Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikes1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe Topic of study was “A STUDY ON CONSUMER AWARENESS ANDPERCEPTION TOWARDS GENXT ELECTRIC BIKES”GENXT POWER (INDIA) LTD was incorporated on September 26, 2002,having its registered office in Mumbai and its manufacturing unit at Vasai.Genxt has assembled various innovative technologies to manufacture the firstE l e c t r i c   T w o -w h e e l e r   t o   s e r v e   t h e   p e r s o n a l   a n d   c o m m e r c i a l   n e e d   o f   t h e  prospective Indian consumer .The crowning glory of the company’s remarkable success is the fact that now ithas become a full fledged limited company i.e. GENXT Power India Ltd. It has  been   a lw ays  be l i eved   cus tome r   a s   an   impor t an t   s t ock  ho lde r   i n  bus i nes s . Therefore consumer awareness is of prime importance to the organization. Theobjective of the study was to know about the awareness of electric bikes amongthe people and what is the perception of the users about the bikes is and to explore how the sale of electric bike can be increased.The data collected for the project was based on primary and secondary data. Thesample size selected for the survey was 100. The primary data collected throughquestionnaire. The survey was conducted for 4 weeks and data was collectedfrom direct questionnaire and interview. The collected data was analyzed andinterpreted to obtain the conclusion by using graphical representation

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesSTATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:With increasing in air pollution in urban areas and scarcity of fuels Electric Bikes is in great demand but it is not used by most of the people because of lack of awareness. Thus the purpose of the study is to study the awareness level of cons umer s   t ow ards  E -B ikes   and   a l s o   t he  pe r ce p t ion  o f   t he  u se r s .  Thus  by creating awareness we can enhance the sales of Electric Bikes

The objectives of the study are;•To find out the awareness of consumer about the electric bikes.•To find out the reason why consumer prefers to electric bike.•To find out the factor influencing the sales of electric bike.•

To know the users perception about electric bikes.To suggest measures to increase sales of electric bikes.SAMPLING DESIGN:S a m p l i n g  u n i t :Users of two wheelers in north KarnatakaS a m p l i n g   s i z e :100S a m p l i n g   m e t h o d :Non probabilityS a m p l i n g   t e c h n i q u e :Convenience samplingMAJOR FINDINGS•It was found that most of the customers are not much satisfied with the  price of the product, and Price quoted by the companies has affected thecustomer satisfaction to a great deal.2Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

•It was found that most of the customers were satisfied with the mileage of the Electric bikes and are convinced about the electric bike benefits andwere willing to refer it to their friends.•It was found that most of the customers are not satisfied with after salesservice. It shows that customers are dissatisfied about after sale service.•It was found that maximum number of the customers feel the speed of the Electric bikes to be very low and were not satisfied with the currentspeed of the bikes.•It was found that most of the respondents feel that the factors such asspeed & power, battery life and appearance of Electric Bikes are the main reasons for its lower market share.MAJOR SUGGESTIONS:•T h e r e   a r e   o n l y   f e w   a d v e r t i s e m e n t s   i n   n e w s p a p e r s   a n d   T V s .  T h u s max i mum a dve r t i sem en t s nee d to be pu t up i n t he s e M ed i a s a s t hey reach wider audiences.•The price of the electric bikes need to be decreased it can be done by adopting sophisticated technologies and carrying out mass productions or some discounts on price or offers should be given in order to increasethe sales.•More number of service centres need to be opened at least in major areasto cater to the problems & needs of the customers when needed.•As most of the people prefer high speed the speed of the electric bikesneed to be improved so as to increase the sales of the E-Bikes

 

•P romot i ona l   a c t i v i t i e s   shou l d  be   i nc r e a s ed   to   c r ea t e   aw arenes s  and inc rea s e t he sa l e s . L ike i t s hou ld be d i s p l ayed i n au to s how s a nd to attract more youths demonstrations and special offers should be given tocollege students.

LIMITATIONS TO THE STUDY:Some of the limitations of the study may be summarised as followsAn underlying assumption for entire project is that the details and feedback received from population are true.I t   w a s   d i f f i c u l t   t o   f i n d   r e s p o n d e n t s   a s   t h e y   w e r e   b u s y   i n   t h e i r  schedules and collection of data was very difficult. Therefore studyhad to be carried out based on availability of respondents.Some of the respondents were not ready to fill the questionnaire andsome of them not ready to come out openly.A l s o   t h e   s a m p l e   s i z e   o f   1 0 0   m a y   n o t   t r u l y   r e p r e s e n t   w h o l e  population. Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikes2. INTRODUCTION TO THE CONCEPTMarketing:I t   i s   de f ine d  by   the  Am er i c an  marke t ing   a s soc i a t i on   a s   t he   ac t i v i t y ,   s e t   o f  i n s t i t u t i ons ,   and  p roces s e s   fo r   c r ea t i ng ,   comm un ica t ing ,   de l i ve r ing ,   andexchang i ng  o f f e r ings   t ha t   have  va lue   fo r   cus tome r s ,   c l i en t s ,   pa r tne r s ,   and society at large. The term developed from the original meaning which referredliterally to going to market, ass in shopping, or going to a market to sell goodsor services.Awareness:It is a term referring to the ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of  events, objects or patterns, which does not necessarily imply understanding. In  b i o l o g i c a l   p s y c h o l o g y ,   a w a r e n e s s   c o m p r i s e s   a   h u m a n ’ s   o r   a n  a n i m a l ’ s  perception and cognitive reaction to a condition or event. E-BIKE:An Electric Bike or Scooter is a battery operated vehicle that is very economicalwith low maintenance cost and zero pollution. Electric two wheelers use the electrical technology of rechargeable battery that converts the electrical energyinto mechanical energy. The battery of an EV can be charged easily using a  power connection. There are many possible types of electric motorized bicycleswith several technologies available, varying in cost and complexity; direct-driveand geared motor units are both used. An electric power-assist system may beadded to almost any pedal cycle using chain drive, belt drive, hub motors or  friction drive. The power levels of motors used are influenced by available legalcategories and are often limited to under 700 watts.Electric bicycles use rechargeable batteries, electric motors and some form of

