Powering Auroville’s electric mobility movement

Debo is the executive of Kinisi, Auroville’s electric mobility unit, which provides electric transport solutions to Aurovilians, newcomers, volunteers and guests. Kinisi is the successor of Qutee by Chandresh and EV Future, a small Auroville unit pioneered by Akash and Sukrit, who in 2008, launched Auroville’s first indigenously built electric motorbike called ‘the Humvee’. The name was inspired by the American Hummer for its clunky appearance and all-terrain capability. “It was a heavy bike, capable of 40-50 km/h, with an advanced electronic battery monitoring system,” Debo recalls. “But high manufacturing costs and battery issues led to the discontinuation of the project in 2011, after production of about 40 units.”

Rethinking urban mobility

It took five more years before Kinisi saw the light of day. In 2016, concerned about the ever-increasing number of petrol motorbikes that plied the roads of Auroville, Debo and his team researched what transportation requirements the Aurovilians truly had. “We went to the Solar Kitchen and interviewed people in the age group of 18-80. We discovered that, on average, they travel 6.6km per day. That’s a really small number and we wondered, why don’t they cycle or walk? We also did a lifecycle analysis to understand the carbon impact of each mode of transportation and found – not amazingly – that walking and cycling are the best mode of transport we can have in Auroville.”

But when they asked people why they didn't walk or cycle, the answers were telling – it was too hot, too humid, and they didn’t want to arrive drenched in sweat. Asked about electric vehicles, many cited high costs. But when the idea of pedal-assisted e-bicycles was proposed, the response was overwhelmingly positive. “That sparked the idea: let’s build our own electric bicycles.”

The long road ahead

In 2016, India’s two major bicycle manufacturers – Hero Cycles and TI Cycles – were approached with Kinisi’s requirement of an electric bicycle for micro-mobility of eight to ten kilometres a day. They replied that it would take a lot of time to design, probably about six years. “That was in 2016, and our aim was to supply 50 electric bicycles to Auroville on Auroville’s 50th anniversary in February 2018.”

Dismayed, Debo decided to try his luck in Ludhiana, the ‘bicycle capital of India’. He visited factory after factory, but everywhere got a polite but decisive ‘no’. One gentleman even told him to go to China to get what he needed. He returned to Delhi to meet a friend and leave for Auroville the next day. But fate had other plans.

“My friend’s mother knew the owner of Hero and phoned him. He organised a meeting for me with his CEO the next morning in the head office of Hero Cycles. But the CEO was very busy. I waited and waited, the hours passed, I drank coffee after coffee, and then, at the end of the afternoon, I met him. Hearing what I wanted, he dismissed my request, saying that ‘e-cycles don’t work in India’. On the point of leaving, he asked me where I was from. ‘From Auroville, from the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, where I studied,’ I replied. Then he turned back and said that he had studied the works of Sri Aurobindo in his youth. ‘Tell me more about that place’. So I told him about Auroville and he was very interested. Responding to my aspiration of getting 50 electric cycles for Auroville’s 50th birthday, he replied that Hero did export some electric cycles to Europe and that he would send me a sample. On my return, I met a well-wisher of Auroville and he promised to fund the 50 e-cycles for Auroville’s 50th birthday.” Debo returned to Auroville very excited.

The Shanghai cycle expo

But the months passed and nothing happened. Then he learned from Sukrit (Aurovelo) that a big cycle expo would happen in Shanghai and decided to go to China.

The experience was overwhelming. “There were five huge exhibition halls; I only managed to visit three of them, walking at least 20km each day and seeing every possible technology – batteries, motors, controllers, brakes and frames”. But it soon became clear that he was at the wrong door in trying to interest big manufacturers.

“They wouldn’t ask how many cycles we wanted; they talked about how many containers we needed. 50 cycles? That was laughable.”

“But there was one man attending a small booth. He sold very beautiful cycles and was happy to supply us with only 50 cycles. Not only that, but he was willing to customise and assemble them in whatever way we wanted, and send them to India. I returned to Auroville elated, telling my colleagues that I’d found the supplier who was willing to send whatever we wanted. With the help of our Chinese Aurovilian, Lijun, I had a few Skype calls with him. Then we were ready to place the order.”

