#NewsBytesExclusive: Yulu, the start-up reshaping urban mobility with e-bikes
If you open the Uber app in Bengaluru, you may find an interesting new option to try an e-bike. This comes from the house of Yulu, an electric mobility start-up Uber has partnered with to add a cleaner transit solution into its offerings. Recently NewsBytes spoke with Yulu's co-founder, Amit Gupta, to know more about their journey, mission and future plans. Here's what he said.
First up, what is Yulu?
Started in 2017 by Amit Gupta, RK Mishra, Hemant Gupta, and Naveen Dachuri, Yulu has been providing affordable urban transit solutions. The company started with bicycle-sharing services, but later on added 'Miracle' e-bikes into their portfolio to help users complete both first and last-mile, short-distance commutes. Their services, however, are available only in select regions of four cities: Bengaluru, Pune, Navi Mumbai, and Bhubaneswar.
Traffic congestion and pollution drove Yulu's launch
Speaking to NewsBytes, Amit said they started Yulu as part of an effort to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in India. "Our belief was that people using their own car or a single person in shared taxis isn't best utilization of our roads," he said. This led them to offer small two-wheelers that anyone could pick up and drop anywhere within their network.
Mission to limit personal vehicle use
Yulu's objective was to give people a way to avoid using their own personal vehicles, and that came in the form of manually operated 'Move' bicycles and 'Miracle' e-bikes. "We always had this plan to introduce both manual and electric vehicles in our fleet," Amit stated while noting that they currently have some 8,000 bicycles and 500 e-bikes in operation.
How do you get a Yulu e-bike or bicycle
Yulu works just like booking an Uber, but in this case, you'll have to walk to the vehicle instead of the vehicle heading towards you. When you use the Yulu/Uber app to get a ride, it will show nearest Yulu zone, IT parks and other public places, where you can find the e-bike/bicycle. Then, you can simply unlock it and ride to your destination.
You can drop the vehicle at nearest Yulu station
Once you are at your destination, you can drop the vehicle at the closest Yulu zone and continue. If there's no station nearby, you can keep the vehicle in a pause mode and return later. But that will cost you an additional Rs. 5/10 minutes.
E-bikes designed with Indian needs in mind
Yulu's business matches a lot with that of American start-ups, but its EVs carry a completely different design. This, Amit said, is an outcome of the Indian culture; the 'kick scooters' require a person to stand while riding but that's not comfortable for Indians who like to sit. Plus, the small wheel size of those vehicles is also not suitable for Indian roads.
Yulu chose to scale down the conventional Indian scooters
"We had a choice of picking the normal scooter but then we realized they're overdesigned for a person covering a short distance". This, Amit said, contributed to the cost and effort of movement and prompted them to go for a lean and 43kg-light 'single-seater' design.
Plus, you don't need to wear a helmet, legally speaking
While being light, Amit also emphasized that their e-bikes are rugged enough for Indian usage conditions. "This is a very unique iron-built naked frame, there's no plastic fender, everything is functional, and the story ends there." He also noted that their e-bikes have a maximum speed of 25kmph, which legally saves the user from putting on a helmet, number plate, or license.
Plus, Yulu e-bikes offer sufficient range
Amit further noted that Yulu e-bikes, currently operating only in Bengaluru, offer a range of 60km on a single charge. They're used for an average distance of 5km making an ideal solution for daily commute. And, if the bike's battery is down, it won't unlock.
You should be 16 years+ to ride Yulu e-scooter
Legally, any person is allowed to ride a Yulu bike but Amit said their terms and conditions require riders to be 16 or older. However, despite clear warnings, people tend to put the wrong age, and sometimes even parents open the app and book rides for their kids. This, the company boss said, is a behavior that is technically impossible to stop.
However, there are control measures in place
Either way, to discourage this behavior, the Yulu app shows a pre-ride warning message noting that the rider should be at least 16 years old; they have also put stickers on the bike highlighting the same message. Plus, they have got a fine of Rs. 10,000 in place for those who break the rules and start a Yulu ride despite being younger.
Focus on children safety
Amit emphasized that Yulu's vehicles are safe - they are fairly slow and not even tall - for everyone, but they enforce these fines and warnings to ensure that no kid ever gets hurt using their service, in any way.
What's next for Yulu, from here?
Now, Yulu plans to expand its footprint in Bengaluru, and eventually, to other cities, including Delhi, where the company is in talks with several authorities and planning a trial run. "For almost one year, we were running in two cities' two pin codes," Amit concluded. "But now, we have got the product market set and are eying 7-10x growth over the next 18 months."
