Mr.Rakesh MK, Founder & CEO, Meladath Auto Components tells Clean Future about his ‘leap of faith’ and what motivated him to “ TAKE THE HILL.”
When was the idea for ‘Meladath Auto Components’ conceptualized?
Entrepreneurship Spark was lighted by Mr. Anand Mahindra in 2013, I was then a employee in Mahindra Research Valley.
Mr. Anand Mahindra was in Chennai for a annual event and during his Open house session with the employees in Mahindra Research Valley (MRV),he narrated his experience with Dr Kalam during the Inauguration of MRV ,where Dr Kalam showed him a hill behind the MRV facility and asked him to “ TAKE THE HILL.”
What Dr Kalam basically meant was that HILL represents our BIG DREAMS which we all nurture but most of us are scared to chase them… that night I could not sleep, Mr.Mahindra’s narration was echoing and I wanted to CHASE MY DREAM- “TAKE MY HILL”… so I decided to take the leap of faith and started my journey of entrepreneurship
I quit my Job in 2016 and incorporated MELADATH AUTO COMPONENTS.
What motivated you to work on a retrofit product rather than a completely new one?
With the Mobility space getting revolutionized by electric power-train, we did not want to miss this opportunity. and also ,we did not want to adapt the conventional approach of building another electric scooter or bike just to be in the game of e-mobility market .
Hence we decided to work on Idea-ting FRUGAL Solution’s for accelerated adaption of electric mobility and our decision was to address the existing 30 million plus scooter market with a novel electric solution which can be easily fitted on them.
We have come out with a innovative and novel invention called a e-KIT ( Retrofit table electric hybrid kit for petrol scooters)
Adaption/ Fitting of the kit can be done with in 30 mins. And this adaption is reversible, ie if the user is not satisfied whole electric system can be removed and can go back to petrol only scooter without any cutting /welding / fabrication job.
By adapting this conversion kit, scooter user can ride the petrol scooter in both electric and petrol mode selectively like a hybrid scooter.
Lithium Battery pack provided with the conversion kit is removable and can be charged using domestic power socket, there is no need for a charging station/ charge port near the vehicle parking .
We are also working on the technology of charging the battery while scooter is being driven on petrol without hampering fuel efficiency.
Tell us about your various product offerings?
Meladath Auto Components is not a one product company, we have almost 10 Innovative Automotive solutions for B2B and B2C market.
- Pilot Product- One Way Clutch: has won the ELEVATE 100 challenge from Karnataka state startup challenge.
- Gear Integrated One way clutch (PATENT FILED): is an extension to the existing novel One way clutch product.
- Innovative Braking system ( PATENT FILED) : Revolutionary Braking technology which will improves the Braking efficiency by up to 40%.
- Retrofittable Electric Hybrid Kit – e-Kit (PATENT FILED): Innovative retrofit table Electric drive kit for existing petrol scooters
Tell us more about ‘electric conversion kit’ for petrol scooters? Is this an indigenous product?
- It’s a MADE IN INDIA innovation for global application ( Apart from Lithium cells and SMD components all the components are designed and developed in INDIA)
- Kit is Retrofittable- Kit can be adapted without any modification to the scooter within 30 Mins
- Kit is Universal, can be adapted to most of the scooters with 10 inch and 12 steel wheel .
- Kit will convert the existing petrol scooter to a hybrid scooter (Dual Fuel mode Petrol + Electric )
- Kit has a integrated Throttle – Single throttle body which will drive petrol engine or Electric drive system selectively based on drive mode.
- Removable Lithium Battery – Battery can be charged with domestic power socket
- Lithium Battery of the kit will be charged while the scooters is being used on petrol mode
How does the battery charge? Does it also have a ‘Regenerative Braking’ system?
- Removable Lithium Battery – Battery can be charged with domestic power socket
- Lithium Battery of the kit will be charged while the scooters is being used on petrol mode
Please tell us about the AIM awards.
We pitched our Retrofittable Electric Hybrid conversion kit for the ATAL NEW INDIA CHALLENGE – Under Electric Mobility
- Total of 950 startups had applied PAN India
- 519 Startups shortlisted for secondary evaluation
- 143 startups shortlisted for presentation before screeing and selection committee
- 26 winners selected for Grant in Aid
Meladath Auto Components has won the ATAL NEW INDIA Challenge under e-mobility and thus would get a grant of Rs.1Cr, where the challenge was – How to increase the share of Electric Mobility solutions.
By when can we expect this product. What is going to be your ‘Go -To-Market’ strategy?
The process of development, testing and accreditation is still ON both at our in-house facilities and at government lab since we seek certification from them as well.
We are estimating a market launch in Q2 2020 tentatively.
To make our innovation most affordable we are evaluating various market deployment options to ensure lowest adaption cost. we may offer the product through retail and e-commerce platform.
How is this beneficial for Clients in terms of Cost-of-Ownership?
Petrol scooters can be driven for 40 Km per charge and charging the battery requires 2 unit of Domestic electricity. And equivalent of petrol cost for 40 Km will be approximately Rs 80 /-
This is a Clean-Future Exclusive