c o n t r o l . T h i s c a n b e a s i m p l e a s a n o n - o f f s w i t c h b u t i s m o r e u s u a l l y a n e l e c t ron i c   pu l s e  wi d th  modu la t i on   con t ro l .  E l e c t r i c   b i cyc l e s   deve l oped  in Switzerland in the late 1980s for the Tour de Sol solar vehicle race came withsolar charging stations but these were later fixed on roofs and connected so as tofeed into the electric mains.[13] The bicycles were then charged from the mains,as is common today. Battery systems in use include lead-acid, NiCd, NiMH andLi-ion batteries.E l e c t r i c  mo to r i zed  b i cyc l e s   can  be  powe r -on -dema nd ,  whe re   t he  mo to r   i s ac t i va t ed  by   a   hand le ba r  moun te d   th ro t t l e ,  and /o r   a   pede l ec   ( f rom  peda l electric), also known as electric assist, where the electric motor is regulated by pedalling. These have a sensor to detect the pedalling speed, the pedalling force,or both. An electronic controller provides assistance as a function of the sensor inputs, the vehicle speed and the required force. Most controllers also providefor manual adjustment.Range is a key consideration with electric bikes, and is affected by factors suchas motor efficiency, battery capacity, efficiency of the driving electronics,aerodynamics, hills and weight of the bike and rider. The range of an electric bike is usually stated as somewhere between 7 km (uphill on electric power  only) to 70 km (minimum assistance) and is highly dependent on whether or notthe bike is tested on flat roads or hills.[14] Some manufacturers, such as theCanadian BionX or American E+ (manufactured by Electric Motion Systems),have the option of using regenerative braking, the motor acts as a generator toslow the bike down prior to the brake pads engaging.[15] This is useful for extending the range and the life of brake pads and wheel rims. There are alsoexperiments using fuel cells. e.g. the PHB. Some experiments have also beenundertaken with super capacitors to supplement or replace batteries for cars andsome SUVS.

 

The e ne rgy cos t s o f ope ra t i ng e l ec t r i c b i c yc l e s a r e sm a l l , bu t t he r e can be considerable battery replacement costs. Riding an electric bicycle to work or tothe store instead of taking a car has long term financial gains. Solar power is  possible when charging an electric bicycle.

WHY E-Bikes:Global warming is a major concern all around and to save Mother Earth, thereare several policies, promises and pledges. With the ever increasing emission of greenhouse gases, there is an increased fear of environment pollution at everys t e p .   W i t h   m o d e r n   t e c h n o l o g y   a n d   i n n o v a t i o n ,  t r a n s p o r t a t i o n   a n d communication have undergone a paradigm shift. Along with this, we are alsoexperiencing the negative effects of industrialization in the form of globalwarming. Under these circumstances, when there are traffic jams, when youn e e d t o r u n a n e r r a n d a t a n o d d h o u r o f t h e d a y , w h e n y o u n e e d t o g o t o workp l ace qu i ck ly , you s tum b le a nd fumble a s t he r e a r e so m any veh ic l e s emitting soot and CO2 polluting the air incessantly. With increased number of fossil-

fuel dependent vehicles, they not only add to greater level of pollution buta r e   a l s o   l e a d i n g   t o   d e p l e t i o n   o f   f u e l   r e s o u r c e .   I t   i s   h e r e   t h a t  a u t o m o b i l e companies felt the need to innovate motorized vehicle that will get chargedthrough electricity and will not be depending on fossil fuels.This led to expansion of eco-friendly initiatives and many automobilemanufacturing companies invested in research and development to bring forthelectric bikes that will help people save a few bucks by reducing consumptionof already spiraling fuel price, besides fighting global warming. Most electric  b i k e s   a r e   e m i s s i o n - f r e e   b i k e s   a n d   t h i s   i s   t h e   U S P  o f   t h e   c o m p a n y ’ s manufacturing them in these days of global warming. It will not add to urbanpollution. The only thing required is to keep this bike charged with a battery.Electric bike manufacturing is considered as a grass root movement away fromfossil fuels.Definitely, electric bikes are not the only answer to our environment problem, but it definitely will help us to treat environment better. These electric bikes willnot make pollution worse and that makes e bikes environmentally safe vehicle.It can be charged with the help of inverter and generator too. In onecharge, these electric bikes can go up to 50km and has no tail pipe emissions. Italso makes no noise while under operation. The best part of electric vehicles isthat they can be run with no registration and license.In the manufacture and production of electric bikes, the main constraint is the ba t t e ry i n t he bumpy roads . Ba t t e r i e s ge t de t e r io r a t ed a t a f a s t r a t e due t o excessive current fluctuation. Batteries need frequent replacement and that isthe greatest concern for the most Indian companies who manufacture theseelectric bikes. The replacement cost of the batteries hover around Rs. 5000, buto t h e r w i s e   t h e   m a i n t e n a n c e   c o s t   o f   e l e c t r i c   b i k e s   i s   a l m o s t  n e g l i g i b l e . There is a growing market potential of electric bikes in India; however, speedmight not be the attractive feature of these e-bikes, they will cater you to run theshort distances maybe home to office or home to college; but these are safer  vehicles with benefit of almost no pollution. So instead of kicking a 100 ccmoto rb i ke , j u s t p r e s s t he s t a r t bu t ton o f e l ec t r i c b ike and v room you r w ay friendly on the roads.It is evident that electric bikes can reduce the air pollution. But there are alsosome environmental problems caused due to these electric bikes. Disposal of worn out batteries can be a cause of major concern for environmentalists. If thiscan be addressed, electric bikes can definitely reduce environment pollution.

