Yulu Unveils ‘India’s 1st AI Battery Charging/Swapping Solution for 2W EV

E-mobility service provider Yulu is adding a network of battery charging and swapping stations named ‘Yulu Max Network’, the company announced recently. The Max Network will help EV users swap their batteries with zero downtime and reduce their range anxiety.

This will be India’s first AI-powered, vertically integrated battery infrastructure for electric 2-wheelers, claims Yulu.

Max stations will solve the problem of range anxiety through providing battery swapping stations within 2 kilometres of a rider’s reach. To enable this, Yulu plans to create 500 Max stations across Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi NCR by the middle of 2022.

These stations will be strategically located in areas of high movement density, making EVs a convenient and practical mobility solution. The company aims to scale this network to more than 2000 Max stations by the end of 2022, eventually putting these max stations within 1 Km of a rider’s reach.

The first batch of 10 Yulu Max stations was launched in Bengaluru. The inauguration was held on 16 November, 2021, in Castle Street, Bengaluru Central Business District (CBD).

This Max Network in Bengaluru will be quickly scaled to 30 by the end of this month, and to 100 within the next three months. These will have the capacity to increase the initial outlay of 10,000 battery swaps per day to 25,000 batteries per day by the end of the next quarter in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi NCR regions. By the end of next year, the Max Network will have the capacity for 150,000 battery swaps per day, and will cover electric 2- wheeler users across an area of 750 square kilometers in these three cities.

Yulu’s AI based platform is expected to increase the availability and predictability of EV batteries, and its tech led process will help users replace their batteries swiftly and be on their way instantly.

Amit Gupta, Co-Founder, Yulu Bike, shared his thoughts on the launch, “People see the long-term value of switching to electric mobility. The unprecedented demand for EVs and shared electric mobility has been a clear indicator to us about shifting consumer preferences. With Yulu Max Network, people will no longer have to worry about the range and time required to charge their batteries. Max Network will be available to all Yulu users to start with, where they get their battery swapped at a location of their convenience.”

V Manjula, Commissioner, Directorate of Urban Land Transport, Urban Development Department, which plays an important role in planning, funding and facilitating implementation of sustainable transport across Karnataka, was present at the launch. She said, “With the city battling increased pollution and congestion problems, such disruptive innovations can go a long way in improving the situation. Charging facilities like Yulu Max Network will encourage more people to use shared electric vehicles for their transport requirements. This will serve as a role model for India’s vision towards a sustainable ecosystem and shared electric vehicle adoption.”