
As they labored on Robin, Pranav prioritised designing it with the footprint of a two-wheeler. “Dad and I insisted that if we may hold it inside the dimension of a bike, it might be versatile sufficient to entry any space the place motorbikes are allowed and parked,” Pranav notes. “This give attention to dimension made Robin extremely helpful but additionally very difficult to construct.”
“Robin is roughly half the dimensions of the Tata Nano, which many Indians already seen as fairly small,” Prakash says. Regardless of the automotive’s small dimensions, the father-son duo efficiently included all important options, together with seat belts, steering, brakes, headlamps, rear lights, and even an air-con system. Prakash provides that the AC was added particularly for buyer consolation, although it’s uncommon to seek out such an amenity in a automotive as small as Robin.
The daddy-son group now affords check drives in six cities, and whereas individuals are initially enthusiastic, additionally they have reservations about electrical vehicles. “Their issues fade away as quickly as they start driving,” Prakash shares. They primarily based the automotive’s design on Prakash’s dimension — he’s over 6 ft tall and weighs 110 kg. “If Dad is snug, then anybody must be too,” Pranav believes.
Of their surveys, Pranav and Prakash discovered that many members both didn’t know methods to drive or had stopped driving. Some have been involved that Robin may really feel too cramped or unstable. “But, inside 5 minutes of driving, most customers shortly adjusted and felt very snug,” Pranav shares. The automotive’s automated options get rid of the necessity for clutches, and the power to take a seat proper in the midst of the automotive affords customers clear visibility in all three instructions, serving to them really feel safer.
Those that often keep away from massive autos on slender streets discovered Robin’s dimension good for higher management and security. “Customers felt it was like using a bike however a lot safer,” Pranav explains.
‘Our aim was to create a private mobility car’
Prakash, an avid driver, typically discovered himself alone in his automotive. “Driving my Wagon R, it aggravated me that, regardless of it being a five-seater, it was all the time simply me within the automotive. I couldn’t ignore the emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide; it felt virtually prison,” he reminisces. He believed {that a} smaller automotive would utilise sources higher.
As the previous head of Laptop Methods at Tata Motors, Prakash typically mentioned smaller electrical vehicles however confronted scepticism from friends who felt such autos would require too many sources and wouldn’t promote. “Automakers sometimes aren’t involved in making smaller vehicles,” Prakash notes. Most vehicles in the marketplace cater to households of 4 or 5, leaving a distinct segment for compact autos like Robin, very best for solo or duo use, reminiscent of grocery buying or selecting up a baby from faculty.
“Our aim was to create a private mobility car,” Pranav explains, noting that they intentionally selected to not design a household automotive. Prakash, drawing from his expertise at Tata Motors, realized that smaller, extra reasonably priced household vehicles typically didn’t succeed available in the market. “I noticed how poorly the Tata Nano carried out,” he remembers. As an alternative, Prakash views Robin not as a compact household automotive, however as an enhanced different to a two-wheeler. “Although it’s a two-seater, it’s actually designed for a single particular person to navigate town effectively and conveniently,” Pranav provides.
“Most each day commuters journey simply tens of kilometres, not a whole lot, so a smaller, compact automotive could be way more sensible for them,” Prakash explains. He notes that whereas many places of work battle with restricted parking for four-wheelers, there’s often ample room for two-wheelers. “Our goal is to offer the consolation of a four-wheeler whereas permitting customers to park in two-wheeler areas,” he provides. The price of driving a typical four-wheeler is round Rs 10-12 per kilometre, however with Robin, it drops to simply Rs 1 to 2 per kilometre.
Robin is particularly suited to older individuals and ladies who could not really feel assured on two-wheelers. Prakash shares that in check drives performed throughout the nation, “virtually each girl has reported feeling each liberated and excited.” It is because the automotive permits them to journey independently while not having the help of husbands or drivers, he explains.
Dinesh Keerthy, who took Robin for a check drive earlier this yr, has been wishing for a car prefer it. “Robin is as small as my Royal Enfield bike, which is ideal for dealing with Bangalore’s site visitors. Its smooth and classy design is an added bonus,” he remarks.
Praveen Vadavi, an enthusiastic biker and automotive engineer, agrees with Dinesh, labelling Robin because the “want of the hour” for metropolitan areas because of its consolation and pace.
Srikanth, who drives a Tata Nexon EV — thought to be one in all India’s prime electrical autos — is contemplating Robin for his spouse. “It’s on par with Nexon EV and is good for households wanting to make sure their little one’s security,” he explains.