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesGENXT POWER INDIA LIMITEDFeatures of Electric Bikes and Scooters:Electric bikes or scooters, light in weight, trendy, efficient and eco-friendly, are becoming potent alternative to the conventional two-wheelers and the Electrict w o -w h e e l e r   i n d u s t r y   i n   I n d i a   i s   d e v e l o p i n g   a t  r a p i d   s p e e d . Have a look at the unavoidable advantages of Electric Bikes and Scooters :•Licence and registration is not required for E Bikes and Scooters.•Electric two wheelers run on re-chargeable battery and uses electricity asfuel in place of conventional Petrol/Diesel.•E Bikes and Scooters can beat the rising prices of Petrol/Diesel.•Simple design, light weight and economical Electric vehicles are very low in running and maintenance cost.•With the ease of handling, Electric two wheelers saves the commuting time in congested roads specially in urban areas.•Electric vehicles are more efficient in terms of generating usable energyf rom   the i r   e l e c t r i c   eng ine ' s   ba t t e ry   i n   compa r i s on   to   t he   r egu la r  f ue l conversion. In this way E Bikes and Scooters are innovative and efficientmode of personal transport.•Electric bikes or scooters use electricity therefore no emission of harmfulgases like Carbon dioxide (CO2) or Nitrogen dioxide (NO2).Major Components of an Electric Bike or Scooter:ELECTRIC HUB MOTOR to drive the rear wheel directly and there are twotypes of Electric Hub Motor i.e. DC Brush Motor and DC Brush less motor having two basic parts namely Permanent Magnet Stator and Wound Rotor.11Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesELECTRONIC MOTOR  CONTROLLER is the central controlling unit of any Electric two wheeler provides electric power to the motor based on inputsfrom the accelerator.ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR sends electronic signals to the ElectronicMotor Controller to manoeuvre the bike or scooter.BATTERY PACK 

is like the fuel tank of E Bike or Scooter. There aredifferent kinds of batteries like Lead Acid, Nickel Metal Hydrate (Ni-MH),Lithium, etc. that are used for supplying energy.BATTERY CHARGER is used to charge the battery pack of E Bikes or Scooters, just like a mobile phone or a laptop. Some battery chargers are in-builtand some are separate that carried always on the move. The charger converts anAC supply to DC to store power in the battery and it can be used with anynormal domestic AC plug point. This makes charging of battery pack easy andconvenient.

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikes3.INDUSTRY PROFILE:The face of auto industry that was redefined with the invention of fuel-efficientfour-stroke engine technology is all set to see dawn of a new era in two-wheeler industry. It's not petrol or diesel or any other fuel, but its electricity that haveinitiated a revolution in two-wheeler industry in India.Indian two-wheeler industry has embraced the new concept of Electric Bikesand Scooters that are very popular mode of personal transport in the developedc o u n t r i e s   l i k e   A m e r i c a ,   J a p a n   a n d   C h i n a .   W i t h   t h e   r i s i n g  c o s t   o f   f u e l   a t International and national level, increasing levels of pollution and congestion intransport system specially in Urban areas, higher running and maintenance costof vehicle, the electrically charged bikes or scooters have very bright future inarea of personal transportation. “It is estimated that India’s fossil fuel dependency on other countries currentlyfrom 70% to 82% in 2012. If we can have three lakh Electric Vehicles on the roads by 2020, including three-wheelers, cars, and scooters, this could result ina reduction of over 16 lakh metric tons of CO, NOx and HC by 2020, savings of over Rs 3,700 crore in foreign exchange and significant health costssavings”Economic conditions around the world have been very encouraging.Gl oba l   g rowt h   i s   i nc r e a s ing  yea r   by  yea r   .Whi l e   t he  Ch ines e  econom y   i s growing at around 10% without any signs of slow down, the Indian economy isa l s o c o n ti n u i n g t o g r o w a t m o r e t h a n 8 % . I n t h e c o m i n g y e a r s , a n d I n d i a n economy will be booming owing to the heavy demand on infrastructure. Energysector is growing by leaps and bounds as it is receiving the highest attention of both the State Governments and Central Government.India has moved from an agrarian economy to a manufacturing economy. Themanufacturing sector now contributes around one-fourth of the total GDP andthe industrial output has now crossed USD 65 Billion in value.Global steel production is continuing its growth. In spite of some control measures adopted by Chinese Government the crude steel registered an impressive growth and hasc r o s s e d 4 5 0 m i l l i o n t o n s . I n d i a i s a l s o w i t n e s s i n g a h u g e g r o w t h i n s t e e l production and it is expected that steel industry will continue to grow by morethan 12% per annum.Sustainable economic growth of India as well as rest of the world willdepend on effective energy planning. Nearly 40% of the world’s energy comesfrom petroleum. Natural gas contributes to another 20% and these two naturalresources account for 60% of the world’s energy. The growth in consumption of oil and natural gas in the past has been

