Bajaj Auto recently unveiled its all-new Chetak electric scooter and will launch it in 2020. Now, Moneycontrol reports that the Indian arm of the Japanese two-wheeler brand has developed a prototype electric scooter and will start testing it in 2020.
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Satoshi Uchida, Managing Director, Suzuki Motorcycle India, told the website that the company is continuously studying the electric vehicle market. Below is what Uchida said about the new development:
We are developing an electric scooter for India and next year we will start test running it in India. We are continuously studying the electric vehicle (EV) market and we have developed a prototype. We gather as much information on the EV market as possible.
The company also plans to work with Maruti Suzuki to set up the charging infrastructure. Uchida added:
We can work and coordinate with Maruti Suzuki using the same technology and try to utilise their network as well. Maruti has a large network and that is a huge advantage. So many touchpoints and so many charging points.
Suzuki Motorcycle India is already clocking promising sales numbers in the internal combustion engine-powered scooters, and the company has replaced Hero MotoCorp as the third-highest scooter seller in our market. Suzuki Motorcycle India’s scooter portfolio comprises just two models – the Access 125 and Burgman Street. The company would like to replicate the same success in the electric two-wheeler space. However, the company does not expect to be successful immediately. Below is what Uchida said about that:
We do not think EVs will be successful immediately. We will have to monitor the situation and understand the bottleneck. So our understanding is that the first generation EVs will not succeed but by the third generation it should be a success.
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While the electric scooter is part of the relatively long term strategy, the company plans to expand its motorcycle portfolio with the launch of premium models in the near future. The two-wheeler brand will launch a new quarter-litre motorcycle (most definitely the Intruder 250) that will be followed by higher capacity vehicles. While the company has remained tight-lipped about any details, we may see the SV650 roadster join the brand’s India portfolio very soon. Suzuki Motorcycle India also plans to bring higher displacement scooters to our market.
[Source: Moneycontrol.com]
