BLive To Have 50 Operational Stores By March 2023
The Indian EV market scenario is changing rapidly and many start-ups are making space in the EV market. We spoke to Samarth Kholkar, CEO & Co-founder, Blive about his journey with the Indian EV market and what kind of response he is getting from the customers, here is what he said:-
Share your journey experience with your EV product store? How many EV stores are operative and how many are you coming up with?
BLive is an EV retail platform with an online as well as an offline presence. It has electric two and three-wheelers, charging infrastructure, EV finance, insurance, EV fleet management services, roadside assistance, and other related services. BLive is addressing these by offering consumers a choice of EVs, expertise, and ease of ownership. The experience stores work on a franchise model, allowing customers to look at the EVs, buy them, and access after-sales support. We have 20 stores in operation and another 10 plus stores are coming up in the next 2 months. By March 2023 we will have 50 operational stores.
What is the average number of orders you receive in a month?
We sell electric cycles, low-speed scooters, and high-speed scooters and have recently launched e3Wheelers as well. We are selling anywhere between 25-30 units on an average per store.
Are you collaborating with any company to bring more EV products to your store? If yes, what would be their types?
Yes. We are constantly partnering with multiple folks. We already have over 50 OEM partners. We are now exploring new categories as well. We have partnered with Kinetic Green, OSM and Euler for electric three-wheelers. We are looking at international brands who want to launch in India and help them with an already established BLive store network.
As the government is focusing on making people more aware to switch from ICE to EV, is your company providing any discounts on your EV products and also are you getting any financial rebates from the government?
The products we sell comply with Govt guidelines and are eligible for FAME subsidies as well. Beyond that we motivate consumers to migrate to EV, especially the younger generation by ensuring that there is easy finance and also some great offers like cashback, exchange and upgrade, free hotel stays etc.
What are your store's policies, if any product is found defective by any buyer then what are the next steps your brand follows?
The products sold in our stores carry the same warranty as given by the OEM. This is in line with our arrangement with the OEMs. Beyond the same, we conduct regular on site and video training for the store staff. There is a defined standard operating procedure to detect whether the problem is a critical one or can be addressed at the store itself. If former, then BLive works with the OEM for a quick resolution and ensures the customer grievance is completely addressed and in the shortest possible time frame.
What kind of future do you see for EVs in India and also how is the future going to be for your stores?
EV is not the future but already the present. We are now seeing adoption across individuals as well as corporations. Which is great not just for the category but also for the environment at large. We also expect a lot more financial incentives coming to help buyers transition. Also the rapid growth of charging infrastructure will only put the user’s range anxiety at ease.
BLive plans to open 50 new EV experience stores by the end of the financial year. It will be adding e3Ws, charging partners, and finance partners and plans to have at least 100 partners by the end of the year. It plans to introduce some unique experiences to make the EV buying experience more immersive. An exchange and upgrade programme is also on the anvil for the upcoming festive season. We aim to create 5,000 new EV users by the end of this FY.
Do you feel there is any change in the mindset of the customers with regards to buying EV?
India has seen a massive growth in the EV sector. In October 2022, India saw the highest sales of EV with 68,324 units being sold that month. There’s a constant growth in awareness of climate challenges, affordability, government support, and improving charging infrastructure which acts as the key catalysts encouraging customers to go electric. Not only awareness, but there are also many government initiatives like Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, PLI, and FAME that have helped in taking a giant leap toward an electric future. Thanks to the ongoing improvement and innovation in the technology, it is helping eliminate the existing issues such as range anxiety, battery management, and cost. Today, we are looking at electric vehicles as the future of mobility with confidence and this is benefiting the EV ecosystem. We are thus seeing a changing mindset across all segments of Auto buyers.
