Omega Seiki Mobility’s electric four-wheeler light commercial vehicle (LCV) is in its last stage of production. The EV manufacturer showcased the first prototype in the last quarter of 2021 and now the company will be doing pilot runs of the vehicle in Bangalore from next week. The M1Ka will be available from one tonne to 6.5 tonne and deliveries can be expected by mid-June and August.

The vehicle has come a long way from the prototype, the M1KA 3.0 weighs about five tonnes and has a payload of three tonnes. It is 6040 mm long, 2160 mm wide, and 2270 mm tall with a wheelbase of 3360 mm. The truck runs on 17-inch wheels and houses LED headlamps. The M1KA 3.0 houses a 170 bhp liquid-cooled motor that produces 415 Nm of torque and it is powered by a 96.77 kWh battery. The company claims a range of  180 km on a single charge and the top speed of the truck stands at 90 kmph. It has a maximum gradability of 30 per cent. The vehicle takes about two hours for a full charge by a DC charger and six to eight hours by an AC charger.

Inside the cabin, the instrument cluster is a part digital and part analogue one that relays information like distance to empty, engine temperature, speed, and power being used to name a few. There is also a 7-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, radio, and navigation that is relatively quick when it comes to response with minor delay. There are dummy switches and spaces yet to be utilised to full capacity, these can be expected to be filled out with charging ports before the product is ready for the launch. There are storage spaces and cup holders in the centre console as well on the doors. The seating for the passenger and the driver is quite comfortable, especially with the side bolstering that hugs you comfortably, it is a snug fit with ample under-thigh support. The multi-functional is steering wheel is rake and reach adjustable, adding to the comfort of the driver along with the handsfree function on offer.

Though our time with the vehicle was short, the M1KA 3.0 takes little time to make itself acquainted with the driver. The gear lever evidently shows how easy it is to drive the M1KA. It has a Drive, Neutral and Reverse function, and you are good to go. Once in the driver seat, you are welcomed by the large commanding view and it is a cinch to familiarise yourself with the system of the M1KA. Tap on the accelerator and the vehicle starts moving forward and that’s all you will need to know for all the electric driving. The acceleration has a little lag but it is negligible. The power steering makes manoeuvring the five-tonne truck an easy task and it does all of that with zero-emission and zero decibels. The first impression is coming from driving the vehicle in a controlled environment and with no load. A proper judgment can only be made when the truck is on the road, in a real-world scenario with some weight in the loading bay, the performance ought to change a little when factoring in these conditions. Otherwise, the M1KA leaves little room for complaints and manages to impress just fine.

The company is working on multiple projects based on the same platform, Uday Narang, Founder and Chairman said, “The M1KA is a very special product and this architecture will be used as a base for many of our upcoming projects.” The company has also decided to make the Vizag greenfield plant as an export hub of eLCVs. The first phase will cater to the growing demand from ASEAN region, gulf countries and Africa and phase two has potential plans of exports to the US and Europe.

The plant in Vishakhapatnam is 106-acre and the company’s first CV manufacturing facility that will produce light, small and heavy-duty trucks. At present, the plant is capable of producing 10000 units a month and plans are in pipeline to increase the output to 20000 by next year. Uday opined that one to three tonnes is the sweet spot of demand when it comes to trucks, he also mentioned how the company is proactively involved in JVs with multiple companies such as Log9, Exicom, and Sun Mobility to understand the market scenario and changing market needs. The company at the moment has a combined order of 100000 units of 1 to 3.5 tonnes of eLCVs to cater to domestic along with Asian and African markets, mentioned Uday. The company is making headway in battery supply, battery swapping and creating a fast-charging infrastructure with these JVs.