The hybrid three-wheeler will have a plug-in battery and a diesel/CNG fuel option. The two prototypes (diesel battery and CNG battery) are being tested.
Products likely to hit the market by early 2009
NEW DELHI: The UK-based Ultra Motor Co has big plans for the Indian market.
Having inked a 50:50 joint venture with the Hero Group for extending the range of electric two-wheelers being sold here, it has lined up more products for launch and they include electric and hybrid three-wheelers.
The hybrid three-wheeler will have a plug-in battery and a diesel/CNG fuel option. The two prototypes (diesel battery and CNG battery) are being tested and is likely to be in the market by early 2009.
Ultra’s work on the hybrid three-wheeler is interesting since no other manufacturer - except TVS Motor Co - has even begun talking of a hybrid three-wheelers for the Indian market as yet.
Joe Bowman, CEO, Ultra Motor, confirmed the making of hybrid and electric three-wheelers. He said the product will be launched first in India since this is the largest market for three-wheelers in the world.
When asked about plans about developing a hybrid four-wheeler as well, Bowman said this option was not being currently.
Meanwhile, Hero Exports (a part of Hero Group) and Ultra Motor have decided to form a JV company that would run the electric two-wheeler business and be the vehicle for other businesses by the two partners in the future.
While declining to divulge investments being planned by the two partners, Hero Cycles’ deputy CEO Gaurav Munjal said that $10 million has already been invested by both.
Under the current arrangement, Ultra Motor provides the electric kits to Hero, which assembles the two-wheelers at its manufacturing plant in Ludhiana after adding the necessary mechanicals and plastics. The bikes are currently being sold under the Hero brand name but would be rebranded ‘Hero Ultra’ now.
The JV launched two new products - Extra Speed Scooter called ‘Velociti’ which can go up to 40 km per hour and the less powerful ‘Optima’ which can do up to 25 kmph.
Industry experts point out that electric vehicles are noiseless, zero emission vehicles driven by a DC motor that operates on rechargeable batteries. Such vehicles can be operated at as low as 1/10th the cost of the petrol version of the same two-wheeler with maintenance cost 2/3rd.
Besides Ultra, many others - Electrotherm in Gujarat and Ace Motors in Pune - have launched electric two wheelers in their respective markets by importing the battery kits and assembling the final product.
Kinetic Motors is also known to be working on introducing similar technologies in India. According to market estimates, over 20 per cent of the two-wheeler market would comprise vehicles running on alternate fuels/batteries over the next 4-5 years.
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