Bengaluru-based Ultraviolette Automotive announced its first offering in 2019, the F77 performance electric bike. The KTM 390 Duke rival was expected to arrive a year after the debut, but the pandemic among other factors pushed the arrivals by over two years. But the wait will be worth it, says Narayan Subramaniam, co-founder of UltraViolet. In a recent conversation with carandbike, he promised a better battery pack, more range and better safety on the F77. Also, carandbike can confirm that the much-awaited offering will finally arrive with the launch this year itself, now just a few weeks away.
Speaking to carandbike, Narayan said, “A major part of the Covid lockdown went into [battery development R&D], We were working and that went a year just being Pax and Sail manufacturer agnostic. Another thing that happened was switching from 18,650 to 21,700 format. Our first four years of battery technology were completely designed for the 18650, but it saw the industry grow. What we had initially planned was the second generation of the F77 would go to 21,700, but this COVID window that we got, we fast-tracked that growth. ,
Narayan pointed out that between 2020 and 2021, things were uncertain in the automotive industry. “We didn’t want to rush production in an environment where everything is unstable. We wanted things to stabilize. So we gave ourselves 10 months to complete the migration from 18,650 to 21,700. We took more of the time Used efficiently as well as not to change things too quickly after product launch.”
Narayan also described how he worked on battery development to ensure more effective protection in case of a thermal runaway incident. The battery system on the F77 manages to isolate the faulty cell after detonation, ensuring that heat and fire do not spread to other cells in the module. The team has also worked on removing the heat from the enclosure. So there is no latent heat diffusion,” he said.
All these changes promise not only a safer battery pack but also a better range. The company has opted for an NMC cell with three battery modules powering the Ultraviolette F77. In the variant unveiled in 2019, the start-up promised a range of 130-150 km on a single charge. However, Narayan says it is moving towards the 200 km mark. While the official specifications of the updated range are still a few weeks away, Narayan promises a definite 20 percent increase in the overall range over the F77.
The Ultraviolette F77 has some promising specifications, with the BLDC motor developing 33 bhp at 2,250 rpm and 90 Nm of peak torque. The manufacturer claims that 0-60 kmph is clocked in 2.8 seconds while 0-100 kmph in 7.5 seconds. The top speed is pegged at 147 kmph. Most of these figures will remain the same on the production-spec version coming later this year. Apart from this, other hardware components include adjustable USD front forks, an adjustable monoshock at the rear, as well as 320 mm front and 230 mm rear disc brakes with dual-channel ABS. The wheelbase is around 1360 mm while the weight distribution is said to be around 50:50.
Narayan promises a global product with Ultraviolette F77. “Our goal was always to be a global brand,” he explains. “So the decisions we’ve gone through, the calls we’ve taken on hardware and software. Can our systems be compatible with charging in Europe and the US? It’s all done on the base platform that we’re building.”
Initially the focus will be on India as a market. The manufacturer is confident of introducing the model in a few weeks from now and the production facility is also there. “We are launching in a few months. The production facility is up and running. Production testing is underway. So it is a matter of weeks before things start,” says Narayan.
UltraViolet’s facility will have an installed capacity of 100,000 units, but production will be limited to 12,000–15,000 vehicles in the first year. The company plans to ramp up production in a staggering manner and iron out fights as they go along. The first 12-15 months will be India centric and Bengaluru will be the pilot city. UltraViolet plans to rapidly expand beyond Bengaluru and into the top 10 cities in India. To keep the sales experience under control, the dealership will first be owned by Ultraviolette. The company is also eyeing the global markets, but only after it becomes operational in India.
The F77 will come in three variants – Shadow, Laser and Airstrike. The design language is largely inspired by aviation and jet fighters, and a lot of the design themes are reflected on the bike’s outer shell. Narayan says that each of these versions will come with a certain customization, both cosmetic and software side.