Triton EV to launch two electric cars in India this year: Himanshu B Patel

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Triton EV is a New Jersey based automaker set to launch two electric cars in India in 2021. Model H – an electric luxury SUV and N4 – an electric sedan. The company had also unveiled its production ready Semi Truck with 300 KWh battery & Hydrogen Cell stack in 2020.

We sent out our questions to the CEO, Himanshu B Patel for an email interview.

Where do Triton’s electric vehicles fit in the Indian market? Who is your target buyer?

We believe that Triton will stand out among the rest of the EV market. We have unique innovation paired with the sleek and sport design of our vehicles. Our lineup is a showstopper with the skilled engineering to back it. What makes us stand out amongst the rest is that we started as a solar battery company back in 2012. Most of the EV companies are new to the electric battery technology and have not had the proper time to master it. We have this leg up amongst the rest of our competition since we had near a decade to test out and manufacture our batteries and solar equipment. 

Triton is suited for a wide target market. We will be producing luxury vehicles to military vehicles to mass transportation vehicles and economy small transport vehicles. Triton has something to give to any Indian citizen and we look forward to becoming one of the largest EV producers in the Indian market.   

When are you targeting to launch the car in India and in the US?

We are planning to launch in both the Indian and US market. The N4 will launch first in the Indian market since we are picking up greater speed in securing manufacturing plants in different states of India.

“In March 2021, the Triton Electric Vehicle team will be in India to unveil our Model H Luxury SUV. There, we will also open orders for the N4. We project that the Indian market will have the N4 available around the time of October 2021 and the Model H should be available in June 2021. ”

For the US market, we project the launch to be in the beginning of 2022. 

What is the current status of product development for Model H and N4?

Model H is a ready prototype, the N4 is still in development. The Model H will have the actual prototype unveiled in India next month. Currently the prototype is being made in Pune. That is a temporary location for our manufacturing. We are talking with the CM’s of Karnataka, UP, and Gujrat for setting up manufacturing plants in their states.

What are your plans for localization of production in India?

We plan to have every single part to be manufactured within India. We aim to keep the Indian production and the US production exclusively to both local markets. We started as a small business, and no matter how exponential we grow, we will always opt to support the smaller businesses. Manufacturing in India not only benefits our logistics, but it will help the small and medium size businesses local to our manufacturing plants. 

Our trip to India next month for the Model H unveiling is when we should secure our manufacturing locations. We are meeting with various Chief ministers to discuss the exploration of their states.  

Specifications of Range, Battery size, charging time, price

N4 specs: 1 hour charge time, 75Kw battery size, 523km range, starting at INR 35 lakh 

Inclusion of solar panels on the roof of N4 – what is the thought process behind this and how is it going to make the EV experience better?

The basic idea behind using Solar Panel on the roof is to use solar power in conditions where the car is not in motion and the power is only required for the working of the on-board systems and Air Conditioning units. This can further increase the mileage on the vehicle by another 40 Miles*.

The solar power can also be used to charge the battery further reducing the need to charge them using traditional sources of electricity, thereby reducing the carbon footprint the car produces. By our estimates, solar power can reduce 10%* of the load from the battery by rerouting the power from the battery to the solar panel using the Power Distribution Unit. This is the thought process behind our solar panel sunroof. We would like to capture, harness, and convert the suns natural energy to aid in powering our electric vehicles. 

Any tie-ups for setting up charging facilities?

Each of our dealerships will have five satellite charging stations in the local surrounding area. They will be at places such as strip malls and convenience stores to ensure that our customers have easy access to charge their vehicles without disrupting their daily schedules. If any of the readers are interested in our Dealership Licensing Program please reach out for more details at info@tritonev.co. 

How would you describe your experience of ease of doing business in India?

From my professional affiliation with the Prime Minister and a few Chief Ministers, the launch of Triton Electric Vehicle LLC has been backed by a strong support system. Recently, I have acquired the utmost support from the Consulate General of New York. The Consulate General serves as a dutiful aid in effective communication between India and the US governments and markets.

Last month we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bharat Electrics Limited (BEL) for the co-operation on energy storage systems & electric vehicles. BEL has helped us gain more knowledge into the Indian manufacturing operations. I must also give thanks to all the followers that we have on social media, Linkedin especially. They continue to share their thoughts and suggestions on our innovations, which we take into attentive consideration.