KOCHI: Kerala is going the ‘e’ way. From electric scooters to buses and cars, the state is ready to embrace the ‘electric era’. Jumping on the bandwagon is Kochi's youth with an e-bike named ‘Tezlaa’. The first-of-its-kind in Kochi, Tezlaa is designed by Smado Labs Private Limited, a startup based in Maker Village. What makes Tezlaa unique is that it is the first foldable e-bike in India, making it convenient to carry wherever one travels.
“With the arrival of motorcycles and cars, cycling has become extinct. This also added to environmental pollution. We want people to start loving cycling again. With Tezlaa, we aim to bring back the happy and healthier lifestyle and protect the environment too,” says Jishnu P, chief technical officer and co-founder of Smado.
Tezlaa comes in two variants: Alpha-1 and Alpha-1 Pro. The Alpha-1 can cover a distance of 50 km on a single charge, whereas Alpha-1 Pro covers a distance of 100 km. The portable battery takes just two hours to charge completely.
“Tezlaa can be used in three modes: electric riding, pedal riding and assist riding. Pedal riding is like using a normal cycle, riding with 21 gears. In assist riding, one has to pedal a little and the cycle will assist the rest. Electric riding will offer one the feel of a bike ride,” adds Jishnu.
The Alpha-1 Pro costs `69,500, whereas Alpha-1 costs `49,500. He affirms that though the e-bike comes in two variants, there is no difference in their build or quality. “Both variants have the same design, build quality and technology. The only difference is the reduction in the number of cells in Alpha-1’s battery,” he adds.
On the advantages of Tezlaa over other e-bikes and scooters, Jishnu says, “No other e-bike offers this distance range with the specifications provided. The body is entirely made of aluminium alloy, making it safe for driving even in rain. The unique quality of the e-bike is that you can fold it and take wherever you go. You could carry it in your car, metro or even into your apartment. Tezlaa can scale heights, that’s an advantage over electric scooters,” says Jishnu.
After the launch of Tezlaa, the Smado team has been receiving around 2,000 calls per day. Midhun V Sankar and Ashin A I, co-founders of Smado, is also the CEO and COO, respectively. “Now, we have the facility to produce 300 cycles per month. Considering the demand, we like to open our manufacturing unit in Kerala.” The makers target students from class VI and above.