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      Hero Xpulse 200 4V Bookings Reopens – Jan 2022 Price Hike

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      Image – The Bengal RiderHero Xpulse 200 4V was launched last year in October at a starting price of Rs 1.28 lakh
      A popular choice for thrill-seekers, Hero Xpulse 200 4V is among the most affordable adventure-ready bikes in the country. Around two months after its launch, bookings were closed after the first batch was sold out. Hero MotoCorp had said that it will be focusing on deliveries before taking bookings for the next batch. For the first batch, the company had a targeted delivery timeline of 45 days.
      Hero Xpulse 200 4V bookings reopen
      Those who missed out earlier can book their Xpulse 200 4V at Hero’s eSHOP. They will need to make an advance payment of Rs 10k. If the demand is high, the company will be taking a limited number of bookings like last time. Along with reopening bookings, price of the bike has been increased by Rs 2k. Ex-showroom starting price of Hero Xpulse 200 4V in Delhi is now Rs 1.30 lakh.
      No new updates have been introduced for Xpulse 200 4V with this latest price hike. The decision is likely to be based on increase in production costs. Last year in December, Hero MotoCorp had announced a price hike for most of its two-wheelers.
      The new prices were to become applicable from January 4, 2022. Prices were to be raised up to Rs 2k and it varied based on the model and variant. In January 2022, various other two-wheeler manufacturers have announced price hikes. The list includes Royal Enfield, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Ather.
      New Hero Xpulse 200 4V
      Hero Xpulse 200 4V engine and specs
      Xpulse 200 4V variant comes with a 4-valve engine, as compared to 2-valve, OHC set-up in use with standard Xpulse 200. A 4-valve setup offers multiple benefits including improved performance. It improves air flow to the engine, which in turn ensures efficient fuel combustion. While power is increased, a 4-valve setup also reduces emissions.
      In case of Hero Xpulse 200 4V, power and torque have been increased by 6% and 5%, respectively. Moreover, power delivery has witnessed tangible improvements in mid and top range. Vibrations have been reduced, which is applicable even when the bike hits top speeds.
      Powering Hero Xpulse 200 4V is a 199.6 cc, oil cooled motor. It churns out 19.1 ps of max power at 8,500 rpm and 17.35 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. It is mated to a 5-speed constant mesh gearbox. In comparison, standard Xpulse 200 delivers 17.8 ps and 16.45 Nm.
      Xpulse 200 4V has a diamond type frame with telescopic front forks and monoshock rear suspension. The bike has 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels. Braking duties are performed by 276 mm and 220 mm petal discs at front and rear, respectively.
      While Hero MotoCorp will continue to focus on petrol-powered two-wheelers, it is expected to take the first steps in EV space soon. Hero MotoCorp’s first ever electric scooter is likely to be launched this year. It has been developed in collaboration with Taiwan-based Gogoro. The company is also eying other opportunities, which is evident in the recent investment of Rs 420 crore in Ather Energy. More

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      Upcoming Benda 300cc Sports Bike Patent Leaks – KTM RC 390 Rival

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      Upcoming Benda 300cc SportsbikeThe patent images haven’t confirmed the presence of a turbocharger, but the elaborate side fairing could be used to hide it from naked eye
      Around the same time last year, Chinese bikemaker Benda teased three new motorcycles namely LFS-700, VTC-300, & VTR-300 Turbo. Prior to that, the brand was relatively unknown in international markets. Since then the company has had a dedicated European dealer network and has launched two of the three bikes mentioned above.
      The company has now turned its focus to the upcoming sports bike VTR-300 Turbo which was announced back in January 2021 along with its cruiser sibling and the 700cc flat tracker, both of them already been officially revealed. Ahead of its launch later this year, official patent images of VTR-300 Turbo have been leaked on the internet.
      The leaked patent images give us the first clear view of the upcoming entry-level superbike’s design. And unlike most Chinese auto manufacturers who blatantly rip off designs from prominent international models, Benda has taken an effort to create something new, probably since it has been developed for European markets.
      Upcoming Benda 300cc Sports Bike – VTR300 Turbo
      At first glance, the silhouette of VTR-300 Turbo is similar to most contemporary sports bikes, however, it receives some eye-catching styling details. For starters, it flaunts a unique front fascia which is difficult to decode whether the split lighting setup is the main headlamp or LED DRLs. The broad apron also houses what appears to be a single LED lamp at the centre.
      Upcoming Benda 300cc Sportsbike
      The side-on view gives us more details about the bike’s design. While VTR-300 Turbo appears to sit on a tubular steel trellis frame which features side panels that merge into beam-like elements. The lines could simply be cosmetic in nature or might also serve a functional purpose of drawing in cool air around the sides of the V-twin engine. Other notable highlights include an underbelly exhaust and a clip-on handlebar.
      Interestingly, the patents don’t explicitly reveal or confirm the presence of a turbocharger, however, it is possible that it could be nestled underneath the fairing which will help maintain its cool. Moving towards the rear, it gets a raised and stubby tail section and split-style seating like most modern superbikes. It also features twin air ducts which appear to be more than just aesthetic touches.
      Expected Mechanical Specs
      The images reveal that the steel trellis frame is suspended on upside-down forks at front and a mono-shock attached to a pivoted swingarm at rear. The bike will roll on 10-spoke alloy wheels shod with slicks. However, it only gets a single disc up front with Brembo calipers which suggests that performance will not be manic.
      Powering VTR-300 Turbo is the same 298cc liquid-cooled, DOHC V-twin engine found in its cruiser sibling VTC-300. In the cruiser, this engine can churn around 30 bhp, however, with a turbocharger on board, this BD2V58MN engine could dish out around 45 horses. The motorcycle is expected to make its global debut later this year. Upon its launch, it could rival the likes of KTM RC 390, Yamaha R3, Ninja 300, Honda CB250RR, etc. More

