Disclousre: I got a discount on the product discussed in this post. Read on, you can too.
Couple of weeks back, I bought a electric 2-wheeler YoBykes‘s YO Speed. It was an impulse purchase spanning 2-years. I bought it from the only YoBykes dealer in Chennai, Bue Smart Associates. They are at Chinna Malai( Little Mount), Sidapet on the small traffic-free road that connects the Chinna Malai Junction and the Velacheri Road.
Yo Speed Image from Vicky.in
There were two models available viz., YO Smart and YO Speed at the showroom. The Yo Smart is a 250Watt 25Kmph max speed suitable only for single person ride. Whereas Yo Speed is 750W, 45Kmph max speed with a max payload of 130Kg, suitable of 2 person rides. Choosing between them was easy: You cannot just explain at length, the electirc technology, wattage, and payload limitations when someone needing a urgent ride asks ‘Can you drop me at XYZ’. So my decision to go for the higher watt Yo Speed was straight forward.
There is not much rational to why I did not purchase 2 years back but ended up purchasing the electric bike this week. Here are some of the objections and rationalizations see-saw in the background of the purchase:
Objection: The unsealed lead acid-battery powering the electric bike is not sophisticated or hi-tech. The manufacturer need to put in more innovation/effort in making it light and pack more power.
Rationalization: The lead-acid battery is ubiquitous. I can find a service shop/dealer who knows the in-and-out of the battery very easily. In fact I can find 3 shops within 2-km of my house. Key components, skills being commodity is good thing! It takes a few generations of electric vehicle adopters to make sophisticated battery technologies ubiquitous. Let me do my bit to advance that evolution!
Objection: What if the dealer folds the business close the shop? What if the manufacturer stops production?
Rationalization: I’ve seen the dealer in operation for couple of years. I’ve even seen a few YOs at my neighborhood. If the dealer/manufacturer is in business for couple of years, they might as well be in business for couple of more year! The manufacturer is part of Electrotherm – a stable company with long cycle time business expereince.
Objection: Speed of 45Kmph max is too low.
Rationalization: I think I became older! I cant believe I’m accepting such speed limits.
Well, my usage is limited. And a just a few years back me riding a scooter rather than a Motorcyle was unthinkable. Times change, attitudes change.
Rationalization: I purchase laptop, electronic gadget of equal spend without much consideration, deliberation. Why not extend it for a bike too. After all it is also electirc? [ This was I think the prime reason for my impulse purchase this time around!, LOL ]
Objection: Electronic products pack more featurs by the year and slash prices dramatically. The YoByke product has not changed over the past couple of years.
Discount
When it came for price negotiation, I asked for a blogger discount. I was anyway planning to log the ownership experience for the benefit of the undecided. I was just checking if asking for blogger discount works!. It was promptly met with a ‘Ah, What?’ and a quizzical stare. Yet, the fine young lady(it was the same person – Ms Mebela over the 2-year period – Good to have a stable sales team!) at the showroom connected me up to the area manager, who in turn linked me up to the YoBykes/Electrotherm’s Marketing team.
After some back and forth, I explained(to Electrotherm Marketing team) the importance of social-engagement for products like Electric Bike especially when the incumbent product is deeply entrenched. The marketing team was open to the suggestion, but were very wary of the discount idea. I clarified that offering concrete financial reward is one way to signal seriousness and commitment( towards social media engagement). During the course of the discussion we settled for a small discount( 3% – the Electrotherm team insisted that auto industry margins are low – discounts are big no no!). What is interesting about the discount is it is applicable for all bloggers – social media sharing about your Yo Experience is not compulsory – but encouraged. After all, it is social engagement proposed by me – and I want the initiative to succeed!
Chennai buyers can get a Rs 3% off on their purchase by mentioning LABSJI Blog when they purchase a Yo at
Bue Smart Assoicates( Attn Mr A Robert),
#65 Velachery Road, Little Mount,
Saidapet,
Chennai 600015
Ph: 6450 5355
+91 9790734314
Please, share your electric vehicle ownership experience as comments.
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