such that the consumption has beend o u b l i n g e v e r y 1 5 y e a r s . T h i s t r e n d i s l i k e l y t o c o n ti n u e a n d w i l l l e a d t o complete depletion of natural resources in next 30 years. It is significant to notet h a t m o r e t h a n 2 0 % o f t h e w o r l d ’ s t o t a l p r i m a r y e n e r g y i s c o n s u m e d i n transportation. There are more than 410 million cars currently in the world andin another 20 years the automobile population will reach one billion mark. It isalso significant to note that after 1970 the new oil discoveries have been veryfew and any new discoveries will not make any significant contribution to the worlds energy pool

Transportation sector which consumes a large share of energy resource of thecountry also contributes significantly towards pollution. So the main mission isto   p rov ide  veh ic l e s  wh i ch   a r e   emi ss ion   f r ee ,  wh i ch  do  no t   u se  pe t ro l eum  products and which are inexpensive  to acquire and operate. Our launch of   battery operated Bikes has been highly successful and Genxt is now developingseveral new vehicles for the Indian market. Our launch in India has developedinterest for our vehicles for international market also and in the future we will be exporting these vehicles to other countries. Genxt will continue to provideleadership in this segment by delivering innovative, cost effective, practical andenvironmental friendly electric vehicles.Economic and environmental forces are frequently pitted against each other and many a times the financial cost of environmentally friendly technologiesand goods is so high that one has to strike a balance or look for Governmentsubsidies. Our Electric Vehicles are unique in this aspect as they are not onlyeconomical but also environment friendly.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY:Most People are not aware of how long electric bicycles have been around youmight think its something new since the recent fuel shortage and cost spikes weall hate, or even because of Global Warming and the whole go green awareness.But not true although it might be one reason for their recent surge in popularityalso the technology has improved 10 fold.In the 1890s, electric bicycles weredocumented within various U.S. patents. For example, on 31 December 1895Ogde n  Bo l ton   J r .  wa s  g r an t e d  U .S .  P a t en t   552 ,271   fo r   a   ba t t e ry -powe red  bicycle with “6-pole brush-and-commutator direct current (DC) hub motor mounted in the rear wheel.” There were no gears and the motor could draw upto 100 amperes (A) from a 10-V battery.15Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesTw o yea r s l a t e r , i n 1897 , H os ea W . L ibbey o f Bos ton i nven te d an e l e c t r i c  bicycle (U.S. Patent 596,272) that was propelled by a “double electric motor.”The motor was designed within the hub of the crankshaft axle. This model waslater re-invented and imitated in the late 1990s by Giant Lafree electric bicycles.By 1898 a rear wheel drive electric bicycle, which used a driving belt along theoutside edge of the wheel was patented by Mathew J. Steffens. Also, the 1899U.S. Patent 627,066 by John Schnepf depicted a rear wheel friction “roller-wheel” style drive electric bicycle.Schnepf's invention was later re-examinedand   expande d   in   1969  by  G .A .  Wood   J r .  w i th   h i s  U .S .  P a t en t  3 ,431 ,994 . Wood’s device used 4 fractional horsepower motors; each rated less

than ½horsepower and connected through a series of gears.To rque s ens o r s and pow er con t ro l s we re deve l oped in t he l a t e 1990s . F o r   example, Takada Yutky of Japan filed a patent in 1997 for such a device. In1992 Vector Services Limited offered and sold an electric bicycle dubbed Zike.The bicycle included Nickel-cadmium batteries that were built into a framemember and included an 850 g permanent-magnet motor. Despite the Zike, in1992 hardly any commercial electric bicycles were available. It wasn’t until 1998 when there were at least 49 different bikes. Production grew from 1993 to2004 by an estimated 35%. By Contrast, according to Gardner, in 1995 regular  bicycle production decreased from its peak 107 million units. Some of the lessexpens ive   e l e c t r i c   b i cyc l e s   u se d  bu lky   l ea d   ac i d  ba t t e r i e s ,  whe reas  new er  mode l s   gene ra l l y   u se d  Ni MH ,  Ni Cd   and /o r  L i - i on  ba t t e r i e s  wh i ch  o f f e r ed l i g h t e r ,   d e n s e r   c a p a c i t y   b a t t e r i e s .   T h e   e n d   b e n e f i t s   u s u a l l y  v a r i e d   f r o m manufacturer; however, in general there was an increase in range and speed. By2004 electric bicycles where manufactured by Currie Technologies, EV Global,Optibike, Giante Lite, Merida, ZAP.Electric bicycles are very common in many cities of eastern China, such as16Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesYangzhou; in some areas they may outnumber motorcycles or regular bicyclesBy 2001 the terms, E-Bikes, power bike, pedelec, assisted bicycle and power-assisted bicycle where commonly used to describe electric bicycles. E-bike,according to Google, is a term that has increased in trend. This term generallyr e f e r r e d   t o   a n   e l e c t r i c   b i c y c l e   w h i c h   u s e d   a   t h r o t t l e .   T h e  t e r m s   E l e c t r i c Motorbike or E-Motorbike have been used to describe more powerful modelswhich attain up to 80 km/h. PEDEGO Electric Bicycles are taking the nation bystorm, offering a stylish, and colourful electric bikes that use a throttle controlfor power.In   a   pa r a l l e l   hyb r id  mo to r i zed  b i cyc l e ,   suc h   a s   t he   a fo r em en t i oned  1897 inven t ion  by  Hos ea  W.  L ibbe y ,   human   and  mo to r   i npu t s   a r e  mec han ica l l y coupled either in the bottom bracket, the rear or the front wheel, whereas in a(mec han ica l )   s e r i e s   hyb r id   cyc l e ,   t he  human   and  mo to r   i npu t s   a r e  coup le d through differential gearing. In an (electronic) series hybrid cycle, human power i s conve r t ed i n to e l ec t r i c i t y and i s f e d d i r ec t l y i n t o t he m o to r and m os t ly additional electricity is supplied from a battery.Pedelec is a European term that generally referred to an electric bicycle thatincorporated a torque and/or a speed sensor and/or a power controller thatdelivered a proportionate level of assist and only ran when the rider pedalled.On the opposite side, a Noped is a term used by the Ministry of Transportationof Ontario for similar type vehicles which do not have pedals or in which the pedals have been removed from their motorized bicycle. Finally, Assist Bicycleis the technical term used to describe such a vehicle and Power-Assisted Bicycleis used in the Canadian Federal Legislation, but is carefully defined to onlyapply to electric motor assist, and specifically excludes internal combustionengines (though this is not the case in the United States).Today, China is the world's leading producer of electric bicycles. According to the data of the China Bicycle Association, a government-chartered

