The twisting and turning roads of Goa, lined with trees and offering views that range from beaches and the sea to lush tree-covered hills, are great for cycling. Exploring Goa on a cycle will not only give you a better feel of the place, it is also much more environmentally friendly than, say, riding a scooter. Of course, the weather here is such that a few hours of cycling could leave you in a pool of sweat—not the ideal Goa holiday of your dreams! The solution—e-Bikes.

This was the thought that struck two friends, Samarth Kholkar and Sandeep Mukherjee, and they followed it through to launch B: Live in 2018 in Goa. 

Having worked in Europe, Sandeep was well acquainted with the electric vehicle ecosystem and was looking for a model that could be replicated in India. As a Goan, Samarth was concerned about the declining environmental health of the state that can be largely attributed to over-tourism and lack of an eco-friendly transport alternative. B: Live was the answer.

B: Live is India’s first Electric Vehicle Tourism Initiative, offering electric bike tours that showcase the best of art, culture and cuisine of a destination without adding any environmental stress. The electric bike tours provide an intimate local experience combined with the simple joy of cycling. These tours are driven by the locals and offer a glimpse of the quintessential culture of a destination while empowering the local communities. The effortless riding on e-Bikes enhances the experience and provides a clean transport alternative thus reducing the carbon footprint.

The young startup offers a handful of curated e-Bike tours in and around Panaji for now. The tours are led by locals, who have a deep understanding of the place and culture and are mostly from the communities that guests will be exploring. There are some nice touches to each of the tours, like musicians serenading the guests at a specific point in one tour, or a traditional breakfast at a 150-year-old house as part of the Divar Island tour.

The firm has plans to expand operations to Pondicherry and Gujarat soon.

Price: From Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per person for a two to three hour tour

Read More: https://blive.co.in/