Yulu, the start-up reshaping urban mobility with e-bikes.

sk001 · 发表于 2019-05-11 17:44:49

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[br][br]If you open the Uber app in Bengaluru, you may find an interesting new option to try an e-bike.[br][br]This comes from the house of Yulu, an electric mobility start-up Uber has partnered with to add a cleaner transit solution into its offerings.[br][br]Recently NewsBytes spoke with Yulu's co-founder, Amit Gupta, to know more about their journey, mission and future plans.[br][br]Here's what he said.[br][br]Company[br][br]First up, what is Yulu?[br][br]

[br]Started in 2017 by Amit Gupta, RK Mishra, Hemant Gupta, and Naveen Dachuri, Yulu has been providing affordable urban transit solutions.[br][br]The company started with bicycle-sharing services, but later on added 'Miracle' e-bikes into their portfolio to help users complete both first and last-mile, short-distance commutes.[br][br]Their services, however, are available only in select regions of four cities: Bengaluru, Pune, Navi Mumbai, and Bhubaneswar.[br][br]Birth[br][br]Traffic congestion and pollution drove Yulu's launch[br][br]Speaking to NewsBytes, Amit said they started Yulu as part of an effort to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in India.[br][br]"Our belief was that people using their own car or a single person in shared taxis isn't best utilization of our roads," he said.[br][br]This led them to offer small two-wheelers that anyone could pick up and drop anywhere within their network.[br][br]Vehicle offerings[br][br]Mission to limit personal vehicle use[br][br]Yulu's objective was to give people a way to avoid using their own personal vehicles, and that came in the form of manually operated 'Move' bicycles and 'Miracle' e-bikes.[br][br]"We always had this plan to introduce both manual and electric vehicles in our fleet," Amit stated while noting that they currently have some 8,000 bicycles and 500 e-bikes in operation.[br][br]Process[br][br]How do you get a Yulu e-bike or bicycle[br][br]

[br][br]Yulu works just like booking an Uber, but in this case, you'll have to walk to the vehicle instead of the vehicle heading towards you.[br][br]When you use the Yulu/Uber app to get a ride, it will show nearest Yulu zone, IT parks and other public places, where you can find the e-bike/bicycle.[br][br]Then, you can simply unlock it and ride to your destination.[br][br]You can drop the vehicle at nearest Yulu station[br][br]Once you are at your destination, you can drop the vehicle at the closest Yulu zone and continue. If there's no station nearby, you can keep the vehicle in a pause mode and return later. But that will cost you an additional Rs. 5/10 minutes.[br][br]E-bikes[br][br]E-bikes designed with Indian needs in mind[br][br]

[br][br]Yulu's business matches a lot with that of American start-ups, but its EVs carry a completely different design.[br][br]This, Amit said, is an outcome of the Indian culture; the 'kick scooters' require a person to stand while riding but that's not comfortable for Indians who like to sit.[br][br]Plus, the small wheel size of those vehicles is also not suitable for Indian roads.[br][br]Yulu chose to scale down the conventional Indian scooters[br][br]"We had a choice of picking the normal scooter but then we realized they're overdesigned for a person covering a short distance". This, Amit said, contributed to the cost and effort of movement and prompted them to go for a lean and 43kg-light 'single-seater' design.[br][br]Advantage[br][br]Plus, you don't need to wear a helmet, legally speaking[br][br]While being light, Amit also emphasized that their e-bikes are rugged enough for Indian usage conditions.[br][br]"This is a very unique iron-built naked frame, there's no plastic fender, everything is functional, and the story ends there."[br][br]He also noted that their e-bikes have a maximum speed of 25kmph, which legally saves the user from putting on a helmet, number plate, or license.[br][br]Plus, Yulu e-bikes offer sufficient range[br][br]Amit further noted that Yulu e-bikes, currently operating only in Bengaluru, offer a range of 60km on a single charge. They're used for an average distance of 5km making an ideal solution for daily commute. And, if the bike's battery is down, it won't unlock.[br][br]Usage[br][br]You should be 16 years+ to ride Yulu e-scooter[br][br]

[br][br]Legally, any person is allowed to ride a Yulu Bike but Amit said their terms and conditions require riders to be 16 or older.[br][br]However, despite clear warnings, people tend to put the wrong age, and sometimes even parents open the app and book rides for their kids.[br][br]This, the company boss said, is a behavior that is technically impossible to stop.[br][br]Controls[br][br]However, there are control measures in place[br][br]Either way, to discourage this behavior, the Yulu app shows a pre-ride warning message noting that the rider should be at least 16 years old; they have also put stickers on the bike highlighting the same message.[br][br]Plus, they have got a fine of Rs. 10,000 in place for those who break the rules and start a Yulu ride despite being younger.[br][br]Focus on children safety[br][br]Amit emphasized that Yulu's vehicles are safe - they are fairly slow and not even tall - for everyone, but they enforce these fines and warnings to ensure that no kid ever gets hurt using their service, in any way.[br][br]Future plans[br][br]What's next for Yulu, from here?[br][br]

[br][br]Now, Yulu plans to expand its footprint in Bengaluru, and eventually, to other cities, including Delhi, where the company is in talks with several authorities and planning a trial run.[br][br]"For almost one year, we were running in two cities' two pin codes," Amit concluded. "But now, we have got the product market set and are eying 7-10x growth over the next 18 months."[br][br]Keep Using and Enjoying Infinix.[br][br]Source: newsbytes.