In a rapidly growing electric vehicle (EV) market, Mansa Automation, a Nashik-based startup, is revolutionizing two-wheeler manufacturing with its affordable and high-quality EV scooters. The company’s founder, Himanshu Kedia, shares insights into their journey, from engineering dreams to industry leadership.
In April 2021, Mansa Automation was founded with a vision from a final-year engineering project. Himanshu Kedia and his brother, Sahil Kedia, initially developed a prototype for an electric scooter during their college days, igniting a passion for EV technology. However, financial challenges delayed their plans. “Once we were financially stable, we revisited our dream from college and started Mansa,” shares Himanshu Kadia.
The company began with a humble setup—Himanshu and Sahil personally assembled the first 100 scooters. “Getting employees in the initial days was tough,” recalls Himanshu, “but doing it ourselves gave us an intimate understanding of every component. It also empowered us to ensure that no one could mislead us about what could or couldn’t be done with the vehicles.”
Mansa faced significant hurdles, especially as a new brand competing with larger players. “In a startup, getting people to accept a new brand without millions of investments is challenging,” says Mr Kedia. To overcome this, the company adopted a unique sales and marketing strategy—offering high-quality scooters at minimum margins. “We were initially providing products with just 2-4% margins, focusing on quality and affordability, which helped us gain traction,” he adds.
The turning point came when Mansa positioned itself as a unique offering in the EV space by promoting their scooters’ cost-effective and eco-friendly benefits. Himanshu explains, “The running cost of our electric scooters is just 10% of a petrol vehicle. While a petrol vehicle might cost ₹100 per day, our EVs cost around ₹10. We emphasized both the financial savings and the environmental benefits.”
Rebuilding Mansa with Consistency & Passion
However, their journey has not been without setbacks. In March 2024, a devastating fire broke out in the plant, burning the entire facility and 1,200 to 1,400 scooters. “It was a complete loss. But what kept us going was our team. None of our workers went home for a week—they felt like they owned the company as much as we did,” says Himanshu. The loyalty of the workers inspired Himanshu to rebuild. “Even when we had nothing, 70% of our employees waited at home for us to restart the company, while the rest left other jobs to rejoin us once they heard of our plans to rebuild.”
Mansa has expanded its reach with 70 dealers across India through determination and innovation and a distributor network from Kerala to Jammu and Kashmir. The company has also established plants in Haryana and is developing a new facility in Hyderabad. Moreover, Mansa supplies 2,000 scooters on a rental basis in Mumbai, further cementing its place in the EV market.
Reflecting on their journey, Himanshu Kedia emphasizes the importance of perseverance. “The biggest lesson we learned is that success comes from consistency and passion. Building a company isn’t just about financial gains; it’s about earning people’s trust and loyalty.”
When asked what advice he would give aspiring entrepreneurs in the manufacturing and EV sectors, Himanshu Kedia simply says, “Just start. Everything will fall into place with time, hard work, and dedication.” Mansa’s journey from a college project to a leading EV scooter manufacturer reflects the power of dreams, perseverance, and a strong team. As the company grows and expands, it focuses on making electric mobility accessible and affordable.
