A unique name, a noble purpose, and a passionate idea: TILT is an eco-friendly electrical bike-share system that is helping Palava offset over 100 tonnes of its carbon footprint. Equipped with an exclusive app to choose the preferred bike model, specially designed for Palava, and multiple power-packed charging dock stations across neighbourhoods, these e-bikes have become every citizen’s first choice for any intra-city commute.
In our tete-a-tete with Deepak VS, the founder of TILT shares the story behind his brand’s unconventional name, memories from his early days at Palava, and why one should consider cycling over driving or riding!
TILT, a unique name for an eco-friendly electric bike, how did you zero in on it?
When one thinks of bicycles, one thinks of childhood! During our initial days, we realised that riders were reminiscing their childhood memories while riding our bicycles. They associated cycling with freedom, speeding down slopes with the wind in their hair, bending along curves and turns, and commandeering their very first vehicle! TILT is a synonym for slope or bend, and being an easy-to-pronounce monosyllable, it was our preferred choice.
How is TILT complementing the sustainability landscape that is evolving in the city?
When we initially launched at Palava it already had city shuttle buses, if I absolutely had to pick a downside, it would be the wait time as one had to wait for them to arrive as per their schedule. A cycle on the other hand, was always available; one could pick it up as needed and drop it off once the job was done and pay only for the hours they used it. We at TILT, hope to complement Palava’s sustainable mobility initiatives by encouraging residents to opt for a cycle over a car or activa to run daily errands to the grocery store, salon, and more.
Do you believe citizens today are truly eco-conscious? Can you share a few experiences you have had?
I believe citizens in general are more aware of the best practices to conserve the environment and practise sustainability. Hmmmm…. It is hard to narrow down on anecdotes!
Going down the memory lane, how did you decide to partner with Palava?
Palava used to host an accelerator programme called ‘Palava Accelerator’ and we were among the early participants. Palava is the largest growing private township in the country with state-of-the-art infrastructure, offering its residents the best-suited means for health, fitness, and mobility. And we knew our bikes would fulfil these needs and more. We partnered with Palava in February 2019, and it continues to be an exciting journey!
Tell us 3 reasons why one should choose to ride with TILT!
The first would be, TILT is the easiest way to build a cycling habit- one doesn’t need to buy a cycle; cycling as a habit is built in a group as it is a community activity often done with family, spouse, or friends. Now one need not buy multiple cycles per household; one can unlock a bike together and ride it solo and with a buddy. The second one would be to practise ‘eco-friendly mobility,’ one can ride across short distances within and around Palava instead of driving. This not only helps offset carbon but also keeps up one’s health quotient as 10 mins of daily cycling burns 80 -100 calories! And lastly one can take home vouchers and rewards by riding with TILT; we offer cash discounts and rewards, cashback in the TILT wallet, host weekly, monthly and seasonal challenges, and partner with tons of brands for exciting goodie bag offerings. So TILT helps one build a healthy habit, engage in sustainable travel and take home rewards!
Take us through TILT's journey of growth at Palava
We launched TILT in Palava in 2019 at the clubhouse at Casa Bella Gold, and thereafter expanded our footprint to Casa Rio, Casa Rio Gold, and then to Wetlands in Phase II; we grew as the city grew. Today we have over a dozen stations in Phase II and continue to scale. Today we have tens of thousands of riders ride our bikes, and over a few lac rides take place around Palava’s neighbourhoods. We began with deploying 15-20 bikes and today have over 100 bikes in the city.
How much Carbon Footprint has TILT saved, and how do you map it in real-time?
We have some math running in the background that calculates what the carbon offset has been as people use our bikes instead of conventional vehicles for mobility. Our estimate is that we offset over 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide every month, which is equivalent to over 700 trees today.