industryg r o u p , i n 2 0 0 4 C h i n a ' s m a n u f a c t u r e r s s o l d 7 . 5 m i l l i o n e l e c t r i c b i c y c l e s nationwide, which was almost twice the year 2003 sales; domestic sales reached10 million in 2005, and 16 to 18 million in 2006.[8] By 2007, electric bicycleswere thought to make up 10 to 20 percent of all two-wheeled vehicles on the s t r e e t s o f m a n y m a j o r c i ti e s . A t y p i c a l u n i t r e q u i r e s 8 h o u r s t o c h a r g e t h e battery, which provides the range of 25–30 miles (40–50 km),[8] at the speed of around 20 km/h.A large number of such vehicles is exported from China as well (3 million units,worth 40 billion yuan ($5.8 billion), in the year 2006 alone)We are looking at practical and true figures of current Indian markets. Currentyear 2009-10 will end up with Indian total e-bikes sales at 120K bikes. Everyyear market is expected to rise initially by 100% and then by 200%. A lots of bikes we will see on the road in coming 5 years, just like bicycles and petrolscooters. As people started accepting the technology and limitations of e-bikes,a d e fi n i t e p o s i ti v e t r e n d s h a s s t a r t e d n o w . D u e t o c o l l e c ti v e e f f o r t s b y manufacturers, Ads, PRs, dealership networks hard work, people accepting e- bikes in a middle segment between bicycle and petrol scooter. If you see bothends i.e. bicycles and petrol bikes are showing very attractive sales figures. Themiddle segment of e-bikes has turned now to enter in the high growth curve.E l e c t r i c B i k e s c o m p a n i e s a r e h i g h l y o p t i m i s ti c a b o u t t h e e - b i k e s f u t u r e . According to a survey India may surpass china in numbers of e-bikes sale by 6-8 years.Indian manufacturers of electric bikes, or e-bikes, are gearing up for what theycall a second wave of growth for these “plug and ply” bikes. They say they areon the verge of launching faster versions of their bikes and this would blunt theedge of traditional two-wheeler bikes in the country. Electric bikes operate on chargeable battery and do not require petrol to operate.All the e-bikes today dono t   r equ i r e   r eg i s t r a t i on  o r   l i c ens e .  Th i s  mea ns   t hey  have   to   fo l l ow  ce r t a in statutory norms that specify that the speed of such two-wheelers should not bemore than 25kmph.“Some of the e- bikes companies are now all set to launch a new e-bike—thatwou l d have a n eng ine o f 750 w a t t s , compare d wi th 250 w a t t eng ines t ha t existing e-bikes have. It would require registration and license to ride and theaverage speed would be 35-40 kmph. This would help explode the demand for e -b ikes   i n   Ind i a , ”   sa ys  Av i nas h  Bhanda r i ,   d i r ec to r   o f  Ahm edaba d -bas ed Electrotherm (India) Ltd one of the major Electric bikes manufacturers, He says“The real game would begin when we launch our high powered engine e-bike tocompete with TVS Scooty Pep+ and Honda Activa”. Citing the reason for thenew models, Bhandari said that potential buyers were apprehensive as they believed that a scooter has to look like a scooter and must carry more weight athigher speeds. “To a common user, performance and affordability is important.It does not matter what fuel is being used or no fuel is being used,” he added.Ganesh Mahalingam, managing director of Ultra Motors Co., another entity thatmanufactures e-bike in joint venture with Hero Electric of Hero Cycles group,says that they too are working on a faster electric vehicle that would have aspeed of about 50-70kmph. “It would take us six more months but remember that the electric bike market has come of age only in last six months as, unlikein the west where e-bike is a lifestyle product and for some an environmentf r i end l y   t e c hno logy ,   i n   Ind i a   i t   i s   an   econom ica l  mode  o f  t r ans po r t a t i on . Primarily it is an

