This Bengaluru based startup provides EVs on monthly subscription

But what if you get to try and test the vehicle before purchasing it. A Bengaluru-based startup SWYTCHD provides electric vehicles on a monthly subscription basis. This subscription is all inclusive which covers insurance, charging refunds, servicing, maintenance, and breakdown support.

Founded in 2021, by Sameer Arif, SWYTCHD provides a range of EVs to choose from which includes both two-wheelers and cars.

Charges of monthly subscription of EVs

The subscription starts from ₹4,000 for two-wheelers and ranges up to ₹6,000 per month. The monthly subscription of four-wheelers starts from ₹30,000 and ranges up to ₹60,000 per month. 

For two-wheelers, the company offers four models OLS S1 Pro, Revolt RV400, Hero Photon Hx and Ather 450X. For four-wheeler, company offers TATA Tigor XZ+, TATA Nexon EV XZ+ Lux, Hyundai Kona Premium, and MG ZS EV Exclusive. SWYTCHD also allows customers to buy different vehicle every month.

Charging stations

As per the company, the vehicle is provided inclusive of the ability to charge (free of charge) at home or at a public location. At the end of the hire period, SWYTCHD refunds the charging amount to the customers. 

As per Your Story report, if the vehicle runs out of battery while on the road, the company facilitates access to multiple public charging stations, including that of Ather, Kazam, Bolt, BESCOM, and Tata Power.

The one month subscription is available at 10 cities – Ahmedabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Surat, Kolkata, Hyderabad.

The report also states that the startup aims to raise seed investment to fund fleet expansion and hiring. It wants to add 1,000 vehicles on the road by 2023, it said. Apart from this, the startup is also working on an app to help customers provide details of their subscription and guide them find charging points nearby. 

EVs in India

The EY report has said that electric 2-wheelers are showing a significant increase in sales, with numbers touching around 110k in the first quarter of 2022, and on to a projected 535k for the year. The government has set a target of 80 percent penetration of EVs by 2030, however, the report states that a realistic target of 45-50 percent seems achievable by 2030, especially considering the recent incidents of battery fires. 

Earlier in June, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had said that the prices of all EVs will be equal to the cost of petrol vehicles in the country within one year. Gadkari further said the government is promoting ethanol produced from crop residue instead of petrol and diesel. “I am trying…within one year, the cost of electric vehicles will be equivalent to the cost of petrol vehicles in the country and we will save money spent on fossil fuels,” he said while addressing ‘TV9 What India Think Today Global Summit.’ 

Gadkari had also requested SIAM to research strategies for lowering import dependence. It is time to grow the electric vehicle (EV) business and boost the manufacturing of buses as well as two-, three-, and four-wheelers, the minister added. He said he wanted to make India the top manufacturer of alternative fuel vehicles, adding that he dreamt of launching an electric highway. According to Nitin Gadkari, alternative fuels should be prioritised in order to discourage the sale of petrol and diesel cars and to reduce pollution.