Blockages

At that time, several things happened. The first was that Hero sent the promised sample electric cycle. Then, the Indian Government introduced the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Kinisi’s import-export license got cancelled, so Debo had to apply for a new one. Debo’s visits to the Chennai Port Authorities were to no avail: without license, no import. Also, there was now a substantial amount of duties and GST to be paid on imported cycles. He phoned the Chinese manufacturer and told him that he couldn’t place the order.

Then they had a good look at the bicycle which Hero had so generously sent. It was a simple model. Thanks to the China visit, Debo now knew exactly what model was needed for Auroville: thicker tyres, a better motor, a high-quality battery, sturdy brakes and a simple LED display. Hero obliged. They could not develop a new frame for only 50 bicycles, but they were able to supply all the other requirements because they had all the necessary supply chains in place. And with the support of Hero, Kinisi finally managed to offer 50 pedal-assisted electric bicycles to Auroville on its 50th birthday in February 2018.

Finding a local solution

The experience showed that manufacturing e-bicycles in Auroville would not be a feasible approach. Instead, Kinisi started focusing on assembling them. “Once we got our import-export code, we imported a hundred bicycle frames and other parts from China and put it all together here in Auroville. But then COVID came; the costs of importing bicycle parts escalated, making import no longer economically feasible.” Kinisi then focused on Indian manufactures. “Many small startups had come up; over the years we have contacted all of them. We now specify our needs, and whoever gives us the solution, we'll take from them. We leave it to the supplier to import any parts they need to meet our requirements.”

A thriving EV-ecosystem

Today, Kinisi’s fleet includes various models of pedal-assisted e-bicycles, throttle e-bicycles for seniors, and e-tri wheel scooters for people with special needs – all capped at 25km/h. They’re available for rent to guests and volunteers. Kinisi also provides hassle-free e-cycle stewardship to Aurovilians and newcomers at discounted rates under the KIM scheme (Kinisi In-kind Mobility). More than 300 residents use Kinisi e-bicycles by making a monthly contribution in a range of ₹1,000 to ₹1,475 per month depending on the model (inclusive of GST, periodical service, repairs, and battery replacement). Guests contribute more but still save significantly compared to taxis or rickshaws. “We found that guests spend ₹800 - ₹1,200 daily on transport. Renting an e-bicycle for a fraction of that expenditure is far cheaper – and greener.”

Kinisi also sells e-bicycles – to residents who don’t join the KIM scheme – and has converted over 50 regular bicycles to electric. In total, nearly 670 e-bicycles ride the roads of Auroville today. The concept is catching on: the Auroville units Auroville Consulting, Dropzy, Matrimandir, Shradhanjali and Yuvabe (to name a few) now rent e-bicycles from Kinisi, for use by their team members as part of their benefits package.

As India’s EV market has grown, so has Kinisi’s scope and it now includes e-scooters and e-motorbikes. It owns a small fleet of e-scooters for renting, and it helps residents purchase an e-scooter or e-motorbike of their choice, regardless of brand. “We assist and service all EVs.”

Debo’s preference remains promoting e-bicycles, not just for their environmental benefits but also for their social ones. “Cycling slows you down. You meet people. You smile. That doesn’t happen in a car or on a motorcycle. And cycling is good for your health.”

A return to the vision

Could Auroville truly become a fully EV-based community? Debo strongly believes it is not only possible but necessary. “The Auroville Master Plan already provides a clear framework. It envisages transition areas at the entrances, where Auroville residents, employees and guests will park their fossil fuel vehicles and transition to community provided electric buses or e-carts to get to their destination inside Auroville. That would set an example for sustainable urban living in India. If we remain aligned with this plan, we can phase-out petrol and diesel vehicles entirely.”

This conforms to the concerns of Auroville’s chief architect Roger Anger about traffic in Auroville. As early as 1965, even before the township was inaugurated, he had written to The Mother about the excessive number of cars in modern cities and suggested replacing them by another mode of transport within Auroville. Mother replied with a clear solution: “Small size electrically powered vehicles, capable of transporting about 200kg at a speed of 15km/h.”

Says Debo: “Choosing EVs over fossil fuel alternatives is not just a technological solution, it is a commitment to The Mother’s vision. Auroville has the potential to become a fully EV-based community but it requires a strong, collective determination.”

It is a potential Kinisi is slowly bringing to fruition.