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      2022 Yamaha FZS25 Launched With Two New Colours – Price Rs 1.43 L

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      2022 Yamaha FZS25 New Colour – Matte CopperYamaha FZ25 and FZS 25 competes against other naked quarter-litre bikes such as Bajaj Pulsar N250 and Suzuki Gixxer 250
      2021 was a busy year for Yamaha with the all-important launch of the fourth-gen R15. The company also launched its first maxi scooter in India in the form of Aerox 155. The next big-ticket launch from Yamaha is expected to be the new-gen version of MT-15 which is the naked streetfighter iteration of R15. Before that, they have updated FZS25.
      Yamaha continues to provide regular updates on its product lineup in order to keep prospective buyers interested. The Japanese bikemaker has added two new colour options to its naked quarter-litre offering- FZS25 for 2022. The new shades added to the palette include Matte Copper and Matte Black.
      2022 Yamaha FZS25 – New Colour Options
      Yamaha has updated the FZS25 as well as the FZ25. While the former has been priced at Rs 1,43,300, the latter is pegged at a price tag of Rs 1,38,800 (both prices ex-showroom). FZ25 will be offered with colour options of Racing Blue and Metallic Black while new colours of Matte Copper and Matte Black will be offered with FZS25.
      Apart from new colour options, nothing has been changed in the quarter-litre naked streetfighter. Both dual-tone colour options enhance the bike’s sporty appeal. To complement the overall aesthetics, both colour options come with copper-coloured alloy rims which seem a little flashy. The standard variant is also offered with a MotoGP-inspired livery.
      2022 Yamaha FZS25 New Colour – Matte Black
      Engine Specs, Hardware & Features
      Powering FZ25 is a 249cc, air-cooled, SOHC, single-cylinder engine that generates 20.5 bhp at 8,000rpm and 20.1 Nm of peak torque at 6,000rpm. This engine is paired with a 5-speed gearbox. Suspension duties are taken care of by telescopic forks at front and a mono-shock at rear.
      Anchorage is handled by disc brakes (282mm front and 220mm rear) at both ends aided by dual-channel ABS. The motorcycle rides on 17-inch alloy wheels on both ends which are shod with 100 section front and 140 section rear rubber.
      Features such as all-LED illumination, negative LCD instrument cluster, under cowling and side stand with engine cut-off switch are offered as standard in both variants. The top-spec S variant benefits from additional hardware like a long visor, brush guards on the handle grips and golden alloy wheels.
      Yamaha recently updated the smaller FZ25 a couple of weeks ago. The 2022 FZ Fi and FZS Fi have received a new LED headlamp. With this update, the FZ range of bikes receives all-LED illumination as standard. The Japanese bikemaker has also updated the colour palette on the street naked bike with new options to choose from. More

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      Top 10 Scooters Dec 2021 – Activa, Jupiter, Access, Ntorq, Pleasure, Fascino

