Biliti Electric: The "Tuk Tuk" GMW Taskman goes Germany

The American company Biliti Electric was founded in 2021 and, according to its own statements, is a rapidly growing company that develops and manufactures compact electric vehicles. These are now exported to more than 15 countries, including the European Union. The founder, Rahul Gayam, was listed in the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 in 2018. The company recently received an investment commitment of 400 million US dollars from the investment fund GEM (Global Emerging Markets).

Biliti wants to build Tuk Tuks in Europe as well

Interesting: The company plans to set up a production facility in Europe with a capacity to assemble up to 500 vehicles per month, which are to be distributed throughout Europe. This corresponds to a total investment of around 20 million euros in the European market over the next three years.

Amazon, Ikea and others have already tested it

The GMW Taskman vehicle has been tested by online retail companies and food delivery providers such as Amazon, Walmart (Flipkart), IKEA, SokoWatch, BigBasket (Tata), Zomato and several others around the globe.

The highlight: the unique battery swapping system

The vehicle is an intelligent, efficient, and economical solution for delivering goods and packages for the all-important last mile. The GMW Taskman fleet has already achieved a total mileage of 20 million miles worldwide and delivered 12 million packages. It is the first three-wheeled electric vehicle equipped with a battery swapping system – the so-called Smart Swapp. With Smart Swapp, Taskman users replace used batteries in less than a minute with fully charged battery packs. Optional additional batteries provide more efficiency for longer operations. This saves charging and downtime and makes it unnecessary to buy a second vehicle. This is more economical and sustainable than operating a larger fleet.

Charging in 3.5 hours, 80 km range

According to Biliti, the batteries have a range of 80 kilometers per charge and can be fully charged in 3.5 hours at a standard 240-volt socket – or swapped in about a minute. Charging can be done either on the vehicle itself or by directly connecting the battery to the power grid. The Taskman also features intelligent management functions with control through its own mobile application and data synchronization in the cloud. The vehicle has a load capacity of 300 kg.

Special solution for waste management and disposal companies

There will also be a version for garbage collection: the DumpSTAR, which is intended as an ideal solution for municipalities and waste disposal companies, as it operates quietly and locally emission-free. It features a hydraulic unloading system and a separation system for the different types of waste.

The GMW Taskman is offered in Germany at a price of 9,990 euros net. The version adapted for garbage collection costs 11,990 euros net. The prices already include a replaceable lithium battery. Each additional battery (compatible with both versions of the vehicle) costs 2,400 euros net.

Direct collaboration with logistics and last-mile delivery companies desired

Rahul Gayam, CEO of Biliti Electric, explains:

“As we expand into Europe, we want to work directly with logistics and last-mile delivery companies because our vehicles are very efficient in urban areas. Berlin, with its innovative and strong start-up scene, is a prime example. In selecting partners, the focus will be on quality over quantity. The priority is to establish a trustworthy, long-term collaboration where real added value for customers is created. By the end of the first quarter of 2022, we plan to have a showroom where potential partners can be convinced of the GMW Taskman. In addition, service centers will take care of customers and their vehicles on site.”

The vehicle, which can travel at speeds of up to 40 km/h, can handle inclines of up to 20 percent and offers a carrying capacity of up to 300 kg. The enclosed box provides 2.7 cubic meters of volume. Fleet managers will definitely find the intelligent control and management via app and cloud synchronization particularly interesting.

What does this mean?

A bold move, because Bilit remains extremely close to the original Indian Tuk Tuk with the GMW Taskman. Anyone who has ridden one will remember: minimal comfort, rather rough workmanship, but easy to repair and cheap in price and maintenance. Therefore, a functioning service for maintenance and spare parts is all the more important – it will be the be-all and end-all in conquering the EU market.