Okinawa Discontinues Lead Acid Batteries For Its Scooters

The company’s electric scooters will only use lithium-ion batteries going forward

• Okinawa plans to sell 15,000 more scooters by the end of 2020.
• Will introduce the OKI 100 electric motorcycle soon. 
• The company has sold 34,000 lead-acid battery scooters since 2015.

With the constant evolution of its product line, Okinawa has also made some changes at the surface level and has discontinued the use of lead-acid batteries in its electric scooters. The Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturer was founded back in 2015 and has used lead-acid batteries since then.

Okinawa offered scooters with lead-acid batteries as they were the most economical option until the cost of lithium-ion batteries came down to more reasonable levels more recently. But now that Li-ion batteries have become more affordable, the company has decided to discontinue the use of lead-acid batteries for their two-wheelers.

For just a few thousand rupees more, the lithium-ion batteries are not only significantly better in terms of charge density (how much charge they can hold for a given size), but their lower dimensions and weight also allows them to be removable. This has meant that e-scooter owners who don’t have a charging point in their parking spot can now carry the battery home for easy charging.

Okinawa entered the EV segment with its first electric scooter: Ridge back in 2017. This e-scooter offered a top speed of 45kmph and a maximum range of 72km per charge. Since then, the company has launched six more electric scooters: Praise, Ridge+, i-Praise+, R30, Praise Pro and Lite.

As of 2020, Okinawa only sells the i-Praise+, Praise Pro, Ridge+, Lite and R30. Since its inception, the company has sold about 74,500 units, of which 34,000 were lead-acid battery-powered scooters. Of course, going forward, Okinawa’s entire range will only be available in their Li-ion versions. Armed with improved battery tech, the company aims at reaching a total sales volume of 90,000 e-scooters till the end of 2020. 

The company’s future plans include an electric motorcycle, which in its concept form was called the OKI 100. It’s aimed at having a maximum range of 150-160km and a top speed of 100kmph. With EV mobility picking up the pace and electric infrastructure evolving rapidly, a range of 150km from an electric two-wheeler does sound attractive. Moreover, in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, etc. it makes sense to have an electric scooter. It not only helps you avoid the long petrol pump lines but their lower running costs also mean more savings in the long run.