Bargava Subramanian was left surprised after getting behind the wheel of the two-seater electrical automotive. “Robin stands out and is definitely creating a brand new class within the Indian market,” he remarks. “This automotive will redefine our idea of mobility.”
Creating an electrical car from scratch
Two-seater vehicles haven’t gained traction in India as they’ve in Europe or China. Pranav explains that traditionally, India’s decrease financial standing meant that consumers most well-liked vehicles with 4 seats, viewing them as extra reputable. There have additionally been issues about battery vary and charging services. But, with the development of electrical car know-how, together with high-quality motors and sensors, shopper confidence in EVs is rising.
Setting up an electrical car from scratch was no small feat. “The toughest problem was discovering producers who may create elements for an electrical automotive like ours,” Prakash reveals. A notable instance is Robin’s central steering wheel, which contrasts with the traditional left or proper placement present in most vehicles.
Prakash, who manages all mechanical and electrical features of the automotive, has geared up it with a drive-by-wire powertrain — a know-how just like fly-by-wire programs utilized in fashionable plane. By this setup, driver inputs are relayed to a pc, which then communicates with the automotive’s motor controller.
As a result of Robin couldn’t accommodate a traditional differential gear, its rear wheels are geared up with hub motors — a characteristic generally utilized in scooters and small autos. Prakash tackled the problem of pace regulation throughout turns utilizing digital differential know-how and ensured its security by having race automotive drivers push the car to its limits in testing.
Finding compact headlamps, that are accepted for two-wheelers however not sometimes for four-wheelers, was additionally a problem. The true problem, nonetheless, was making a battery system that customers may handle on their very own, as importing a battery system from one other nation was not possible on account of potential restore points.
“Not one of the firms have been prepared to construct a battery administration system for us,” Prakash shares. “They advised us that with no important order, they couldn’t accommodate our wants.” This example prompted the duo to grow to be their very own battery producers.
Constructing a whole car diagnostic framework
Moreover, they’ve created a complicated laptop community that frequently transfers and shops all car information on the cloud. This community screens facets, reminiscent of motor temperature and GPS coordinates, together with a complete diagnostic system that provides real-time insights into the well being of every car.
The diagnostic system permits them to pinpoint issues in any automotive successfully. “Consider it as having an individual related to an ECG and coronary heart fee monitor on a regular basis,” Pranav describes. The system gathers real-time information, processes it via an AI mannequin, and detects anomalies like an overheated battery. “Such information evaluation offers a clearer image of auto well being than any driver’s subjective enter,” notes Prakash.
What occurs if one thing goes improper with the automotive? Can an peculiar mechanic repair it? “Probably, an everyday mechanic would make issues worse,” Pranav explains. Robin options distinctive elements that aren’t simply repairable or replaceable with standard instruments. Its important parts — sensors, software program, batteries, and motors — are specialised and never sometimes recognized to common mechanics. “Our diagnostic system addresses this by detecting points early and permitting us to carry out predictive upkeep or updates earlier than the person even notices an issue,” Prakash notes.
Robin will come geared up with an app designed to maintain customers knowledgeable about their automotive’s well being and upkeep. This app will ship real-time updates on car efficiency and supply suggestions for higher use. The duo can also be planning to arrange cellular after-sales service items in a number of cities to carry out inspections following the automotive’s launch. With car information saved within the cloud, technicians can have a head begin in diagnosing points, making the service course of extra environment friendly and fewer reliant on troubleshooting.
“Robin has efficiently handed ARAI Pune’s security exams, so it’s safer than present two or three-wheelers,” states Pranav. “We’re aiming to promote 3,000 items within the first yr, although our Indore plant can produce 10,000 items every year.”
Its lineup consists of three variants — a fundamental model with no AC and a 65 km vary priced at Rs 2 lakh; a mid-range possibility with a fan and a 90 km vary for Rs 2.5 lakh; and a premium model providing a 90 km vary, AC, and patented audio alerts for enhanced security at Rs 3 lakh.
Pranav and Prakash are actively conducting check drives nationwide to broaden their attain. In keeping with Pranav, there’s no want for aggressive advertising, as a result of “the utility of Robin turns into clear to individuals as quickly as they see its images and movies.”
“Creating a wholly new class of auto isn’t one thing you get to do day-after-day,” Pranav remarks. “If Robin efficiently merges some great benefits of each two-wheelers and four-wheelers, it might be a reasonably neat contribution to make. I additionally hope it encourages others to construct modern autos of their very own.”
“We’ve put our heads down and labored at this for over 5 years. It’s satisfying to see that our efforts have resulted in one thing that folks really need and respect,” he provides.
Edited by Pranita Bhat; Photos Courtesy Pranav Dandekar
