Hero MotoCorp, World’s Top 2-Wheeler Maker, Launches First Electric Scooter
Hero MotoCorp Ltd. unveiled its first electric vehicle as the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters pivots toward clean energy.
The electric scooter, launched under the brand Vida, will cost 145,000 rupees ($1,761) and deliveries will begin from the second week of December, according to a statement Friday. A plant in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is producing the electric vehicle, which will have a range of 143 kilometers (89 miles) and 165 kilometers for its two variants.
Electrification in India is being driven by two-wheelers as the high price tag of battery-powered cars puts them out of most consumers' reach. Decarbonizing two-wheelers, which account for over 70% of total vehicles in India, will help the world's third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases tackle its toxic air.
By 2030, around 30% of all vehicles sold in India will be electric but they will mostly be two- and three-wheelers, while electric passenger cars will make up only about 5% of total EV sales, consultancy Arthur D. Little estimates.
To accelerate the shift to cleaner vehicles, Hero MotoCorp is teaming up with global companies. It has formed a joint venture with Taiwan-based Gogoro to build battery-swapping stations across India. In addition, it plans to build charging networks for the two-wheeler segment with fast chargers, Hero MotoCorp said in the statement.
The company last month said it is finalizing an agreement with California-based Zero Motorcycles to develop electric motorcycles.
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