Alexa Domash
(Vasu Ram Ayithi, Co-founder of Tau Lotus, Inc.)
Co-founder Vasu Ram Ayithi’s career trajectory started with the desire to solve problems. His company Tau Lotus, Inc., co-founded with Abraham Sarraf is doing just that, tackling issues facing urban transportation and the evolving alternative energy space. Their company, a brand of Wolfhound™ Motors, is focused on mobility, safety and sustainability. Together, they have designed a highly integrated, smart Alternative Energy Vehicle (AEVs) that is quickly becoming the best alternative solution for global transportation across the globe.
Ayithi’s prolific career has been centered around innovation and problem-solving for companies like Philips India, B/E Aerospace, Panasonic Avionics and across diverse industries including space. “During the pandemic, an ex-general manager from Safran approached me about a problem in their defense and space business unit. He asked if I was available to fix their engineering issues. I agreed to help for a maximum of two years, as I had already started another venture (Tau Lotus Inc.).”
Ayithi explains, “In those two years, I worked on space missions like Perseverance and the Artemis program, collaborating with NASA, ESA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Ariana. Despite my lack of space product knowledge, I applied my problem-solving skills to rebuild the engineering organization, focusing on methodical problem-solving and achieving success in critical projects.”
Prior to that role, he excelled at spearheading groundbreaking projects in commercial aviation. Despite his start with drafting and engineering, Ayithi quickly rose through the ranks, and within six months, he was promoted to engineering management where he successfully managed a number of complex projects, including a $128 million engineering program developing first-class suites for Qantas A380 aircraft, Emirates A380, Etihad, British Airways, Lufthansa etc.
Innovating for Tau Lotus, Inc.
After dedicating two years to the space endeavor, Ayithi wanted to put his focus on making Tau Lotus Inc. fly. He notes that many industries like the cellular/smartphone industry have vastly evolved. “Over the past decade, mobile phones have undergone significant transformations, from basic keypads to touch screens epitomized by the Motorola Razor and later, the iPhone. These innovations reshaped how we conduct business, socialize, and communicate.”
He adds that the opposite is true for the two-wheel market regardless of the fact that over 50% of the Earth’s population resides in China and India where two-wheel transportation dominates. “Even though it is a $269 billion industry and 2.6 million two-wheelers are sold monthly, the motorcycle industry lags behind.”
Teaming up with Abraham Sarraf
Teaming up with Abraham Sarraf, they began to solve for the industry’s lack of modernization. Both have worked to address several challenges in engineering, operations and sales to conquer 87% of global market share. Sarraf’s 35 years of leadership experience in the aircraft interiors industry, including roles in marketing, sales, financial management, program management, and engineering brough invaluable expertise to the endeavor.
Sarraf’s proven track record includes successes at Airworthy, Inc., Zodiac Aerospace, and Driessen Aerospace, where he drove profitable growth and executed impactful acquisitions. By combining their expertise, Ayithi and Sarraf are crafting a solution with Tau Lotus that solves multiple problems not addressed with current two-wheeled models.
AEVs without infrastructure creates another problem
Ayithi explains passionately that with sustainability concerns rising, “Many are eyeing greener mobility solutions in order to comply with policies by 2030, but many businesses are hastily adding lithium batteries to basic two-wheelers to capitalize on the sustainability trend, but they are overlooking safety and longevity concerns.”
Problems with lithium batteries include a limited five to eight year lifespan, and they can cause great environmental and societal harm if mishandled. Because inadequate maintenance and disposal knowledge among users is so frequent, this rush towards lithium-powered vehicles poses significant risks due to a lack of infrastructure and awareness.
Being the problem-solver, Ayithi embarked on a plan to revolutionize two-wheeler mobility while prioritizing safety, security and environmental sustainability. Tau Lotus diligently monitors battery performance and is actively developing infrastructure to repurpose them, averting the risk of landfill disposal. Furthermore, their distribution strategy encompasses battery replacement choices and leasing, fostering responsible management and extending battery life, thus fostering a more sustainable transportation paradigm.
Other features
Ayithi shares, “We have also integrated cell phones into the dashboard and connected them to AI-enabled helmets via Bluetooth for seamless and safe communication while riding. Also, Tau Lotus Inc. has enhanced safety by adding a 360-degree camera system that continuously records and uploads footage to the cloud. This system alerts riders of potential hazards and aids in post-incident data retrieval for insurance claims.” Additionally, their motorcycles feature keyless starts, vehicle tracking for security and improved turn and brake indicators for increased visibility.
“If you examine our approach to problem-solving, it revolves around engineering excellence, steadfast safety measures, and integrity. At our core, we aspire to catalyze positive change, contributing to ecological and humanitarian advancement while ensuring accountability and profitability for all the stakeholders.”
With Ayithi’s epic career in aerospace innovation combined with Sarraf’s vast experience in airline interiors, the partners are pushing the boundaries of transportation, technology, and sustainability to redefine two-wheeled mobility and ultimately provide millions with an affordable, safer and eco-friendlier (and extra cool) way to get from point A to point B.
Check out Tau Lotus’ innovative two-wheeled AEV.
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