Mobility for Bharat
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
"Entrepreneurship is in my blood. I've grown up with it, it's a way of life," says Sulajja Firodia Motwani, the force behind Kinetic Green, doesn't just run a company, she carries forward a legacy shaped over three generations. As the granddaughter of mobility pioneer H. K. Firodia and daughter of Kinetic Group's founder Arun Firodia, Sulajja grew up immersed in machines, mobility, and the mindset of building for Bharat. But with Kinetic Green, launched in 2015, she chose to chart her own path which is driven by purpose, powered by sustainability, and deeply rooted in India's evolving needs.
"Kinetic Green is a venture that's very close to my heart. It's not just about being passionately involved, it's my purpose," she explains. "I wanted to contribute to the future of India's transport the same way my grandfather and father did for the past generations."
The startup launched at a time when EVs were barely on the national radar. There were no subsidies, no demand, and no local supply chains. Still, the company began building from scratch by collaborating with scientific institutions like CSIR and investing in homegrown R&D. "We didn't take shortcuts like importing from China. We started from the drawing board, invested in core technologies, and built everything around the Indian customer," she notes.
Today, Kinetic Green has sold over 1.5 lakh EVs, has a team of 500 people, and has clocked INR 1,500 crore in cumulative revenue. Their current run rate is INR 300 crore, and they aim to scale up to INR 750 crore soon with a long-term vision of becoming a billion-dollar enterprise within five years.
If there's one principle that defines Kinetic Green, it's accessibility. Motwani calls it "democratising e-mobility" ensuring electric vehicles are not just for the elite, but also for rural India, delivery workers, farmers, and first-time entrepreneurs. "Our e-Luna is India's only EV truly suited for rural markets. It gives 100 to 250 km range, can be charged at home with a 3-pin plug, and offers battery swapping for commercial users," Motwani says.
Kinetic Green has even installed over 300 rural charging stations and offers home charging as standard, addressing one of the largest adoption hurdles.
Motwani's journey hasn't been without challenges. She recalls the early years when belief in EVs was minimal, and her team had to work closely with policymakers to help shape India's early EV policy. "There were more questions than answers. There were no incentives, no awareness, and no demand. But we believed in the technology and worked on every front, from regulation and financing to supply chain and product engineering."
She played a pivotal role in shaping the sector, chairing the EV committee at Techies, heading the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE), and participating in consultations with NITI Aayog and ministries to create demand and policy ecosystems for EVs.
One of her most satisfying achievements was deploying over 27,000 electric rickshaws in Uttar Pradesh, transforming the lives of cycle-rickshaw pullers who went from earning INR 200 to INR 1,000 per day.
Despite the progress, Motwani remains grounded about the road ahead. From financing constraints to misconceptions around battery safety and affordability, she continues to tackle industry barriers head-on. Her mantra for the team is if you can't hit a winning stroke, stay in the volley. "Entrepreneurship is not easy. You face a new problem every day. But I believe in thoughtful engineering not technology for the sake of speed or glamour, but innovation that truly solves customer needs."
With two major product announcements lined up, the company's next phase promises global flair. On July 17, Kinetic Green will launch a new line of golf and lifestyle carts in partnership with the Lamborghini family. Featuring Italian design and Indian engineering, the vehicles will be exported to the UAE, Europe, Asia, and eventually North America.
Closer to home, the company is also rolling out new high-performance electric scooters tailored for India's urban commuters and family users by FY27.
"We've raised USD 26 million from Greater Pacific Capital and Venture Catalyst to fund this next phase. Until now, we've built everything on promoter equity profitably. But now we're ready to scale."
Motwani is confident about the future. With government targets of 30% EV adoption by 2030, she believes two and three wheelers will account for 60–70% of this transformation and India will lead the world in these segments. "The green transport train has left the station. It's no longer about if or why EV. Now it's about how and when," Motwani concludes.
Factsheet:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
a minute ago
- Washington Post
Japanese PM stays on to tackle high inflation and US tariffs despite a key election loss
TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who faced a major defeat in a key election for the smaller of Japan's two-chamber parliament, said Monday he will stay on to tackle challenges such as rising prices and high U.S. tariffs. Ishiba's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito were short three seats to maintain a majority in the 248-seat upper house in Sunday's vote. The coalition is now a minority in both houses of the Diet, or parliament, though the LDP is still the leading party. Ishiba said he takes the result seriously but that his priority is to avoid creating a political vacuum and to tackle impending challenges, including the Aug. 1 deadline for a tariff deal with the U.S. The prime minister said he hopes to reach a mutually beneficial deal and meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
Bloomberg
a minute ago
- Bloomberg
Japan's Ishiba Tries to Buy Time After Historic Election Setback
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sought to buy time for his premiership following a second election setback in less than a year that leaves him in a weaker position to stave off opposition tax cut demands or secure a last-minute trade deal with the US. 'As we are the biggest party in parliament, I believe I must fulfill my responsibility to the nation and its people,' Ishiba said at a press conference held Monday after an election that left the ruling bloc three seats short of maintaining a majority in the upper house. Ishiba raised the US trade talks, inflation and an increasingly tense security environment as pressing issues that must not be left to stagnate due to political instability.
Associated Press
a minute ago
- Associated Press
Japanese PM stays on to tackle high inflation and US tariffs despite a key election loss
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who faced a major defeat in a key election for the smaller of Japan's two-chamber parliament, said Monday he will stay on to tackle challenges such as rising prices and high U.S. tariffs. Ishiba's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito were short three seats to maintain a majority in the 248-seat upper house in Sunday's vote. The coalition is now a minority in both houses of the Diet, or parliament, though the LDP is still the leading party. Ishiba said he takes the result seriously but that his priority is to avoid creating a political vacuum and to tackle impending challenges, including the Aug. 1 deadline for a tariff deal with the U.S. The prime minister said he hopes to reach a mutually beneficial deal and meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
