With India Auto Show 2021, a prime automotive event, returning to Mumbai, automobile enthusiasts, vehicle manufacturers and dealers marked their enthusiastic presence with new products and solutions, reports Rajesh Rajgor
Automobile enthusiasts, vehicle and component manufacturers were quite kicked up about the revival of what became the first of automotive exhibitions in Mumbai. Exhibitors at the second edition of India Auto Show 2021, held at Bombay Exhibition Centre from February 12-14, 2021, were largely spread across vehicle dealers, components, aftermarket parts, vehicle care and accessories along with electric vehicles. The list included names like Tata Motors, Mahindra Trucks and Buses, Bharat Benz, Eicher Truck and Buses, Toyota, Trans ANCR Solutions, Omega Seiki Mobility, Aditi Tracking, Detel, Virya Mobility, Randhawa Motors, etc. While Tata Motors showcased its Marcopolo Starbus Ultra range of buses along with passenger vehicles, Eicher Truck and Buses and Bharat Benz displayed Skyline 1017 and 1624 coaches.
Through Randhawa Motors, Mahindra Trucks and Buses displayed the Furio range of reefer trucks along with a refrigerated box on a Bolero pick-up. Commenting on the occasion, G P Randhawa Director, Randhawa Motors, said: “We are happy to see some traction and encouraging footfall at this event in Mumbai. The whole experience is extremely positive and we are happy with the enquiries and interest we are receiving for our product range. The need for refrigerated trucks for vaccine transportation along with demand from FMCG, fruits and vegetable operators has created quite some requests even in the last mile segment,” he added.
E-Vehicles in the Limelight
A company that grabbed the event while unveiling its new product was Omega Seiki Mobility. In a bid to serve India in providing 360 degrees’ logistic solutions by creating a robust supply chain for vaccines, Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) revealed ‘Rage+Frost’, a smart electric three-wheeler with the refrigerated carriage purposely designed for pharmaceuticals and food delivery in collaboration with Trans ACNR Solutions. “The mass vaccination of more than 1.3 billion people is a humongous task. It involves logistics at an unprecedented scale. We believe the government has done the job of making vaccines available. Now it’s the job of the industry to take the vaccine to the masses,” said Dr. Deb Mukherji, Managing Director, Omega Seiki Mobility.
“The challenges of transportation, storage, cold chain and last mile delivery have to be overcome. We at OSM are providing the complete vaccine delivery system. The last mile in India is always the most challenging task and this will be accomplished by our Rage+Frost. The system has been designed to run on battery for 72 hours. Once charged, it can maintain a temperature of 0-20 degrees for three days. This is in line with our vision of making vaccines available to all at the doorstep. We also have tied up with B Medical, a pioneer in PCM refrigeration box technology from Europe for storage in small boxes. These can be cooled to as low as minus 70 degrees. These, combined with Rage+Frost provide a complete vaccine delivery system,” elaborated Dr. Mukherji.
The brand-new Rage+Frost vehicle ushers in a new concept in pollution-free delivery of essentials, leading to maximum productivity and economic and environmental gain. The smart EV runs on zero maintenance Li-ion battery technology with a swappable option in the respective products. The pilot’s cabin supports a roller cage structure for complete driver safety. The aerodynamic design offers a low cost of running at Rs 0.5 per km. The vehicle offers the latest smart technology, including a regenerative braking system as also a new generation electronic speedometer with a top speed of 50 km per hour and a loading capacity of 960 GVW. The refrigerated carriage ensures a 1,340 watt cooling capacity at 0 degrees.
The electric three-wheeler design has been finalised after in-depth engineering and research to attain a sleek contemporary pilot’s cabin, aerodynamic design and ample carriage space. The battery-powered vehicle can store vaccines for 72 hours in a stationary state at a temperature as low as minus 20 degrees. The power-to-weight ratio is pretty critical here and Trans ACNR Solutions has done a tremendous job to keep it to 270 kg with box and machine. Providing more information, Shatrughan Kumar, Managing Director, Trans ACNR Solutions (P) Ltd., said: “The box is light in weight and we can further reduce around 45 kg to bring it to around 225 kg.”
“The unit fixed on this e-rickshaw is made for EV and takes power from the battery and works on 48 volts. The design of this box can be a good alternate to eutectic systems as this is lighter and the cooling can last as long as the battery life. It can work also as a container for temporary storage too between 0-4 degrees for three days. We look forward to many more such orders as this vehicle is ideal for last mile deliveries. We expect to start commercial production in the next two months and are looking at producing 100 such units per month,” he added.
Detel, one of the other exhibitors, showcased electric two-wheelers, Detel Easy Plus for the B2C segment and Detel Easy Loader for the B2B segment, touted as the world’s most economical EV two-wheeler. Explaining the products, Dr. Yogesh Bhatia, Founder, Detel, said, “We have been putting all our efforts to fuel the electric vehicles revolution in India. This expo has provided us the best stage to showcase the stunning creations of Detel’s genetics. By supporting the government’s initiatives, we have taken a step ahead to boost EV adoption by expanding its product portfolio in order to raise the awareness of EV adoption and help combat the menace of air pollution.”
As such, Detel is not only bringing the most disruptive EVs in the market but also playing a crucial role in creating awareness for sustainable mobility. Detel Easy Plus and Detel Easy Loader run up to 60 km on a single charge and it takes approximately 4-5 hours for a recharge. These electric vehicles have a 20 Ah Li-ion battery with three-year warranty and boast of 170 mm road clearance space, which is far higher than other electric two-wheelers. The exhibition with such novel products allowed visitors much needed networking and interactions with industry peers under one roof and brought into the limelight a fascinating display of the latest in passenger and commercial vehicles, not to forget electric vehicles, within touching distance.