Mr. Tushar Chhabhaya, Director of Aarya Automobiles

Interview with Mr. Tushar Chhabhaya, Director of Aarya Automobiles

Touted as one of the visionaries in the Indian automobile industry, Tushar Chhabhaya is
leading innovation in electric vehicle mobility to meet urban needs at Aarya Automobile.

Tushar founded the company in 2019 with the passion to create a new segment for EV bikes for common people.

While the company started with a lot of hiccups, it recovered quickly from the Covid-led disruptions to innovate and create a revolution in the electric vehicle industry under his leadership.

He currently holds the directorial position at Aarya Automobile. Starting as a Mechanical Engineer at Nilkanth Engineers was probably a life-changing decision in Tushar’s journey in the automobile sector.

Working for only a few years at Nilkanth, he gained the right skills, knowledge and exposure to kickstart his dream project of developing electric vehicles at Aarya Automobile.

A firm believer in Make in India, Tushar has built a company that manufactures and assembles in house creating job opportunities for the locals.

An engineer at heart and a people’s manager by profession, Tushar has not stepped away from taking creative and technical calls at Aarya.

Eager to achieve excellence, Tushar is all set to introduce ‘Commander’ to the world after overcoming a major setback due to Covid.

A man of many talents, Tushar has graduated with a BE in Mechanical Engineering from Shri
Devi Institute of Engineering and Technology Tumkur, Karnataka.

Tell us a little about yourself

Tushar Chhabhaya: I’d like to start off by saying that I’ve been very ambitious since I graduated and that I’ve always been curious about how I might improve both society and the lives of individuals.

I’ve been inspired by my love of electric bikes to create a new market and stylish EV bikes for every age group.

In terms of my educational background, I began my career as a mechanical engineer at Nilkanth Engineers, which, in my opinion, was probably a decision that changed my life and enabled me to start working on my dream project—the creation of Aarya Automobiles, which will enable customers to receive quality products at reasonable prices.

The fact that Aarya Automobiles produces and assembles the e-bike components on-site makes me happy to share this with you.

Please tell us a little about your entrepreneurial journey

Tushar Chhabhaya: The entrepreneurial journey is not always easy for everyone, but your abilities, drive, and skills help you to achieve your targets.

The first launch of Aarya Automobiles presented difficulties in terms of choosing the appropriate manpower, the components to be utilised, legal aspects, batteries, and target demographic.

My journey has its ups and downs, but what matters is how you handle them and come up with a solution.

Things gradually began to be completed with less difficulty, yet we sometimes ran into problems and overcame it.

Kindly brief us about Aarya Automobiles, its specialization, and the products that it offers

Tushar Chhabhaya: Aarya Automobiles was established in 2019, and since then, we’ve progressed from building Electric Vehicle (EV) prototypes for the commander to having a fully functional production facility with cutting-edge equipment.

Our capacity for manufacturing 5000 bikes each month has increased enormously, and our company is now more structured than ever.

We are lucky to have a team of seasoned automotive industry veterans that worked with us to overcome several unsuccessful prototype attempts until we got it right, leading to an exceptionally developed product that is prepared for market.

Aarya Automobile is introducing the Commander, a new style of electric motorbike with intriguing features & a classic design.

Our goal is to provide the common man with a bike that meets his desires and needs while still being affordable. We are starting from Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.

What inspired you to start an EV bike manufacturing company, and what is your long-term vision for the company?

Tushar Chhabhaya: Aarya’s Made in India campaign aims to promote the “Made in India concept” in addition to the aforementioned facts by challenging the notion and prevailing belief that China = EV.

Electric bikes calm young people’s fears and give them the confidence to drive on the country’s roadways.

It is dedicated to giving Indians the opportunity to acquire a classic bike at an affordable price that has amazing features and a variety of colour options.

Our vision is to meet the demand and preferred combination of the country’s young by offering a vintage-looking EV bike.

What sets your company apart from other players in the EV bike market, and how do you plan to differentiate your products?.

Tushar Chhabhaya: The EV industry is entering a new age, and considering the number of launches in both the two-wheeler and electric four-wheeler categories, the Indian market for EVs is swiftly taking form.