aam admi(common man) vehicle as it is 10 times cheaper tooperate an electric two-wheeler that the traditional petrol bike,” Mahalingamsaid.19Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesHero Cycles Ltd, like Electrotherm, launched its range of Hero electric ultra-  powe red   e l e c t r i c   tw o-whe e le r s   i n   se ven  va r i a n t s   o f   e -b ike s   and   e -sc oo te r s  branded as Hero Electric and priced between Rs14,300 and Rs19,000. The e-sc oo te r s   a r e   i n   t he   r ange  o f  Rs22 ,000 -28 ,000 .  Wi t h  no  o rgan iz ed  body  to represent these manufacturers, industry players guess that there are between 75and 80 players manufacturing e-bikes in India.Still, key hurdles remain for the e-bike industry.One of the major issues is thatmany small players are flooding the markets with a product that doesn’t meetstatutory requirements. “They are not supposed to have a speed of over 25kmph, but many do as they use a motor of higher capacity. Some of them launch their veh i c l e and a l s o g ive w ar r an t y bu t do no t have adequa t e dea l e r o r s e rv i c e network. They also do not have spare parts. All this creates a very negativeimage in the minds of people and can badly affect the growth of this industry inthe medium and long run,” claims Bhandari.E l e c t r i c   b ike  manufa c tu r e s   a r e   hop ing   tha t   t he   c r ea t ion  o f   a   s t r ong  dea l e r   network and service support will help make a dent in the conventional two-wheeler market.20Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikes4. COMPANY PROFILE: The crowning glory of the company’s remarkable success is the fact that now ithas become a full fledged limited company i.e GENXT Power India Ltd. It has  been   a lw ays  be l i eved   cus tome r   a s   an   impor t an t   s t ock  ho lde r   i n  bus i nes s . Therefore consumer awareness is of prime importance to the organization. Theobjective of the study was to know about the awareness of electric bikes amongthe people and what is the perception of the users about the bikes and to explorehow the sale of electric bike can be increasedGENXT POWER (INDIA) LIMITED , was incorporated on September 26,2002, having its registered office in Mumbai and its manufacturing unit atVasai. Genxt has assembled various innovative technologies to manufacture thefirst Electric Two-wheeler to serve the personal and commercial need of the prospective Indian consumer.Ge nx t P owe r Ind i a L td , i s a M umba i ba s ed pub l i c l im i t e d compa ny in t he  business of manufacturing and marketing of electric vehicles. It has been in the business of manufacturing and selling Electric Bikes since 2002. Main aim of the company is to provide cost- effective, environmentally friendly, stress-free, personal transport for work and recreation.As one of the well-known and professional manufacturers and exporters of electric bikes field, we are dedicated to producing the highest quality

electric bicycles and tricycles as well as top normal bicycles not electric, the companyuses only quality parts putting all our bikes together! Company is committed t

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikes providing its customers with the best quality and after service which will lead toour client's flourish development. Meanwhile, the company always focus on thedetails and ready to make any slightest changes which are required to meet our client's satisfaction. Because it deeply realize that the ability to dominate themarket for electric bicycles will be won in the small details. All the production procedures strictly comply with ISO 9001-2000 standards.The company has its own IPS Technology (Integrated propulsion system). Thecompany draws great strengths from its technological developments and patentsin the related fields.Patents:Genxt holds patents for ‘Lead Plastic Composite grid for Rechargeable LeadAcid Accumulator (battery), ‘Inverter Circuit’, and ‘Rear Guard’ under ParisConvention.Battery TechnologyThe company possess Patents for Plastic grid Bi-Polar Batteries which aredesigned to get charged to 90% of its capacity in about 20 minutes. Charger TechnologyThe float cum boost technology has been used in our chargers so that when thecharger is connected to the battery the output first goes to the boost chargingmode and thus the battery will charge faster unlike that in a plain float charger.Mechanics and Mechanical designThe world patented product ‘Rear Guard’ prevents a vehicle from rolling back on slope. The concept of this patent is used in drive mechanism of our electricvehicles. A four stroke IC engine without piston and cylinders is also developedfor the hybrid model of our Ev’s.22Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesThe most important differentiator of our technology is high density power  batteries, fast charging mechanism and dependable and reliable electronicgadgets like charger and controller.Future PlansThe Company plans to introduce variants of electric vehicles in 2 and 3 wheeler segment and also wish to foray in Hybrid vehicles.VISION, MISSION & QUALITY POLICY:Vision“To create an economically viable, noise and pollution free environment withthe launch of battery powered Electric two wheeler and to be product leader  through the state of art manufacturing technologies & processes”The Quality Is the Essence of Business; the Credibility Is the Way to Succes

MissionD e v e l o p   a n d   p r o v i d e   m e t a l l u r g i c a l   e q u i p m e n t ,   p r o d u c t s   a n d  s e r v i c e   a t competitive prices, integrating best manufacturing practices and providinginnovative and eco friendly technologies and products for the benefit of the society.Core Values:• Business ethics• Customer Focus• Professional pride• Mutual Respect• Speed and innovation23Department of Management Studies, MSRIT 

Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikes• Excellence in manufacturing• Total qualityCorporate Objectives: Business Portfolio Growth:o To further consolidate Genxt position as a leading supplier of metallurgicalequipment in national and international market.o To grow its engineering capabilities by providing turnkey solutions to thecustomers and implement projects from concept to full commercialization.o To diversify across the electric vehicle business to become a leading player in battery operated vehicles in the country.o   T o   e s t a b l i s h   a   s t r o n g   p r o d u c t   a n d   s e r v i c e s   b r a n d   i n   t h e  d o m e s t i c   a n d international market. Customer Focus:o To develop a special relationship with customers to ensure not only customer delight but customer success.o To expand the relationship with existing customers by offering additionalservices in engineering, energy conservation strategies, environment protectiontechnologies and best operating practices.o To expand the customer base by providing them with newer products.o   T o   u s e   c u s t o m e r   f e e d b a c k   f o r   d e s i g n   i m p r o v e m e n t   a n d   n e w  p r o d u c t d e v e l o p m e n t

To  bu i ld   and   su s t a in   a   l e a rn ing  o rgan iz a t i on  o f   compe ten t  wor l d  c l a s s engineers and professionals.Financial Soundness:o To continuously strive to reduce cost of capital through prudent deploymentof funds.o To develop sound commercial policies which ensure reasonable returns andremuneration. Environment Protection:o To contribute to reduction in global warming and pollution by encouragingand developing environmental friendly technologies and products.o To become a lead player in developing electric and hybrid electric vehicleswhich not only lead to cleaner cities but also will reduce consumption of liquidfuel which is largely imported by the country. Research & Development:o  To   con t i nue   e f fo r t s   i n   deve l op ing   cos t   e f f ec t i ve ,   r e l i ab l e   and  e f f i c i en t technologies for Indian and overseas customers.o To pass on the benefit of Research & Development to the customers.o To carry out research in development of alternate fuels and technologies

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesEmmel Wheelers: Manufacturer and supplier of electric bike, electric powered bike, battery operated electric bike, rechargeable electric bicycles, eco friendlye l e c t r i c   b i c y c l e s   a n d   t w o  w h e e l e r   e l e c t r i c   b i c y c l e s .Euro II Services: Distributor of a range of electric bikes.Paradise Electro Auto: Manufacturer, supplier and exporter of electric bike.Man k oo  Man u fac tu r in g  Co:  Ma nufac t u r e r   and   expo r t e r   o f   e l e c t r i c   b ikes .Vijaya Value Electric Pvt. Ltd: Deals in manufacture of bike, electric bike,e l e c t ron i c   b ike ,   s e l f   s t a r t   e l e c t r i c   b ike ,   e co   f r i end l y  b ike   and   e l e c t r i c  tw o wheeler. Also supplies electric scooter, electronic scooter and self start twowheeler.C razy E - B ike :Leading exporters and manufacturers of electric bike, highspeed electric bike, stylish electric bike, electric motorized bike, electric power  bike, electric powered bike, electrical bike, electronic bike and battery operated bike.Hero Electric: One of the India’s top Manufacturers of electric bikes.S. L. S. S. Group:Wholesale exporter of electric bike.The company ownership pattern:ThePromoters Mr. Laxmi Narayan Singh, age 43 years, comes from Science faculty. He has25 years experience in the functional area of business development, marketingand sales. He is extremely proficient, having worked with multinationals likePepsi, in devising marketing strategies, dealer network, budgets, targets, etc30Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesMrs. Kamini Kanekar, age 28 years, comes from Commerce faculty and hasabout 10 years business experience. She is the main financial arm of the projecta n d   c o m e s   f r o m   a  b u s i n e s s   f a m i l y   f r o m   S u ra t .

AdvisoryPanel:Dr. Vishwas Panse, age 46 years, is a B. Com., L.L.B., M.A. (Economics),A.C.S., A.I.I.A. (U.S.A.) and Ph.D. (U.K.) in Business Management. He is ane x   -   I D B I   E x e c u t i v e   a n d   h a s   o v e r   2 0   y e a r s   e x p e r i e n c e   c o v e r i n g  d i v e r s e f u n c t i o n s   l i k e   C o r p o r a t e   L a w ,   F i n an c e   a n d   M a n a g e m e n t .Dr. M. S. Satyanarayana, age 55 years, is a B. E. (Mech.), M. Sc. (Engg.). Hehas expertise in Batteries and was associated with Aircraft Design Bureau,Hi ndus t an  Ae ronau t i c s  L td . ,  Banga l o re .  He  wa s   aw arded   the  P h .D .  fo r   h i s research work for his Thesis (Titled ‘Development of Light-weight Lead-acidBattery’) comprising mechanical, electrical and electro-chemical streams of eng ine e r ing   fo r   t he  deve l opmen t   o f  Ba t t e ry  Ope ra t e d  E le c t r i c  Ve h ic l e s .Mr. S h an kar Men on, age 55 ye a r s , i s a n IAS r e t i r ed , e x -Add i t i ona l Ch ie f  S e c r e t a r y   o f  G o v e r n m e n t   O f   M a h a r a sh t r a .Mr. Kamlesh Mehta, age 45 years, B.Com, FCA, Senior Chartered Accountantwi th  20  yea r s   expe r i ence   i n  Corpo ra t e  Aud i t ,  Taxa t ion   and   a l l i ed  ma t t e r s .Mr.  R .  S ub raman iam,   a g e   5 2   y e a r s ,   i s   a   B .   C o m . ,   M . B . A . ,   M e m b e r   o f   Consultancy Development Centre, Delhi. selected as a potential candidate of  31Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesWHO’s WHO Historical Society of Boston USA, Professor in SIES Institute of Management Studies. TROT Graduate for Indian Junior Chamber.5. McKinsey’s Seven ‘S’ ModelThe seven S framework first appeared in “the art of Japanese Management” byRicha rd  P asc a l   and An t ony  At hos   i n   1981   they  had  been   look ing   a t   howJapanese industry has been so successful, at around the same time that TomPeters and Robert Waterman were exploring what made a company excellent.The Seven S model was born at a meeting of the four authors in 1978. It wen Managers, they said, need to take account of all seven of the factors to be sureof successful implementation of a strategy – large or small .the ot5hers crasharound you. Fail to pay proper attention to one of them it can bring the otherscrashing around you. And the relative importance of each factor will vary over time and you cannot always tell how that’s changing. Like a lot of these models,there’s a good dose of common sense here, but the seven S framework is usefulway of checking that you have covered all the bases.The “Seven S”(7s) method of examining and understanding companies is awell-known tool available to managers, providing a succinct overview of theorganisation. Having a broader

