The unique Hero Surge S32 can transform into a 2W or a 3W with minimum effort, on all road conditions and under 3 minutes
Indian automotive industry has seen a few innovative products across segments and genres. Among the most interesting ones is the Surge S32 2-in-1 electric scooter-cum-rickshaw. This innovative product comes from a startup called Surge, owned by 2W juggernaut Hero MotoCorp.
After debuting earlier this year and winning many design awards, Hero Surge S32 is making headlines again. This time, the company is commencing production of S32 within a year. Speculations also suggest a launch might happen somewhere around mid-2025.
Hero Surge S32
There are commercial vehicles and then there are private passenger vehicles. Very few brands have tried to combine these two aspects. A few years ago, we saw the launch of Eicher Polaris Multix which tried to bridge the gap between CVs and PVs in the lower-tier price bracket. However, it didn’t catch on.
Now, Hero MotoCorp is trying the bridge the gap between CVs and PVs, but with a unique take of its own. With their Surge EV subsidiary, Hero has culminated a unique experience for users by combining an electric scooter and a 3-wheeler electric rickshaw. Surge S32 is set to go into series production soon.
There may be multiple variants of Surge S32. A 3W auto rickshaw (S32 PV), a 3W cargo vehicle (S32 LD), a 3W covered cargo vehicle (S32 HD) and a flat-bed 3W cargo vehicle (S32 FB). In all these versions, scooter part remains the same, while the rickshaw part changes accordingly.
This is the first time an OEM has attempted to combine a 2W and a 3W in one product. Hence, it needs a special category which Surge and Hero have worked out with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Called L2-5, it represents a 2W-3W combi module category, where an L2 scooter is connected with a non-self-propelled rear module.
How does it work?
Surge S32 is based on the AMSEP platform constructed around a ladder-frame chassis. The scooter and non-self-propelled rear module have separate powertrains and the system automatically switches between these powertrains as per the vehicle in use. It has to be noted that the scooter acts as the front wheel for rear non-self-propelled module.
Surge EV promises the conversion between 2W and 3W is seamless and takes little to no effort, happens under 3 minutes and can be done anywhere. The company promises safe and reliable battery and a full-metal body. While scooter’s instrumentation becomes Rickshaw’s instrumentation, Rickshaw gets more switches of its own.
The main use case of this unique approach is to provide users with a versatile vehicle for multiple roles. It could be one’s daily bread to transport cargo or passengers in 3W mode. Also, it could be one’s last-mile delivery vehicle in 2W mode or one’s personal mode of transportation, leaving their commercial aspects behind.
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
