With the rising fuel prices, it is evident that buyers in India are now looking at alternative fuel options. Demand for CNG and electric vehicles are at all-time high, and automakers – two-wheelers & four-wheelers – are preparing their respective electric vehicles for the Indian market. Auto manufacturers believe that electric will contribute around 30% of total Indian passenger vehicle sales by the end of this decade.
The advanced booking numbers for the newly launched Ola S1 and the Simple ONE electric scooters have indicated that Electric is the future. In this article, we talk about the upcoming electric scooters from popular two-wheeler brands including Honda, Hero MotoCorp, TVS, Suzuki and Ather.
Hero MotoCorp Electric Scooter
Hero MotoCorp is preparing an entry-level electric scooter for the Indian market. In fact, first image of the scooter has already been leaked on the Internet. The scooter was caught at the brand’s R&D facility in Jaipur. The picture reveals that the e-scooter will be bigger than the existing e-scooters in the market. It is expected to be launched in the end of 2021 or early 2021.
Hero MotoCorp has also joined hands with Taiwan-based EV maker, Gogoro. It is expected that Hero will take advantage of Gogoro’s expertise in battery swapping technology. In fact, Gogoro Viva nameplate has also been trademarked in India. It is expected that the Hero e-scooter could use the Gogoro Viva’s powertrain, which features a 3kW electric motor offering 115Nm of torque. It promises a range of 85km in a single charge, and with battery swapping tech, the range is expected to be increased significantly. The Hero scooter get a bigger battery with higher range.
Ather Entry-level EV
Ather Energy, the Bengaluru based EV startup is reportedly developing a new electric scooter for the Indian market. Likely to cost under Rs 1 lakh, the new EV will be the most affordable Ather in our market. With state and central governments subsidies, the e-scooter price could drop to Rs 80,000 to 90,000.
The new Ather e-scooter is currently is in advanced stage of development. The new scooter will be based on the Ather 450 platform. It is scheduled to be launched in the Q1 of FY2023, which means April to June 2022.
Suzuki Burgman Electric
Suzuki is currently testing the prototype of its first electric scooter in India. The new e-scooter is based on the popular Burgman maxi-scooter. In fact, the scooter has been spotted wearing a special White and Blue dual-tone colour scheme. The Blue colour highlights its electric nature. It is expected to get digital instrument console with Bluetooth and 4G LTE connectivity. That means, the user will be able to connect smartphone and access connected vehicle functions.
Suzuki is yet to reveal the powertrain details of the new Burgman electric. It is expected to be equipped with a 3-4 kWh battery pack, paired to a 4-6kW electric motor. It is expected to deliver a range of around 100km on a single charge. Expect a top speed of around 80kmph.
TVS Creon
TVS Motor Company will make an investment of Rs 1,000 crore in coming years. The new TVS electric two-wheelers will be manufactured under the brand’s separate vertical. TVS is reportedly working on an integrated vehicle platform with a significant backend manufacturing of battery and other component managed by in-house team. The company will introduce its second electric by the end of financial year 2022. It is likely to be the production version of the TVS Creon concept, which was first unveiled at the 2018 Auto Expo.
The concept was equipped with a 12kW electric motor powered by three lithium-ion batteries. It is claimed to achieve 0-60kmph in 5.1 seconds and offer a range of 80km. However, the production model is likely to receive a different battery pack and could offer over 100km range.
Honda Electric Scooter
Honda is also planning to enter the electric space in the Indian market. In fact, Honda’s Benly e – delivery scooter for Japan, has been spotted testing in India. It is expected that the company is primarily testing its swappable battery system, called the Honda Mobile Power Pack. It is expected that Honda could introduce an all-new electric scooter, which could be called the e-Activa.
It is also reported that Honda could also introduce the electric version of the PCX scooter. The PCX EV is equipped with a 4.2kW (5.6bhp) motor and offers a top speed of 60kmph. It also gets swappable battery packs and offers a range of 40km. The batteries can be charged in 6 hours when plugged to an EV charging stations.