view of a firm is important from a strategic,marketing, organizational behaviour and competitive perspective.

Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesthese seven elements are needed to be associated and equally reinforced. If youwa n t   t o   change   r e s t ruc t u r ing ,   new  p roces s e s ,   o rgan iz a t i ona l  merge r ,  new s y s t e m s ,   c h a n g e   o f   l e a d e r s h i p ,   t h e n   y o u   w i l l   h a v e   t o   u n de r s t a n d   h o w organizational elements are interrelated.If you want to analyze the current situation and plan future situation, then youcan u s e t he 7S mode l . W hen you u s e t he m ode l you can i den t i fy gaps and inconsistencies between future and current situation. The whole books andmethodologies are dedicated to analyzing organizational strategy, improving performance and managing change. This model is a good framework whichhelps you to ask right questions. If you want to use this model then you will require proper knowledge, skills and experience. You must have developed amind tools checklist and a medium to keep track of how the seven elements arealigned with each other The 7S diagram illustrates the multiplicity interconnectedness of elements thatdefine an organizations ability to change. The theory helped to change managersthinking about how companies could be improved. It says that it is not just amatter if devising a new strategy and letting them generate improvements.To be e f f ec t i ve , t he i r o rgan iz a t i on mus t have a h igh deg ree o f f i t , i n t e rna l alignments amongst all the seven Ss are inter-related and a change in one has arippled effect on all the others. It’s impossible to make progress on one withoutmaking progress on all. Thus, to improve their organization you have to payattention to all of the seven elements at the same time. There is no starting pointo r   imp l i ed  h i e r a r chy .  D i f f e r en t   f ac t o r s  may  d r ive   t he  bus i nes s   i n   any  one organization.DESCRIPTIONSTRATEGY35Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikesIt is a plan an organization formulates to gain a substantial advantage over thecompetition. Strategy is the art of devising and employing a system of activitiest h a t   m o b i l i z e s   a l l   r e s o u r c e s   t o w a r d s   a   v a l u a b l e   g o a l .  “ s t r a t e g y   i s   t h e determination of basic long term goals and objectives of an enterprise, and theadop t i on  o f   cou r s e  o f   ac t i on   and   the   a l l oca t ion  o f   r e s ou rces   ava i l ab l e  fo r   carrying out these goals.”In other words, the route that the organization has chosen for its future growth;a plan an organization formulates to gain a competitive advantage.STRUCTURE

S t r u c t u r e   d e s c r i b e s   t h e   h i e r a r c h y   o f   a u t h o r i t y   a n d   a c c o u n t a b i l i t y  i n   t h e organization. These relationships are frequently diagrammed in organizationalcharts. Most organizations use some mix of structures pyramidal, matrix or  networked ones to accomplish their goals, a structure is the formalizing of  relationships, roles and responsibilities in order to organize and perform work.In simple terms, structure is the patterns which various parts or components areinter-related or inter-connected.SYSTEMSystems refer to the processes used to manage the organization.System includes:•Management Information Systems.•Innovation Systems.•Performance Management Systems.•Financial Systems/Capital Allocation Systems.36Department of Management Studies, MSRIT

 Consumer Awareness and Perception towards E-bikes•Compensation System/ Reward System.•Customer Satisfaction monitoring activity.A System is defined process or set of processes that link and orders activities toenable work to be done and goals to be achieved. System in simpler words is theformal and informal procedures including compensation systems, managementin fo rma t ion   sy s t e ms   and   cap i t a l   a l l oca t ion   sy s t e ms   tha t   i nvo lve  eve ry  day activity.STYLEStyle of leadership or relationship refers to the manner in which an individualuses his or her talents, values, knowledge, judgement and attitudes to lead andrelate to others. Style expresses the person’s character .Style is the leadershipapproach; also the way in which the organization employees present themselvesto the outside world, to suppliers and customers.In simple words, a style is the pattern of behaviour, which a leader adopts in influencing the behaviour of his followers (Sub-ordinates) in the organizationcontext.STAFFS t a f f i n g   m a y   b e   d e f i n e d   a s   f i l l i n g   a n d   k e e p i n g   f i l l e d  p o s i t i o n s   i n   t h e organization structure. Staffing is done by identifying workforce requirements,inventory requirements etc. The task is fulfilled by recruiting, selecting, placing, promoting, apprising, planning the careers of compensating and training or  otherwise developing both candidates and current job holders so that tasks areaccomplished effectively and efficiently