Yogesh Bhatia, MD & Founder, DETEL talks about DETEL’s strategy to expand, initial market response post locfkdown, the new series of Smart EV products launches, business experience and shift in the axis of the Global EV industry in an interview with Ms Rachana Garg, Sr Correspondent- The EV TIMES.
Reveals Dr.Yogesh Bhatia , MD & Founder, DETEL. Established in 1991, with a CRISIL rating of SME 2, S.G. Corporate Mobility is the parent company of Detel, known for its relationships with well-established brands in the space of mobiles, laptops, tablets, etc. DETEL ensures the best quality for its product that trickles down from their extensive Research and Development to the Manufacturing, Testing, and Supply at economical pricing. Their products are making a mark in India in terms of Quality and Pricing.
What kind of products & services do you offer to the EV industry?
We have witnessed a huge opportunity for electric vehicles in the Indian Market. The EV industry in India was emerging on account of various factors such as the growing awareness toward the environment, increasing petrol prices, and stringent emission norms etc. Detel has been in the Indian market since 2017 with its electronic goods and consumer gadgets.
In January 2020, the company entered the EV industry with a vision to facilitate Indian customers with smart EV vehicles. The company aims to disrupt the EV market with its unique and affordable offerings under its initiative #deteldecarboniseindia. The company
has recently launched a low-speed vehicle Detel Easy Plus for the B2C segment. Detel is also planning to come with the new electric 2 wheeler- Detel Loader for the B2B segment by the end of this year. EVs have a bright future in India. In our case the bikes are affordable, after sales service is provided at the customer’s doorstep and roadside assistance is available to all customers pan India at no cost for the 1st year. The company is also offering RTO registration and driving licenses to their customers. Further our bikes can be charged at home from any domestic power point. It is just a matter of time before EVs volumes will expand exponentially.
Due to Covid, 2020 was a tough period for the industry with demand drying up and supply chain disrupted. How did you manage to sustain during this tough period?
Our traditional lines continued to drive some revenue. We launched DetelPro which had covid care products and we could sustain revenues.
Is the situation improving with demand picking up in the 2nd quarter of 2021 in the 2 wheeler market?
Yes, demand for personal vehicles is increasing due to the fear of COVID and consumers are switching over to EVs due to an increase in petrol process.
What are the key lessons for you from Covid19 pandemic? Will it lead to any change in the way the business is operating today? If yes, could you please elaborate?
One important change is people will rely more on online shopping. Outdoor activities like tourism, gyms and eateries will be badly affected. Personal entertainment, mobile communication and EVs will continue to grow.
What will be your focus for ensuring growth this year?
After unveiling the world’s most economical electric 2-wheelers for B2C segment, Detel is planning to raise 150cr this year. The company will invest these funds in creating R&D facilities and domestic manufacturing units for the brand
in order to offer the most economical EVs in the market. The brand is all set to invest the funds on critical talent acquisition & growing its tech team. Detel aims to develop new and innovative products for tier 2 and 3 markets at
the most disruptive price without compromising
on product quality. Besides this, the company is also focusing on Brand building and setting up an offline distribution and after sales services network.
Describe something about the company’s research & development team?
Detel EV has put in a lot of effort to ensure that maximum auto parts are manufactured or sourced domestically. Arduous efforts of our team assured 60% of Detel electric vehicle components are made in India for their recently launched Detel Easy Plus. However, the company is planning to produce 80% made in India electric vehicles by this year. Detel has established an assembly line and R&D unit in Gurugram. The company has recently appointed Mr. Ravneet Singh as a General Manager- EV Manufacturing. He will play an important role in the company’s growth by managing the design and development of low-speed electric 2-wheeler- Detel Loader right from selection of plant, machinery, training of manpower in order to produce 6000 units of electric vehicle per month.
In the end, what is more important – Quality Product or Marketing?
Marketing is very important and quality is a prerequisite.
What message do you want to convey for our readers?
Stay safe, avoid crowded places and transport. Health is prime and a clean environment promotes good health. We look forward to your wholehearted support in making India a hub for the global EV market.