-2.1 C
New York City
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Home Around-the-World Global Biggest Bikemaker HERO Launches E-Scooter

Global Biggest Bikemaker HERO Launches E-Scooter

Hero MotoCorp, the world’s biggest motorcycle maker by sales, launched its first electric scooter worldwide on Friday as it looks to catch up with newer businesses that have taken the lead in the shift to cleaner transport.

Like some other legacy automakers in India, Hero has been a laggard in launching electric two-wheelers, giving startups such as Ather Energy, which is backed by Tiger Global, and Softbank Group-backed Ola Electric a first-mover advantage.

“While it may have been our wish to launch this product earlier than we have, we had to get it absolutely right for the greater good of everyone,” Chairman Pawan Munjal told reporters at the launch event in Jaipur.

India wants e-scooters and e-bikes to make up 80% of total two-wheeler sales by 2030, from about 2% today.

While sales are accelerating as people move away from gasoline scooters in the face of rising fuel prices, a recent spate of electric scooters catching fire have raised concerns over safety, jeopardising consumer confidence.

There are concerns this could derail growth of a sector that is key to the country’s carbon reduction goals.

Prices for Hero’s debut model, Vida Plus, will start at 145,000 rupees ($1,800) – higher than most electric scooters in India – and it will have a minimum range of 143 kilometres (89 miles) on a single charge, similar to Ather.

The company has made a string of investments in electric vehicle startups. In September, Hero said it would invest $60 million in California-based Zero Motorcycles to jointly develop electric motorcycles. In January, it announced an investment of more than $56 million in Ather and in 2021 it partnered with Taiwan’s Gogoro for its battery sharing infrastructure.

Hero will start taking bookings on Oct. 10 and deliveries will begin in December. (Reuters)

©Copyright MOTORING WORLD INTERNATIONAL. All rights reserved. Materials, photographs, illustrations and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior written permission from Motoring World International

Contact: info@motoringworldng.com

Most Popular

NAJA Releases 2023 Auto Award Nominees, as Suzuki, Honda, Changan Justle for Car of the year Crown

Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) has revealed nominees for its 2023 Nigeria Auto Awards. The grand award event is scheduled for December 14 at the...

4th Nigeria Auto Guide Now in Circulation

The 2024/25 edition of the Nigeria Auto Guide has been released and now in circulation, editors of the book have announced. It is the fourth...

Race for 2023 NAJA Auto Awards Kicks Off, Event Holds Dec 14

The Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) has slated its annual Auto Industry awards for Thursday, December 14 at the prestigious Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island,...

Coscharis Motors Unveils 2023 Ford Territory in Nigeria

ROTIMI ASHER Coscharis Motors Plc, one of the leading companies in the Nigerian automotive sector, has launched the all-new Ford territory into the nation’s market. Unveiled...