BLive opens its first-ever store in the Steel City of Odisha

By OEM Update Editorial February 2, 2023 3:53 pm IST

The opening of its first-ever EV Multi-brand Store in Rourkela in Odisha is in line with Blive’s mission of, ‘EV in every home in India’.

BLive, India’s fastest-growing multi-brand electric vehicle platform, has forayed into the state of Odisha with its first multi-brand experience store in Rourkela. The store was inaugurated in the presence of MLA Shri Sarada Prasad Nayak and other dignitaries. The rising interest of consumers owing to growing worldwide awareness toward transitioning to electric mobility, coupled with rising fuel costs has driven the brand to open its 19th EV experience store in India in Rourkela, Odisha.

The BLive EV Store offers a wide range of electric vehicles from multiple EV brands, expert support, easy finance and exciting offers. Buyers can opt for EVs at EMIs as low as 2,000 per month for a range of electric scooters, cycles, motorcycles and delivery vehicles. With a network of over 20 franchisee-owned stores, BLive has assisted over 2,500 families and businesses to switch to electric. The store has on display electric vehicles from renowned brands such as Kinetic Green, Hero lector, LML – Detel, Batt:re, Gemopia, Techo Electra, E-Motorrad, and others. Customers can experience one of the most awaited high-speed EVs with stylish looks – the Batt:re Story at BLive’s multi-brand store. This smart and innovative e-bike is the first of its kind in the Batt:re range.

Samarth Kholkar, CEO & Co-Founder, BLive, said “We are excited to enter Odisha with our first-ever store in Rourkela. The store will provide the masses with the opportunity to ‘try and buy’ EVs for a confident transition to electric mobility. The store will also facilitate home demos and provide the customers with information on exciting offers and easy finance options. In addition to providing a range of environmental and economic benefits over conventional vehicles, electric vehicles are also powerful and reliable. Interested consumers can visit our store to learn more about the benefits of EVs, learn about the various types of EVs available, have the myths surrounding their use debunked, and also learn about available financing options. We are committed to helping consumers make the transition towards a cleaner, greener and economical mobility option.”

With global awareness around climate change concerns, aided by India’s commitment toward boosting electric mobility, the Odisha State government released its EV policy earlier this year aimed at supporting the adoption of Electric Vehicles in both personal mobility and public transport segments. The EV policy also aims to enable the creation of a robust network of Electric Vehicle charging stations & battery swapping stations catering to all types of Electric Vehicles with a focus on clean energy sources.

According to its EV policy announced in February this year, the Odisha government had said it will provide a 15 per cent subsidy on the purchase of electric vehicles. For two-wheelers, the subsidy will be 15 percent of the cost, up to a maximum of Rs 5,000. The cap on a 15 per cent subsidy for three- wheelers is Rs 10,000, and for four-wheelers, it is Rs 50,000. The scheme will be in place till December 31, 2025. In addition to the subsidy, the state government has announced the exemptionof registration fees and motor vehicle taxes on all categories of electric vehicles.

Commenting on the launch, the proprietor of the Blive store in Rourkela, Shri Akshay Praharaj said, “We are extremely happy to partner with BLive and do our bit in promoting the use of electric vehicles for mobility purposes to the people of Odisha. We request people from all walks of life to visit the store and explore our range of electric vehicles, and learn about why electric mobility is the need of the hour.”

While speaking at the occasion, Sandeep Mukherjee, Co-Founder, BLive said, “We are pleased to have the support of Shri Sarada Prasad Nayak and Shri Akshay Praharaj for this store launch in Rourkela. We are happy to note that the State EV policy of Odisha actively encourages and promotes the usage of electric vehicles as a mode of transportation. While EVs are quickly gaining traction among the masses, there is mild apprehension about their performance and reliability, among consumers. We aim to debunk these myths by providing the consumers with a holistic ‘touch and try’ experience and negate apprehensions about switching to electric if any.”