Bengaluru-based start-up Coppernicus intends to cater to the growing need for e-mobility options in the country, launching its first premium segment e-bike here on Wednesday.

The ‘Coppernicus T3’, a niche lifestyle product, is priced at ₹1.28 lakh, said the company’s founder Kevin X Vas, who hails from Mangaluru.

3 models

He said Coppernicus would launch three e-bicycle models priced between ₹40,000 and ₹1.28 lakh.

Vas, who studied architecture at University of Mysore’s School of Design, said Coppernicus’ product design and development team has been working and testing its products for the last three years.

Asked why he forayed into e-bicycles, a segment that already has established players, Vas said there were not many brands when Coppernicus started out three years ago. “I guess all the current brands started working together at the same time. It shows that this is the right time for these kind of technologies to come into the market.”

Vas claimed that the country was moving towards bicycles as an option for mobility, fitness, and recreation. Though users can pedal Coppernicus’ bicyles, they can also cruise without pedalling. The push towards a greener environment and the Government’s Smart City project will catalyse the use of e-bicycles, he said.

Foldable e-bike

Vas said Coppernicus will also launch a foldable e-bicycle product termed ‘Qubit’. Pre-booking has opened for the mass product, which should be available by December.

Coppernicus has got around 10 dealers across the country in Gujarat, Mumbai, Pune, Kochi, Chennai, Mysuru and Bengaluru.

To a query on funding, he said the start-up is purely funded by the founders. “First you have to show the product to the market,” he said, adding that the start-up is now working on securing seed capital.

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