As the 2-W EVs market in the nation has seen a substantial transformation, it is now imperative for the industry to concentrate on the greatest component of the two-wheeler market in India, which is dominated by 15 million motorbikes.

Offering to the motorcycle market across all sectors is the key to completely electrifying mobility on two wheels.

The demands and preferences of the general population are taken into consideration when producing Commander EV motorcycles.

While we ride, our one and only thought is that everyone who needs a bike must have one, and that Commander is for that group of people, it is for the average person.

Because 95% of the components for the commander bike are made in India. Moreover, we are proponents of the “made in India” idea. This, in our opinion, distinguishes us from the competitors.

How do you plan to address the infrastructure challenges facing EV bikes, such as charging stations and battery technology?

Tushar Chhabhaya: The EV Industry is a growing and fruitful industry but it has been facing few challenges like charging infrastructure, charging stations are not available vastly across the country.

We know that the demand is rising so the need for charging stations will subsequently also increase.  Another major challenge is the high cost of electric bikes which restrains people from buying EV bikes.

The operating cost of e-bikes is lower than that of petrol bikes and the buying cost of e-bikes is higher. Aarya Automobiles aims to facilitate pocket-friendly  electric bikes along with style and premium quality.

How are you approaching research and development for your EV bikes, and what steps are you taking to ensure that your products meet the needs and preferences of your target customers?

Tushar Chhabhaya: As far as research and development is concerned, we have an in-house team who look after each and every aspect related to technology, battery, and equipment to deliver well advanced e-bikes for Indian roads.

The team keeps themselves well equipped and updated with every single detail of the automobile industry, customers’ preference, Government policies etc.

The R&D department works until it delivers quality so we ensure to give customers supreme e-bikes and build trust among customers.

We design electric bikes while keeping customers’ needs and preferences in mind that serves the customers to the best.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a founder of an EV bike manufacturing startup, and how have you addressed them?

Tushar Chhabhaya: Lack of awareness among buyers was one of the biggest challenges that I encountered during the startup. Customers were not aware of the advantages of electric bikes.

Environmental benefits are also associated with EV bikes, in fact many people still do not know about the cost saving factors and other benefits of an e-bike.

According to a survey by YouGov, only 31 percent of Indians are aware of e-bikes. I would like to highlight that this lack of awareness makes it difficult for companies, start-ups to sell their products and reach the target audience. The Indian EV Industry is  flourishing and  becoming a leader in the global EV markets.

What was the inspiration behind turning an entrepreneur

Tushar Chhabhaya: Coming from a background of business and surat is hub of Electrical Vehicle so turning into an entrepreneur is in my veins and my passion also motivated me to become an entrepreneur of an EV bike business.

At  Nilkanth Engineers, I was doing good but I was not satisfied with good but was looking for par excellence that made me go beyond my boundaries.

Starting anything fresh is not easy but your confidence and dedication can make you a successful individual along with people’s belief in you.

How do you balance innovation with the need for reliability and safety in your EV bike designs, and what steps do you take to ensure that your products meet industry standards and regulations?

Tushar Chhabhaya: Aarya Automobiles do deep analysis and R&D  to bring advancement in e-bikes. We use the latest technologies to deliver innovation to the Indian customers.

The team keeps itself well equipped to cater to each aspect like parts of e-bikes, mileage, style, colours, comfort, classy look and most important is to ensure the safety and reliability of users.

The products undergo multiple checks and our batteries undergo quality parameters and move further. The quality check Department gives a final assessment for the product.

We work as per industry standards and regulations. Our product is made by following guidelines and rules suggested by the government.

It will develop faith among buyers as our e-bikes are manufactured with proper caution and under the supervision of the government.

We do not compromise on industry rules and regulations, our target is to follow each standard by the industry.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who are considering starting an EV bike manufacturing company?

Tushar Chhabhaya: Everybody and everyone can succeed if they simply follow this. You may succeed as an entrepreneur in the production of EV bikes or any other business, but only if you are persistent, diligent, and convinced every step of the way.

To draw in a sizable audience, you must be devoted to your clients, keep an eye on the quality of your offerings, remain abreast of technology advancements, prioritise safety, and strictly adhere to all government regulations.

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