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      Image – SouRik MotoworldHonda Activa sales continue to post huge decline – It is likely that a segment of buyers is moving towards electric scooters
      Taking the top 10 best-selling scooters in India, sales stood at 2,28,045 units last month. This was a 24.44 percent de-growth over 3,01,820 units sold in December 2020. Even as demand for petrol powered scooter sales dipped, the electric scooter market has been on a continuous path of positive growth over the past several months.
      Top 10 Scooters Dec 2021 – Activa Leads
      India’s favorite scooter, Honda Activa topped the sales charts for the month of December. It saw sales of 1,04,417 units sold during the past month, down 22.64 percent over 1,34,977 units sold in December 2020. The Activa, with a 45.79 percent share in its segment, was the only scooter on this list to surpass the 1 lakh unit mark while every other model failed to see sales above 40,000 units.
      At No. 2 was TVS Jupiter scooter. It saw sales remain flat on a YoY basis at 8,142 units, down 0.76 percent over 38,435 units sold in December 2020. TVS Jupiter is priced from Rs. 68,401-78,595 and is offered in 5 variants and 13 colour options and is the most popular two wheeler in TVS lineup.
      Suzuki Access 125 suffered a sales de-growth of 36.85 percent in the past month. Sales which had stood at 40,154 units in December 2020 dipped to 25,358 units last month. Last month, the company introduced new colours for its range of 125cc scooters, Suzuki Access 125 and Suzuki Burgman Street. Suzuki also launched new Avenis 125 scooter to rival NTORQ.
      Top 10 Scooters Dec 2021
      TVS Ntorq, Hero Pleasure
      At No. 4 was the TVS Ntorq with sales at 16,859 units, down 34.38 percent over 25,692 units sold in December 2020. Hero Pleasure also noted a YoY de-growth of 51.78 percent with 9,205 units sold in December 2021, down from 19,090 units sold in the same month of the previous year.
      Though the Pleasure scooter has been on sale for many years, the company has kept its demand fresh with regular updates in terms of colour schemes and new features. Honda Dio at No.6 with 8,637 units sold, down 60.79 percent over 22,025 units sold in December 2020.
      Yamaha Scooter Sales Dec 2021
      Yamaha India’s best selling scooter was the Fascino. It managed to sell 8,455 units in Dec 2021, against 6,180 units sold in Dec 2020 – registering an increase of 37%. Ray ZR sales dipped 33.48 percent YoY to 8,781 units, down from 8,690 units sold in December 2020.

      Top 10 Scooters
      Dec-21
      Dec-20
      Growth % YoY

      1. Honda Activa
      1,04,417
      1,34,977
      -22.64

      2. TVS Jupiter
      38,142
      38,435
      -0.76

      3. Suzuki Access
      25,358
      40,154
      -36.85

      4. TVS Ntorq
      16,859
      25,692
      -34.38

      5. Hero Pleasure
      9,205
      19,090
      -51.78

      6. Honda Dio
      8,637
      22,025
      -60.79

      7. Yamaha Fascino
      8,455
      6,180
      36.81

      8. Yamaha RayZR
      5,781
      8,690
      -33.48

      9. Suzuki Burgman
      5,766
      2,666
      116.28

      10. Hero Maestro
      5,425
      3,911
      38.71

      Total
      2,28,045
      3,01,820
      -24.44

      Suzuki Burgman Street and Hero Maestro completed this list of top 10 best-selling scooters last month and both showed significant growth in demand. Burgman Street sales increased 116.28 percent to 5,766 units from 2,666 units sold in December 2020 while Maestro sales were up 38.71 percent to 5,425 units from 3,911 units on a YoY basis. More

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      LML Electric Scooters To Be Produced At Former Harley Davidson Plant

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      Image for referenceThe manufacturing facility owned by Saera Electric Auto was previously used for manufacturing two-wheelers for Harley Davidson in India
      A few months ago LML announced its comeback to the Indian two-wheeler market by venturing into the electric mobility space. The defunct automaker has now announced a strategic partnership with Saera Electric Auto, a two-wheeler producer formerly manufacturing motorcycles for Harley Davidson in India.
      This development was confirmed through a media release shared by the company. As per the agreement, Saera’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bawal, Haryana will be used to produce the upcoming LML electric vehicles. Kanpur-based LML is looking to play a big role in the rapidly rising adoption of battery-powered two-wheelers in India.
      LML Teams Up With Saera Electric Auto
      The advanced and innovative infrastructure of Saera will now be utilised by LML to develop a wide range of EV products from the LML electric stable. The company revealed that it intends to build a future-ready manufacturing facility using Saera’s technology and processes. This is the first of the many steps taken by LML in its aim to be a 100 percent “Make in India” entity by the end of 2025.
      Spanning 2,17,800 square feet, this manufacturing facility has a production capacity of 18,000 units per month, and is equipped with best-in-class infrastructure. As of now, LML is currently tight-lipped on the kind of products it will roll out.
      Ad of old LML Scooter
      Commenting on this partnership, