Indian automotive industry is growing towards the future of mobility the electric vehicles (EVs). Almost every mode of roadways transportation(electric cars, buses and two-wheelers) is witnessing the work being done towards electric mobility in the form of huge investment for research and development, not only for the vehicles manufacturing but also for the required infrastructure. But as compared to electric cars and buses, the two-wheelers segment is experiencing much interest from the numerous automaker in India. Also, the central government and its think-tank, NITI Aayog are giving a push to this initiative of electrifying Indian mobility.
The prominent Indian manufacturers which are actively working on electric two-wheelers are followings
Hero MotoCorp:
India’s most selling two-wheeler manufacturer, that has set up world-class R&D facility near Jaipur, in collaboration with a Bengaluru based startup Ather Energy is looking forward to bring a revolution in electric mobility. The company has invested a huge amount of INR 205 crore to purchase a 26-30 percent shares in Ather Energy.
The CEO and co-founder, Tarun Mehta stated his outlook by saying,"smart connected electric vehicles are the future and India will be an important global player in it".Whereas, Hero MotoCorp, Chairman, MD and CEO, Pawan Munjal point of view towards EVs states,“Adoption of environment-friendly fuel is a priority for Hero, as is propagating sustainable manufacturing through green facilities.”
In order to build the electric two-wheelers, Hero MotoCorp adopted a two-pronged strategy by investing into Ather Energy stakes and an internal EVs development. Alongside, a dedicated brand for electric two-wheelers, Hero Electric is available in the market from the company.
The S340 was the first product from Ather Energy in early-2016. In addition to that, the company has filed 15 patents for its innovations like user profile-based sign in, onboard navigation and pre-configured drive modes such as sport and economy. These features will enhance your riding experience to a next level.
TVS Motor Company:
A hybrid and an electric scooter from country’s third largest manufacturer, TVS Motor Company is ready to launch soon. As per the recent announcement from TVS Chairman Venu Srinivasan, “Our electric vehicles will also come by February-March 2018," he further added,“Our electric vehicles will also come by February-March 2018," said "We will be using our own battery management system (BMS). But we will be buying individual cells from international suppliers but the battery itself, which includes connecting them and making the BMS, will be done internally.”
The company has owned a 14.78 percent shares in Ultraviolette Automotive, a Bangalore-based electric two-wheeler and energy infrastructure start-up in December last year. It clearly showcases TVS intent to grow in electric two-wheeler space. Mr Srinivasan stated his outlook on future plans and said,“You will have to commit investments in multiple technologies.”
Besides, an electric scooter concept from TVS has also been displayed at Auto Expo 2018. It is Creon that is powered by three lithium-ion batteries to propel a 12kW electric motor.
As claimed by the company, the Creon can easily complete 0-60kmph in just 5.1 seconds and travel distance of 80km. The battery charging takes 60 minutes for 80 percent charge through a rapid charging option.
With the Creon e-scooter, the company’s major concern was on connectivity. Hence the Creon comes fitted with a range of technologies developed in association with Intel. The scooter gets a TFT screen which displays speedometer, battery power, battery health status, tachometer, trip meter and odometer. Furthermore, the options like three riding modes, regenerative braking, park assist, Cloud connectivity, GPS, geofencing and safety/anti-theft features are also on offer on this app-enabled Creon. In addition to this, based on aluminium perimeter frame, the Creon gets a smartphone charger and an under-seat storage to kept a full-face helmet. However, there are fewer chances that all the mentioned features will be seen in the production model. If the underneath powertrain makes out into a production model it will really be interesting.
The next in the queue is the Bajaj Auto which has started developing electric vehicles. Also, the information that company will enter into the EV space with battery-powered three-wheelers and it has also know that the Pune based bike maker is working on the development electric two-wheelers.
Tork Motorcycles, another startup from Pune that has a plan of introducing electric vehicles in the domestic market soon. Powered by a 6KW lithium-ion, the T6X will be the first model to hit the Indian tarmac. From the equipped electric powertrain, the motorcycle manages to get the peak torque of 27Nm and travel up to 100km on a single charge. In the concept form, the motorcycle is suggested to attain the top speed of 100kph and battery have a life of 80,000-1,00,000km. With the provided charging facility, the bike’s battery can charge up to 80 percent in just one hour. But to get fully charged the battery took two hours.
Founded by Hemalatha Annamalai In 2016, Ampere Vehicles with the funding received from renowned personalities such as Infosys co-founder and former CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan and Tata Sons chairman emeritus Ratan Tata, has sold out more than 20,000 electric vehicles until now.
As known from the sources, the two-wheeler division of Mahindra & Mahindra\'s (M&M) is working on electrification of existing models along with some new concepts. Also, a tweet from Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group,“A peek at the electric variant under development.”
Post his visit at brand’s Pune-based two-wheeler R&D facility on September 15, 2017, indicates the company is working actively on producing electric vehicles.
For a reminisce, M&M is not a newcomer in the EV game. it already has a US-based venture called GenZe that develops and sale electric two-wheelers.
Hemalatha of Ampere Vehicles stated his outlook on the effect of electric vehicles land in the Indian market. He said,“Rural customers are no different than urban customers. In fact, rural customers are more flexible and willing to adopt newer means of commuting such as the electric two-wheelers."
Other novice manufacturers in the EV space are Gurgaon-based Twenty Two Motors and Okinawa Autotech. Twenty-Two Motors has started its operations with the recently launched electric scooter named Flow. While, Okinawa has two electric scooters – Ridge and Praise in the market at the price ranging Rs 43,000-60,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi) price range.
2018 is expected to be the year of judgement for the electric two-wheeler market, as a number of new models will hit the Indian ground this year. All will depend on the audience, how would they respond?. To know the further consequences, stay connected with us.