By admin
driEV partners the Mega Cyclothon- Tour De Ekarma
Even though protests about the surging fuel prizes and environmental consequences are all around, the common man is still skeptical about how Electric Vehicles (EV) can solve this. EVs have been globally acknowledged for its zero carbon emissions, affordability, energy efficiency, rechargeable batteries, and low maintenance. driEV, an electric scooter rental platform founded by Ankur B Patel and Santwana Sagnika, began as an initiative to help people acquaint themselves with micro-mobility and the benefits of EV. Being Odisha’s first electric scooter rental provider startup, driEV has been providing pocket-friendly, light-weight, comfortable, noise-free and secured rides to its customers through its easy book and quick delivery mechanism. We aim to revolutionise micro-mobility and address the needs of the public through sustainable, green and future-proof models that are accessible, affordable and shareable for all. We also hope to combat climate change and global warming and preserve our resources for tomorrow.
In the pathway of achieving this goal, we partnered with Odisha Tourism to organise a mega cyclothon-Tour De Ekamra to reiterate the importance of cycling as a hobby as well as a sport. The cyclothon aimed at creating awareness among people regarding the depleting non-renewable resources and enable people to think of fitness or commute during the unprecedented pandemic. The event was organised in partnership with The Juggernauts, CII and YI at Kalinga Stadium on 31st January 2021 and witnessed the spirit of five hundred plus cyclists who had joined the event to explore Odisha. The cyclothon received much popularity in media as it was catered around the iconic temples and heritage sites of Odisha. It has also left people pondering on cleaner modes of mobility since the event.
The full-fledged pilot of the cyclothon was done by driEV throughout the 26 Km and 50 Km routes with the cyclists. We were not only able to support and encourage the cyclists but also set a model for sustainable development as we made a savings of 50 kg of CO2 emissions by using electric scooters in comparison with the traditional fuel operated two-wheelers.
Ankur, an alumnus of XIMB, left his job in 2018 and started a renewable energy startup focusing on solar energy, and his company is the first in Odisha to manufacture solar modules. Today, driEV has grown into a 12-member team which works towards attaining 3 SDG’s- Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) and Climate Action (SDG 13). It currently has a capital of Rs 5 crore raised by seed funding and aims to make lithium batteries in Odisha in the future.
“In 2019, I and Santwana started a fintech firm for a banking product. Once the product was live, we saw the struggle faced by thousands of college students due to the lack of public transport. This is when we started building IoT for electric vehicles which was not only cost-effective but also pollution-free,” said Ankur. “The whole fintech behind renting a bike to get its maintenance online was done by the team in-house,” he added.
An exclusive test ride kiosk set up at the event was a crowd puller. The crowd was also attracted by our initiative which provides electric scooters for monthly and annual subscriptions where a full year of owning driEV will cost you only Rs. 1999 per month. While the short term plan follows the ‘lowest running cost’ model and starts from Rs.85 per day, the long-term plan helps you save more. The schemes were flexible as well as pocket-friendly. The company is planning to set up charging stations throughout the city to make our future greener and safer. And the best thing to note is that people need not worry about the maintenance cost of the scooters as driEV covers costs of all wear and tear as well as accidental breakdown. The rental service is also digital and it requires no driving licence, which makes the entire process paperless and hassle-free. As the pandemic has forced people to choose the usage of private vehicles, every ride we take is adding the carbon footprints and resulting in further environmental consequences. This leaves us with only two options to choose between – Green Future and No Future. With the one dream of creating a positive social impact, we aim to bring in eco-friendly and efficient modes of mobility.
The cyclothon was the mark of a movement towards sustainability over pollution, and now it is your turn. We offer you the option to choose from a wide range of electric scooters that best fits your commute, contactless and sanitised home delivery, comfortable and excellent service, and an opportunity to make the future clean. So grab your electric-bike and have seamless experiences with eco-friendly rides.
