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Autocar India - Bikes https://www.autocarindia.com Car and Bike news, reviews and videos. Copyright 2022 Haymarket Media Pty. Ltd. Sat, 23 Apr 2022 10:15:22 +1000 10 EV fires: Nitin Gadkari warns of tough penalty for negligent companies

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari has come down heavily on electric vehicle manufacturers in light of the recent spate of incidents where EVs have caught fire. The fires are caused due to the thermal runaway phenomenon and you can read in detail about it here.

Taking to Twitter, Gadkari said it is unfortunate that some people have lost their lives in EV fires, while several have been injured. There have been several such cases, from individual scooters to showrooms full of EVs that have fire.

The minister said that the government has hence set up a committee to look into these incidents and make recommendations on how it can be curtailed. Quality-centric guidelines will soon be issued soon, he added. “If any company is found negligent in their processes, a heavy penalty will be imposed and a recall of all defective vehicles will also be ordered,” he tweeted.

Gadkari also suggested that EV companies recall defective batches immediately and fix any issues. Recently, Okinawa, whose scooter was among those that caught fire, issued India’s first two-wheeler EV recall.

These steps from the government are critical in ensuring safety of EV buyers and that there’s no dent in their confidence in green two-wheelers.

]]> Rishabh Bhaskar Rishabh Bhaskar EV fires: Nitin Gadkari warns of tough penalty for negligent companies 246 140 246 140 1 Sat, 23 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +1000 424253 Rishabh Bhaskar Autocar India staff photograher Sat, 23 Apr 2022 08:53:01 +1000 A number of e-scooters with lithium ion batteries have caught fire in the recent past due to thermal runaway. A number of e-scooters with lithium ion batteries have caught fire in the recent past due to thermal runaway. Sat, 23 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +1000 ev fires: nitin gadkari warns of tough penalty for negligent companies https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/ev-fires-nitin-gadkari-warns-of-tough-penalty-for-negligent-companies-424253#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=Autocar+India+Bikes+feed 424253 TVS makes additional investment in Norton Motorcycles

The TVS Motor Company has announced that it will invest £100 million (over Rs 100 crore) in Norton Motorcycles, the British brand that it acquired in April 2020. The company said that the investment will be towards electrification, technology, manufacturing, sustainability and the future of mobility. This announcement was made on the sidelines of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India.

The investment is expected to create around 250-300 direct jobs over three years, and another 500-800 indirect jobs across the supply chain. Some of these investments have already been made, leading to the creation of a facility at Solar Park in Solihull, UK, and the imminent launch of re-engineered Norton bikes – the V4 SV and 961 Commando – by TVS.

The new facility also houses Norton’s manufacturing capability and the company’s new global design and R&D hub. The investments will also result in a range of products for the global market, says TVS.

The new facility is supported by the West Midlands Growth partnership and the UK Government. “Trade and investment between the UK and India is creating good jobs and sustaining livelihoods in both of our countries,” Johnson said. “I am very pleased that TVS Motor Company and other Indian companies are investing in the UK, boosting our future mobility sector and driving economic growth.”

TVS has also acquired a majority stake in UK-based e-bike brand EBCO, which is a British company that provides mobility solutions in the form of e-bikes. The company is the sole distributor of the Corratec e-bikes in the UK.

]]> Autocar India News Desk Autocar India News Desk TVS makes additional investment in Norton Motorcycles 246 140 246 140 1 Autocar India News Desk TVS makes additional investment in Norton Motorcycles 246 140 246 140 1 Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:33:00 +1000 424248 Autocar India News Desk Autocar India staff photograher Mon, 1 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +1000 TVS claims the £100 million (around Rs 100 crore) investment is expected to create around 250-300 direct jobs in the near future. TVS claims the £100 million (around Rs 100 crore) investment is expected to create around 250-300 direct jobs in the near future. Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:33:00 +1000 "tvs" "makes" "additional" "investment" "in" "norton" "motorcycles" https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/tvs-makes-additional-investment-in-norton-motorcycles-424248#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=Autocar+India+Bikes+feed 424248 Ola says no scooter malfunction in recent Guwahati accident The company says there was nothing wrong with its vehicle in the recent Guwahati accident.

The company says there was nothing wrong with its vehicle in the recent Guwahati accident.

A Twitter user named Balwant Singh recently claimed that his son had an accident in Guwahati aboard an Ola S1 Pro when the scooter’s regenerative braking system allegedly malfunctioned, accelerating the vehicle over a speedbreaker instead of decelerating it. As per Singh’s tweets, his son ended up with fractures in his left hand and 16 stitches in his right hand.

