‘Lightspeed’ on its mission to change the face of public transport in India 

COVID-19 has compelled us to change our lifestyle, the sight of which was seen during the lockdown, where the offices had no workers and roads had no vehicles. That was the time when riders dusted their old bicycles and went on a ride, some for its health benefits, and others for covering long distances. And such was the demand for electric bicycles that their manufacturers, such as LightSpeed received record orders ever since the government imposed the lockdown.

A major manufacturer of electric bicycles, LightSpeed began with an honest intent to change the face of public transport, and to make the world a better place to live. Where many motorcycle manufacturers like Hero, KTM, and more have also entered this market segment of bicycle manufacturing, they are struggling to create a base in the market as compared to the domestic manufacturers, who are the first preference of buyers. This trend has inspired many startups as well, as according to the EV policy launched by the state government, the aim of the government was to ensure 25% of newly registered electric vehicles across the cities by 2024, which is 0.2% only, today.

It is a pleasant surprise that the buyers are preferring domestic manufacturers which could be undersood from the fact that LightSpeed saw about 300% growth in inquiries amid the lockdown. Their sales figures witnessed a record 200% hike in the months after the lockdown, and have shown no signs of decline. There was a shockingly major uptake from non metro and smaller towns, while the demand in metropolitan cities was lower than expected in the months of June, July and August.

In the big picture, it is evident that the circumstances caused by COVID-19 played a major role in boosting the demand for electric bicycles. As the demand of electric bicycles has not witnessed any decline yet, according to the industry experts, these bicycles are estimated to play a major role in contributing significantly to the Indian GDP in the near future.

According to Rahil Rupawala, founder and CEO of LightSpeed, “the electric bicycles are what India needs to have a pollution free public transport system. With electric bicycles, one can easily cover 15-20 kilometers of distance, which once was not possible without the fuel consumption that came with it. With times changing we are heading towards becoming a smart country, where electric bikes are going to play a crucial role not only by making the country pollution free but also, by making people healthy. We are determined towards making affordable electric bicycles, so more people can switch to them.”