TVS iQube now launched in Pune for Rs 1,10,898 under price guidelines of FAME II scheme and state subsidy
Electric two-wheelers for the most part have been made available in select cities. As manufacturers embark on sales growth these limited offerings begin to be available in new cities. For Pune, the newest electric scooter to ride into town is TVS iQube. It’s now available for a price of just under Rs 1.11L. In comparison, rival Bajaj Chetak and Ather electric scooters are priced higher at about Rs 1.42 lakh.
TVS iQube is powered by a 4.4 kW motor connected to 3 Li-ion battery packs, encased in a single casing. Battery warranty stands at 3 years / 50k kms. It delivers a ride range of 75 kms on a full battery. Acceleration from 0-40 kmph is in 4.2 seconds.
Electric two-wheeler market growth
While TVS enjoys domestic market presence, and a sizeable export market, it’s electric two-wheeler business is fairly new. In line with industry trends, the manufacturer has announced its entry into the e-scooter market for now. Considering smalls sales volume across the industry, one would imagine a transition for established manufacturers would be an easy one. But for now that’s not what’s happening in the market.
Newer companies, some of which are tech based startups have taken the lead in the electric scooter market. And these patterns continue to be encouraging considering the sheer volume of new electric two-wheeler manufacturers that have started business in India in recent years.
With the electric two-wheeler market being one of great potential, one also needs to consider the uncertainties. Long term carbon footprint offset goals point to transition but for now its a game of wait and watch. Such transition would mean established manufacturers would need to determine growth plans for their existing two-wheeler business, and their advent into new age electric two-wheeler businesses.
TVS iQube new market launches
TVS not only sells two-wheelers, but three-wheelers too. Going forward one can expect electric processes to becomes part of the 3W business. For now while TVS iQube keeps enthusiasts interested, the company is developing its EV outreach. A major chunk of investments outlined for the fiscal is dedicated to the EV space. This includes electric three-wheeler development.
Current plans include EV market and sales expansion by taking iQube electric scooter to 20 new cities. Following launch in Bangalore, the company entered the Delhi market. In the current phase, business in Pune has been initiated. Other cities in the pipeline include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata among others.
EV market development has been predictable to say the least. And this sees manufacturers focus on the same cities at the start of business. This ties in with the fact that cities in focus boast of a more developed charging infrastructure in most cases. With success of EVs closely tied to infra development and sharing of charging set-ups, it’s easy to see why companies make a beeline for certain cities.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
