Necessity is the mother of invention. The saying has once again proved true.
At a time when fuel price is skyrocketing and people are exploring options to cut down on fuel expenses, two NITians--Anurag Mishra and Bikram Das—have come up with a solution. It is not an e-bike but an e-cycle.
After completing their education from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela in 2016, the two friends decided to do something, instead of running after jobs. Seeing people complaining about the rising price of fuel and increasing level of pollution, they thought they should do their bits to solve the issue to some extent. It was then the idea of manufacturing an e-cycle struck their mind.
After some initial brainstorming, the friends embarked on their mission. Now they have become entrepreneurs after setting up a company, Yeshino Private Ltd. This way, they have not just transformed their thought into reality but also provided jobs to 20 needy persons, including women, who are working for the company directly or indirectly.
“Given the alarming situation of air pollution and fuel prices setting new heights, we have the only option to switch over to e-bikes and e-cycles. We, being engineering students, had been thinking to find a way out. And the result is e-cycle,” said Bikram, who is the managing director of Yeshino Energy Private Ltd.
“Since we belong to middle class families, we can realise very well how the rising fuel price affects such families. Those who can’t afford an e-bike can buy an e-cycle. The price of their cycles is between Rs18,000 and Rs 35,000. The money invested will cover up in just six months,” he added.
Bikram also pointed it out that it has been a tedious journey for students to go to their schools paddling the whole distance with carrying heavy bags on their backs.
“Our e-cycle will make a huge difference. It will not only do away with their labour but minimize accidents too. It is more often than not seen that minors while riding two-wheelers face accidents. Parents can buy these e-bicycles for their children,” he further added.
He said he is looking after the manufacturing section while his friend takes care of business. “We have already covered 12 to 13 districts in Odisha. This apart, our cycles are also being sold in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and some parts of Gujarat. We have so far sold around 600- 700 cycles. We hope to cover the whole nation, aiming to make one and all to switch over to electric cycles and bikes. We are thinking of manufacturing e-cycles and e-bikes by incorporating solar panels,” observed Das.
They give one year warranty on their products with after sale service provisions. He admitted what they are today is due to the whole hearted support of the Foundation for Technology and Business Incubation (FTBI) of the NIT. “They have provided us funds as well as office space,” he says with a chuckle.
The friends have plans to produce e-bikes and e-vehicles, with a pan India presence.