Sudhindra Reddy: Making the Switch to Electric Vehicles Possible

Spiffy here with the scoop on the entrepreneurial leaders of Planet Earth. As the only interplanetary journalist stationed on this blue planet, I’m thrilled to present this galactic exclusive with Sudhindra Reddy, the co-founder of Turno. Let’s learn what’s happening at Turno and how Sudhindra is making a positive impact in the world.

Spiffy: Hi Sudhindra, thanks a million for talking to me today. Tell me, what challenge is Turno addressing?

Sudhindra: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! Majority of fossil fuels’ utilization in India is for commercial vehicles. Electrifying these vehicles is an immediate need. Because 95% of all commercial vehicles on the road require financial assistance through loan products and more than 90% of vehicles are owned by individual and small operators, solving their electric vehicle adoption challenges becomes an imperative. From assisting customers to choose the right electric vehicle for their businesses to offering financial support, Turno acts as a comprehensive end-to-end electric vehicle solution, encouraging greater adoption and making the switch to electric convenient, faster, and affordable.

Spiffy: What motivated you to do it?

Sudhindra: Climate change is real and has inevitably pushed the world to the brink of no-return. Governments all over the world have realized the urgency of weaning off fossil fuels. This means a clear shift from power production to renewable sources has become a priority. For more green options of energy consumption to emerge, both public and private participation is required at a mass scale to make this change a reality. Over the last three decades, I have personally seen the adverse effects of climate change in my village farm and the city I live in. Contributing towards climate change efforts is as much a personal goal as it is a business choice.

Spiffy: That’s so important. How would you say that your organization is working towards a more equitable world?

Sudhindra: We are the most affordable, convenient, and smart solution for buying commercial electric vehicles. Keeping our customers' needs as the main focus, we offer complete assistance, financial services, and a buyback guarantee after three years. Our goal is to make owning electric vehicles affordable. Blending innovation and convenience, we are providing affordable electric vehicles buying solutions to small and medium-sized business owners.

Spiffy: Tell me about a recent organization milestone or initiative. What impact does it make?

Sudhindra: We have already captured a 25% market share in the retail cargo three-wheeler segment in India. We have expanded to eight states and have future plans to go pan India in mid-2023. Currently, we are present in Southern India along with parts of Western, Northern, and Central India. We are pioneering a chemistry-agnostic battery health management tech and are building business models on an expanding electric vehicle product line from small light commercial vehicles to large trucks over the next year.

Spiffy: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Sudhindra: The battery tech that we are building enables us to bridge the gap between used battery cells and landfills by extending their usable life in stationary storage applications for the second life of batteries. We are piloting a small-scale battery storage system built from the end-of-life cells from cars in India. Because of the ever-expanding portfolio of solar and wind power production in India and power demand patterns, battery energy storage systems are a very important part of a 100% renewable energy future for us. 

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Sudhindra—it’s been an honor!

Sudhi is a seasoned professional with diverse work experiences spanning government, private enterprise, and early-stage startups in mobility and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. As chief operating officer at Zoomcar, he played a pivotal role in helping Indian mobility consumers take a big leap towards car subscription. Now at Turno,  he is set on a path to create impact in the electric vehicles and renewable energy space in India. (Nominated by the Ladderworks team. First published on the Ladderworks website on November 3rd, 2022.)