‘I Converted My KTM Into an EV That Tops 140 KM/Hr, Runs 130 KM on a Single Charge’

The electric two-wheeler market has seen immense growth in the past year as it has seen an increase in sales by 132 per cent compared to last year.

With so much buzz around the market segment, many individuals and businesses are working on ideas to convert conventional bikes operating on internal combustion engines into electric power vehicles.

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Asad Abdullah is one such individual who is under vocational training in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, whose passion has enabled him to convert his KTM bike into an EV.

His efforts show impressive results as his bike tops 130 km on a single charge and gain a top speed of 140 km per hour.

He claims he always felt intrigued and inclined towards electronics. “I dismantled and pulled apart electric toys during my childhood days, and I started learning about electronic instruments as I grew older,” he says.

In recent years, his interest grew in EVs as the market in the segment boomed. “I tried to understand how these vehicles worked and realised that their functioning and mechanism is not extremely complicated,” he adds.

A couple of years ago, Asad experimented with a bicycle by mounting an electric motor on the same. “It was a hybrid vehicle as one could pedal and use electric assist to ride,” he says.

Feeling confident about his achievement, Asad decided to use his 200 cc KTM bike as an EV. “I was spending a lot of money on fuel which cost me Rs 6,000 a month. The skyrocketing fuel hikes only burned a hole in my pocket,” he says, adding, “I learned about installing motors from YouTube and the modifications made by others.”

Asad knew that his success could save thousands of rupees he spent on fuel.

Taking cues from multiple videos and streaming countless hours of screen time, Asad dismounted the vehicle engine. “I replaced it with a 4,000-watt motor that gives peak power of 25 kW for 30 seconds when pushed to its limits. I installed a motor controller from QS motors, a company in China which also supplies to leading EV companies in India,” he claims.

He assures that the brand is safe and reliable compared with other companies offering EV packages.

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“My unique tweak to the installation is that I have not changed even a bit of the original configuration of the bike. There are no cuttings, additional weldings or any tampering. I prepared a battery box, which fits precisely into the original vehicle chassis,” Asad says.

He has installed a hub motor, which is attached to the wheel. “It adds weight to the vehicle but is convenient to maintain,” he adds.

Moreover, he has made arrangements to fix the vehicle charger on the petrol tank. This way, it does not become additional baggage or an item to carry. “The battery pack works as plug-and-charge, which takes a little over four hours for a full charge,” he explains.

Asad says a fast charger can also be used for the same but warns that it may affect battery life.

“The overall configuration delivers a speed of 125 km per hour and can increase to 140 km by configuring controller settings. The performance is impressive as the vehicle with IC engine delivers a top speed of 160 km per hour,” he says.

What’s more? Asad does not spend a single penny for his rides anymore. “I use a solar panel to charge my bike and do not rely on the power grid. It saves money and makes the ride environment-friendly in every sense,” he says.

He plans to set up his company and seeks partners for funding. “I hope I can build high-performance vehicles of my own and contribute to the EV market,” he signs off.

Edited by Yoshita Rao