The Revolt RV400 has finally been made official, as India’s first all-electric AI-enabled bike. At the launch, the company shared details around the range, top speed, charging infrastructure and batteries.
Revolt Intellicorp is founded by ex Micromax CEO Rahul Sharma. It was first shown to the world a few months ago and mentioned how it will be India’s first indigenous electric motorbike and will bring features that haven’t been seen on any other 2-wheeler in this price segment.
Revolt RV400 Design
The RV400 implements a single-cradle frame with an aluminium swingarm. It also has upside-down forks for the front wheel which is rare in this segment. The electric bike has been designed to be ergonomic for 95% Indians. With a ground clearance of 215mm, this is the highest bike in the segment and also helps make it invincible to water damage. To take care of the rest, the Revolt RV400 is IP67 water-resistant. Adding to the safety, the battery pack is located closer to the centre of gravity for better weight distribution. The footrests can also be adjusted based on the rider’s preference.
Revolt RV400 Features
The motorbike comes with a contactless smart key which can be used to unlock the bike from a distance of 50 metres. Not just that, it can also be used to start the engine beforehand, and can also be used to trigger an alarm. If that wasn’t fancy enough, the RV400 can also be started by just using the voice command “Revolt, start” when used with the compliant helmet. The console, called the Digital Health monitor, is a full-fledged dashboard that shows information such as speed, battery levels, expected range etc.
It will implement combined dual disk brakes for the front as well as rear, along with regenerative braking which recharges the battery each time the brakes are applied. The side stand is also intelligent and disengages the engine when propped out, ensuring higher safety. Other features include a USB port for charging, a big storage silo and accessory hooks on the rear.
Revolt RV400 Performance and Range
The RV400 is powered by a 3KW mid-drive motor which runs off a 75V battery. This enables the bike to get a max range of about 150km in ideal driving conditions in the Eco mode. Switching to the Normal mode takes the max speed up to 65kmph and range to 100km. Lastly, the Sports mode brings the max speed up to 85kmph but the range will drop down to 80km. Rahul Sharma also teased an upcoming Nitro mode that will “take the speed to the next level”.
Revolt RV300
The stage was also shared by the Revolt RV300 which is a slightly lower-specced and cheaper variant. It uses a 1.5KW hub motor powered by a 60V lithium-ion battery which combine to give it a range of 180km with a max speed of 65kmph. There are minor differences with the design as well.
Charging Infrastructure
One of the biggest issues slowing down the adoption of electric vehicles in India is the lack of a proper charging network. Revolt Motors has a few solutions to tackle this issue. There’s normal wired charging which takes about 4.5 hours to take the battery to 100%. But for when you are on the streets, Revolt’s Switch Stations can be used where you can swap the battery out instantly and leave with a fully charged one. These are currently deployed in Pune and Delhi and will increase in number over time.
Owing to the removable nature of the batteries, they can also be removed from the bike and charged separately, for users who may not have access to a charging point near the parking spot. Lastly, there’s an SOS Delivery option for the batteries where you can order a fresh battery via the MyRevolt app and it will be delivered to you.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, Revolt batteries also come with an unlimited lifetime warranty (up to a maximum of 1,50,000km). This is crucial for electric vehicles are lithium-ion batteries wear down over time which leads to a reduction in the range.
Revolt service network
Along with free battery replacements, the Revolt RV400 will also come with 3 years of free services for internal maintenance, one-time tyre replacement and even worn-out brake pads. They have also partnered with GoMechanic to expand their service network.
Revolt RV400 price
There are a total of three variants of the bike, which can be purchased at convenient monthly instalments. The RV300 can be purchased at Rs 2,999 a month for a period of 37 months, the base RV400 at Rs 3,499 and the premium RV400 at Rs 3,999. This price includes insurance, down payment, registration, service expenses for 3 years, batteries and 4G connectivity.
While Revolt did not mention exact prices for the e-bikes, calculations suggest that the RV300 is effectively priced at around Rs 1,10,000, the base RV400 at Rs 1,30,000 and the premium RV400 will cost Rs 1,50,000.
Deliveries will commence in September 2019 for Delhi, and around October for Pune. The next phase will include Bangalore, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Chennai, which should happen in the next 4 months. Revolt Hubs will also be set up where patrons can come and experience the bikes and even purchase them.
Revolt RV500?
The keynote ended with a slide that showed the next Revolt electric bike. No information around it was shared, but by the looks of it, it seems to be an even more high-end bike, presumably with more power, speed and range.
