Why ‘Motion Reimagined’ for Chara?

Finally, after landing on this beautiful tagline post-dealing with several iterations and feedback such as, “make it more catchy, more powerful, more relatable to the brand, more Intel Inside-like” from our Co-Founders, Bhaktha Keshavachar and Mahalingam Koushik B, I had one thing on my mind: define clearly what it means.

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This has another backstory too - a few colleagues had doubts about how it fit the brand. One outright denied its alignment with what we do and said we'd have to change it. Now, imagine my ordeal - having to change a tagline, post a COMPLETE BRANDING OVERHAUL.

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So, instead of sending that one colleague an explanatory email of how this tagline is perfect for Chara, I decided to write an article (hoping anyone else out there who has/had the same view on our tagline gets an answer and doesn’t come at me in the future). I digress.

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Let’s start things off with our brand name - Chara. Chara in Sanskrit means "Motion." Viola! That’s it. I’ve proven my point already.

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Kidding! If it was that easy, I wouldn’t be writing this article now, would I?

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Coming back to ‘motion’ - in a grand perspective, the first ever explanation of motion is the first few steps taken by mankind.

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Now that we have established that, let me quickly introduce you to two main elements that I will be using extensively in the article: ‘Change’ and ‘Reimagination.’ Change is a seismic shift of an era, and Reimagination is a granular shift within a particular era. A Change occurs once in a decade or more in some cases, while Reimagination occurs at far more frequent intervals. While Change ensures that a holistic shift in approach takes place, Reimagination ensures that a particular approach becomes one (or more) of the following: X% more powerful, Y% more efficient, Z% more cost-effective, A% more sustainable, or all of the above.

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Let’s take a look at how Change and Reimagination have played out historically, especially in the context of motion

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Walking to Running: Reimagination

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Once walking was discovered, a simple Reimagination was Running. This incremental improvement in how we moved increased speed and efficiency - humans didn’t have to invent anything new, just adapted how they used their bodies.

Using Animals for Riding: Change

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After Running came a more profound Change - humans discovered they could use animals for travel by Riding on them directly. Horses, Camels, and other animals became essential for long-distance travel, allowing humans to move faster and carry more, without relying solely on their own strength.

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The Wheel: Change

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Another monumental Change came with the invention of the Wheel (around 3500 BCE). This innovation revolutionised human movement by making it easier to transport goods and people. Early carts were initially pulled by humans or simple mechanisms.

Using Animals to Pull Carts: Reimagination

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Once the wheel was established, a Reimagination occurred when humans began using animals not just for riding but to pull wheeled Carts. By harnessing the strength of horses and oxen, humans could travel faster and carry heavier loads than ever before, marking a significant step forward in transportation efficiency.

The Engine: Change

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The next seismic Change came with the invention of the Internal Combustion Engine in the 19th century. This led to the development of motor vehicles, trains, and aeroplanes, revolutionising global transportation.

From Small Engines to Big Engines to Small Turbo Engines: Reimagination

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After the invention of the engine, incremental Reimagination occurred - engine designs became more powerful, efficient, and cost-effective. We went from small engines to bigger ones, only to later return to smaller engines equipped with innovations like turbos and superchargers. Downsizing engines while boosting performance with Turbochargers became a priority as industries sought better fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

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Sure there are exceptions - The mighty Bugatti W16 engine with 4 turbos, used both in the Veyron and the Chiron (excluding all the exclusive models that they have developed along the years - since they're pretty much the same car). But, funnily enough, with Mate Rimac in the driver’s seat of Bugatti now, it has been Reimagined in the all-new Bugatti Tourbillon to a V16 paired with a front e-Axle with two electric motors and one electric motor mounted at the rear axle.

The EV Transition: Change

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Now, we’re witnessing a new era, a Change - the shift to Electric Vehicles (EVs). The transition from Internal Combustion Engines to Electric Powertrains marks a profound change in the transportation industry, akin to the earlier shifts from animal-drawn carts to motorised vehicles.

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Battery Tech and Motor Tech: Reimagination

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Within the EV space, Reimagination is occurring rapidly. Battery technology, for example, is witnessing Reimagination in terms of swappable designs, and innovative cooling designs. Motors, too, have seen reimagined designs, such as the development of in-wheel motors, where the motor is mounted directly inside the wheel for a newly designed architecture. Battery cells have also seen reimaginations through different cell chemistries and energy storage approaches. Similarly, charging infrastructure is evolving, with faster charging stations and even new charging methods like wireless systems.

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When it comes to different types of motors, the prime movers, there are several of them in use today. Currently, Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM), a Reimagined Motor System itself, is leading in Efficiency and Performance. Other Reimagined motor types, such as the Induction motors and Brushless DC Motors (BLDC), are also widely used. Each of these motors has unique characteristics that make them suitable for different applications, and continued Reimagination of these motors is likely to bring more options into the fold.

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That’s precisely where I’ll plug in Chara Technologies. The Reimagination that we are currently ‘developing’/’implementing’ are the Rare-Earth-Free Motor Systems - based on the principle of Reluctance - to make sure the era of EVs is more Cost-effective, and more Sustainable, while staying in par with the current best-in-class motor systems, PMSM, in terms of Performance and Efficiency. That’s it. That’s precisely how Motion is being Reimagined.

I was hoping for a more powerful mic drop ending, but this works too, right? What do you think? Was it the right call to have Motion Reimagined as our tagline? Or do you agree with my colleague and think that we should change it? Let me know!

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