At present Mr. Vibhore Bharti Garg, Cofounder & COO, at SAR Group-EV division. Mr. Garg’s work experience comprises of 20+ years of work experience in MNCs (Nokia, Motorola & AT & T), in mobility telecom sector.

In telecom sector, he handled large greenfield projects of 100 million USD plus for Aircel/ MTNI/ indus towers etc. He was also responsible for rolling out approximately 50k 2g/3g/4g network in more than 6 states.

“Believe in teamwork & collaboration. Have a strong belief that we should share our learning with the nation to build a developed country”.

Mr. Garg’s impressive entrepreneurship journey, includes founding Emuron technologies & developing EV technologies around swapping station, battery IoT analytics & BMS systems. The success led them to be a part of bigger EV ecosystem, deciding to be acquired by SAR group (approx. 4500 crore turnover company).

Q: Tell me about yourself and your SAR Group-EV division journey. What sparked your interest in the EV industry?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

SAR has been in the power industry for the last 30 years. It was complementary to migrate to EVs as we are a strong player in lead-acid/inverters, etc. We sold the luminous brand to Schneider, and now our other strong brands like livguard, livfast, and livpure in the water business are present across India. Presently, we are making lithium batteries and 2W/3W rickshaws and are in the swapping business.

Q: What was the growth rate for SAR in the last year, and are any major targets planned for the year 2024?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

We are growing better than the industry standard but can’t reveal the exact nos.

Q: Given the current GDP growth and supportive EV policies, what is your outlook on the electric vehicle (EV) market in emerging markets like India in 2024?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

India is moving at a fast pace. We should meet the Niti Aayog forecast, and micro-mobility will first meet its target by 2030. 

Q: Do you think India can surpass China in the EV segments by 2030? 

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

We should be upbeat about the growth but not sure about surpassing China. I think once we have strong control over raw materials like lithium, etc., our technologies should be cost-effective in the global market. This cost-effectiveness can be passed on to the end consumer. 

Q: From a technological perspective, how is SAR Electric Mobility integrating advancement in EV technology? What should customers know to increase their awareness?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

We have a strong R&D division focused on the design of the 2W/3W vehicles, production, and swapping business. It is a fully integrated indigenous technology company in the micro-mobility sector. We have a complete software stack to provide seamless services in the VAAS and BAAS businesses.

Q: Connectivity is a major theme of 2024. How is SAR addressing the digital expectations to enrich modern EV consumers?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

Our products and services are all tech-enabled. We monitor our assets on the IOT platform and a super mobile app for the EV business, which provides an enriching user experience.

Q: Can you shed light on the IoT system labs at the SAR EV Tech Centre? How are they enriching the technical advantage?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

We have a complete tech stack related to the IOT. This includes hardware, firmware, and software, which includes the 2G/4G iOT cards. There are a lot of AI algorithms to enhance battery life and improve the user experience.

Q: Do you think policies need improvement to outshine the competition with China? What other factors could also support the growth of the EV market in India?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

Rationalization in the GST of swapping businesses and charging infrastructure. RTO norms to be changed, testing facilities to be acquired, and retrofitting of the old ICE engine to be regularized.

Q: What steps is SAR taking to align its products with the increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly mobility solutions?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

We are an integrated solution company. addressing the needs of the B2C and B2B (gig) consumer bases. Our swapping station, VAAS, BAAS, and leasing services are present in more than 30 cities.

Q: Can you share insights into the SAR Group and its key e-mobility technologies around EV batteries, and advanced BMS?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

Our products are fully indigenous, and we have our technologies around BMS/IOT/drive train/vehicle production/controller, etc.

Q: What are SAR’s expansion plans? How does SAR differentiate itself from its competitors?

Vibhore Bharti Garg :

Technology superiority, complete products, and services across the micro-mobility segment. Design, market reach, etc. EVs are evolving, and it is too early to forecast the competition. Presently, we are building the capabilities and capacities so we can compete with the biggies.

Thank you for your time.

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