Asia has established itself as a microcosm for development when it comes to electric mobility. While folks in the U.S. might not be seeing the impact of micro-mobility just yet, this new sub-sector of transportation has been changing lives across Asia and parts of Europe. India, in particular, is a country that has seen numerous startups dedicate themselves solely to the emerging electric generation. The companies from India are gradually making their way to the global stage, too.
One example is One Electric, an Indian electric motorbike startup that is working hard to build a global footprint. The firm recently announced that it has begun operations in Dubai, its eighth international market, cementing its status as one of India's major exporters of electric two-wheelers. In addition to India, the electric motorbike manufacturer has operations in five African nations, the U.S., and Nepal.
According to a press release, One Electric intends to increase its monthly sales to 20,000 units across three continents by the end of 2022. “This fast-paced expansion is in line with our vision of becoming a truly global electric motorcycle company, and we plan to reach a presence in 15 countries by the year end," explained Gaurav Uppal, the chief executive of One Electric, in the same press statement.
According to the company, the activities in Dubai were the first step of growth, in which it sent a small batch of bikes for test marketing and analysis, with the goal of knowing the local market situation, environmental limits, and consumer demands. "This phase typically takes 8-10 months, and this is why we want to start limited operations in as many regions as possible," Uppal said. "After initial performance data is assessed, we move to phase-2 of bulk deliveries in these regions, increasing numbers in a gradual manner. This phase should start by the last quarter of this year and we plan to reach a scale of 20,000 units a month by mid of 2023.”
One Electric is also forming strategic alliances with B2B e-commerce firms in India and will soon begin operations in this area. Following India, Africa, and the Middle East, the business is now evaluating the European market and striving to fulfill the technological needs there. It's no surprise that Europe is in the company's sights, as it is indeed one of the fastest-growing electric mobility markets in the world at the moment.
"The European Union’s decision to phase out internal combustion engines by year 2035 will open up interesting opportunities for us," Uppal said. "This is where we stabilize our expansion, reach target sales numbers, before moving on to the South American and South East Asian markets, marking our presence in four continents."
