Kinetic Engineering has re-entered the Indian automobile as an EV manufacturer with Kinetic Green developing battery-powered three-wheelers
People born in the 1970s and 80s must be very familiar with Kinetic Luna. A 50cc moped with no frills and purely designed for average Indian middle-class family for an economical commute. It was coupled with easy-to-ride ergonomics with provision of bicycle-like pedals to propel it forward should it be needed.
First introduced in 1972 by Kinetic Engineering, it was marketed in the United States as Kinetic TFR while the original Luna was a licensed copy of Piaggio Ciao moped. With tightening emission norms, Luna eventually died a slow death. With this, Kinetic Group also exited the Indian two-wheeler industry thereafter.
Years later Kinetic made a return to the Indian automobile market as Kinetic Green which ventured into zero emission space by developing new electric three-wheelers and rickshaws. Kinetic Green claims that it is one of the leading players in electric three-wheeler space. Now, Kinetic intends to return to two-wheeler segment by bringing back the iconic Luna nameplate in a whole new avatar.
More Details
The reincarnated version of Luna is likely to run a battery power source. This development was confirmed by Ajinkya Firodia, MD of MotoRoyale and part of Kinetic Group on a social media platform. The electrified Luna could make its debut this year itself, probably in a month or two. Furthermore, the upcoming electric moped could feature swappable batteries.
Electric Kinetic Luna will be manufactured at the company’s new manufacturing facility at Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. This new plant is spread across 30 acres comprising four sheds, each spreading across 65,000 sq ft and has production lines that will cater to electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers as well as the Kinetic Lamborghini Buggy range.
Expected Specs & Features
The new electric moped will be powered by a humble 1kW motor which could derive its energy from a Lithium-ion battery pack. This powertrain is expected to return a range of 70-80km on a single charge and a top speed of around 25kmph.
This means that it will be positioned in the slow-speed category, hence it won’t require any registration. Also, riders won’t be required to carry a driver’s license with them. Moreover, it is expected to be priced very aggressively within Rs 50,000.
Meanwhile, reports say that a daily commuter is also in the works and might have a higher top speed as well as more amenities. It is speculated to be offered with features such as an electric self-start, LED headlights and DRLs, a digital instrument console, a USB charger and more. Currently, Gemopai Miso is the only moped in India running on a battery power source whereas TVS XL100 is the only moped powered by an IC engine.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
