The new EV charging station is, according to the company, the first of many that the company plans to install. These stations will incorporate smart EV chargers with secure connectors, to provide a fast-charging facility as well as ensure a seamless payment experience for its users.
The chargers are developed in line with the standardised Bharat EV specifications. In the months ahead, the company seeks to add a variety of chargers to its charging network that would easily facilitate e-charging for electric vehicles in India.
At the launch, Kapil Shelke, founder and CEO of Tork Motors said, “With the launch of our first EV charging station, we seek to drive the adoption of e-vehicles, especially electric motorcycles, in India. We are excited to unveil the first public fast-charging station in our home city of Pune and consider it to be a step towards creating an easy-to-discover and accessible Tork Charging Network, reflecting our company’s vision. This move is also in line with our growth plans of offering a holistic and hassle-free experience to the consumer.”
Earlier this year, Tork Motors roped in Roy Kurian – who held the position of senior VP in charge of sales and marketing at Yamaha Motor India – as its head of sales and marketing. In addition to introducing the brand's flagship product, the T6X, Kurian will also focus on strategic tie-ups, and marketing and distribution of other forthcoming models.
T6X: the Tork of the town?
Tork Motors is readying the launch of its flagship product – the much-delayed T6X electric motorcycle. Work on the T6X began in mid-2015, received funding from a group of angel investors (including the founders of Ola cabs Bhavish Agarwal and Ankit Bhati, along with a group of angels led by Harpreet Grover, co-founder and CEO of CoCubes) and its first prototype was unveiled in September 2016. With Bharat Forge coming on board as a strategic partner in early 2018, Tork Motors says it has made rapid progress on two fronts – technology and skilled resources.
The T6X has been built after five prototypes spanning 10 years of R&D. With the e-motorcycle in its final stages – a near-production-ready test mule of the T6X was snapped testing, earlier this year – Tork plans its launch in Pune. Bangalore and other cities in India will soon follow.
Tork T6X e-bike is powered by a 6kW lithium-ion battery and manages 27Nm of torque and a range of 100km on a single charge. Top speed is limited to 100kph at present; and its battery has a company-claimed lifespan of 80,000-100,000km.
Tork Motors holds more than 40 different IPs with respect to their technology, design and trademarks. According to the company, the yet-to-be-launched motorcycle will solve rider pain-points with value-added features like GPS, utility storage, cloud connectivity and phone charging. The T6X is high on connectivity. Apart from analysis and compilation of data for every ride, power management, real-time power consumption and range forecasts, the bike's system also captures the driving patterns of the rider.
Now that the first of Tork's charging stations has been set up, it looks like wait for the T6X won't be long.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