The graveness of the situation has prompted Ola Electric to issue a statement and release the telemetry from the scooter at the time of the accident. It claims that there was no malfunction or fault with the scooter.

The speed trace shown in the statement reports that in the 25 minutes preceding the accident, the scooter was taken up to speeds in excess of 100kph on at least five different occasions, and that it even reached a top speed of 115kph. The statement goes on to conclude that the rider was overspeeding.

As for the fall itself, Ola says that the scooter’s telemetry shows that all three braking actions (front brake, rear brake and regen) were initiated suddenly and at once, at around 80kph. The company, therefore, concludes that the rider braked in a panic, and lost control of the vehicle, leading to a fall. There was “no sudden torque or acceleration observed after braking”, and “there is nothing wrong with the vehicle”, Ola added.

With no way of verifying the truth behind Singh’s side of the story, or whether Ola’s telemetry is legitimate, getting to the bottom of this case, at least for the moment, seems difficult. It’s worth noting, though, that Ola scooters have a history of malfunctions relating to the motor, and this is something that we have faced as well. In our time with the scooter in Mumbai, we found it accelerating forwards in reverse mode and backwards in forward mode on one occasion. Read all about it here.

]]> Zaran Mody Zaran Mody Ola says no scooter malfunction in recent Guwahati accident The company says there was nothing wrong with its vehicle in the recent Guwahati accident. 246 140 246 140 1 Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:23:00 +1000 424247 Zaran Mody Autocar India staff photograher Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:26:52 +1000 Contrary to the plaintiff’s claims, Ola Electric says there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. It has also released telemetry data from the scooter just prior to the accident. Contrary to the plaintiff’s claims, Ola Electric says there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. It has also released telemetry data from the scooter just prior to the accident. Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:23:00 +1000 ola says no scooter malfunction in recent guwahati accident https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/ola-says-no-scooter-malfunction-in-recent-guwahati-accident-424247#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=Autocar+India+Bikes+feed 424247 One in five two-wheelers sold by FY23 will be an EV: Ather CEO

Ather Energy’s founder and CEO Tarun Mehta has stated that by FY23 he expects one in five two-wheelers sold to be an EV. In terms of percentage, electric scooters will account for 20 percent of the overall two-wheeler market by the end of the current fiscal. He made these remarks while delivering the keynote address at the Autocar Professional EV Forum.

“We are seeing good demand on all fronts, and which is two to three times the supplies,” he added.

E-scooters have gone from 3-4 percent of market penetration in the scooter segment to 12 percent in a span of six months, Mehta said, adding that “what’s ahead of us is almost 25-30 percent market penetration in the next 12-18 months”.

India’s EV market has come a long way in the last nine years, from buyers being hesitant about EVs to now queuing up for one, he said. Ather Energy, which was established in 2013, has had to actually set up experience centres to convince potential customers that “electric is not a toy”.

“When you zoom into today, we are witnessing a reverse situation where demand is outstripping supply,” said Mehta. Also, unexpectedly, the early adopters have now come in from Tier 2 cities, and also a Tier 3 city, as “cost awareness is a national phenomenon”.

Explaining this trend, which is only expected to gain momentum, Mehta said growth is being seen in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets because, unlike their cramped city counterparts, they have independent houses, where getting access to a 5A charging plug is not very difficult. “The issue of charging infrastructure doesn’t arise for two-wheelers there,” he stated.

However, Mehta said he was confident that one in every five two-wheelers sold will be an e-scooter by the turn of the fiscal, as demand from the metros is increasing as well. “Electric is aspirational, as it's connected with new technology, and that’s what people want to buy as they walk into EV experience centres, expecting to be wowed by what they will see,” he said.

Electric two-wheelers: battery safety

With regard to recent scooter fires, Mehta was categorical that EV battery safety has to be a part of the future roadmap for electric mobility in India. “EV fires are certainly not pretty,” he said, alluding to recent incidents of e-scooters, a truck carrying e-scooters, and a showroom catching fire. Close to a dozen fire incidents involving e-scooters have been reported from various parts of the country over the last eight to nine months.

In his remarks, Mehta attributed these incidents to a large-scale application of lithium-ion on electric two-wheelers. The current battery pack designs, he pointed out, are not very well designed for India. The Indian thermal scenario is far more punishing than that of China, Taiwan or Korea from where these packs are often imported. Most importantly, the quality of the battery is one of the reasons for the recent fires. The earlier e-scooters were powered by lead-acid batteries.

In his view, battery chemistry plays “a limited or no role” in the cause of a fire. At the most, he said, it had a bearing on the performance and could stall the vehicle. It’s the manufacturing quality that matters the most.

Electric two-wheelers: manufacturing design and testing

That is why, in his view, efforts have to be made on pack design, battery management system and the assembly and build quality. This is what many entrepreneurs aren’t realising and are not focusing enough on battery quality, he added. Importing equipment not made for the Indian climate from other markets and poor quality equipment has contributed to the recent incidents, he said.

“We need to put in a lot of effort into manufacturing design as well as functional testing, for which one needs a minimum three to five years for a pack design to mature in Indian conditions, as compared to eight to 10 months, which is one of the reasons for the fires," Mehta said.

Setting a context to his remarks, Mehta said that if every third or fourth customer in the country is going to be buying electric, then people’s expectations will change. There would also be implications for the supply chain and talent. India, he said, is going to be at the centre of the EV transition globally.

Electric two-wheelers: policy matters

On the role of the government, Mehta said that as the country builds its EV sector, there’s an opportunity for the government to work closely with the industry. “We need a policy tailored to India’s social and environmental conditions,” he said.

Going forward, Mehta said issues such as finance and insurance will not be a problem. The real challenge for the sector will be when subsidies begin to dry up in the next 2-3 years. In his view, “While some people are of the view that industry will be able to stand on its own feet, the truth is that it would not.”

Manufacturers of EVs currently get subsidies in the range of Rs 60,000-70,000, both from the Centre and state governments. The challenge for EV makers is to build a robust business model without the subsidies and not compromise on the affordability on a like-to-like comparison with an ICE scooter. "That will be the real litmus test for all EV players, including Ather," Mehta signed off.

]]> Autocar India News Desk Autocar India News Desk One in five two-wheelers sold by FY23 will be an EV: Ather CEO 246 140 246 140 1 Fri, 22 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +1000 424239 Autocar India News Desk Autocar India staff photograher Fri, 22 Apr 2022 15:44:51 +1000 Ather Energy founder and CEO Tarun Mehta said the demand for electric two-wheelers is two to three times that of the supply. Ather Energy founder and CEO Tarun Mehta said the demand for electric two-wheelers is two to three times that of the supply. Fri, 22 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +1000 one in five two-wheelers sold by fy23 will be an ev: ather ceo https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/one-in-five-two-wheelers-sold-by-fy23-will-be-an-ev-ather-ceo-424239#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=Autocar+India+Bikes+feed 424239 Honda to focus on electric two-wheelers, launch a new commuter

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India recently revealed its roadmap for the future, which, unsurprisingly, is a focus on electric two-wheelers. The company will introduce multiple EV models in the coming years, however, it’s not yet clear whether these will be overseas products like the PCX, or vehicles that are developed with a focus on our market. Honda says it will “leverage support from its other Indian subsidiaries”.

In addition to the focus on EVs, the brand has also expressed an interest in flex-fuel technology. This could involve the introduction of products like the CG 160 Titan – a model already on sale in Brazil – that runs on both petrol and ethanol. Honda says this was the world’s first ethanol fuel-based motorcycle.

Another big revelation is the company’s plan to introduce a “low-end commuter motorcycle” in the “entry-level two-wheeler segment”. Reading between the lines, it seems that Honda could be gearing up to take on its largest rival, Hero MotoCorp, with the introduction of a 100cc commuter to rival the evergreen Splendor. This proposed model would sit under the CD110, which, starting at Rs 66,003, is the brand’s most affordable offering at the moment. For comparison, Hero’s entry-level HF100 commuter is priced at Rs 51,450 (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).

Finally, Honda will continue strengthening India’s position as a global export hub, and this effort will be centred around the company’s biggest factory in Manesar, Haryana.

]]> Zaran Mody Zaran Mody Honda to focus on electric two-wheelers, launch a new commuter 246 140 246 140 1 Zaran Mody Honda to focus on electric two-wheelers, launch a new commuter 246 140 246 140 1 Thu, 21 Apr 2022 16:59:00 +1000 424236 Zaran Mody Autocar India staff photograher Mon, 1 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +1000 The Japanese giant’s roadmap for India for the coming years includes a focus on flex-fuel and electric two-wheelers along with the introduction of a new commuter motorcycle. The Japanese giant’s roadmap for India for the coming years includes a focus on flex-fuel and electric two-wheelers along with the introduction of a new commuter motorcycle. Thu, 21 Apr 2022 16:59:00 +1000 "honda" "to" 'focus" "on" "electric" "two-wheelers" "launch" "a" "new" "commuter" https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/honda-to-focus-on-electric-two-wheelers-launch-a-new-commuter-424236#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=Autocar+India+Bikes+feed 424236 Ducati Multistrada V2 India launch date announced The Ducati Multistrada V2 will launch in India on April 25.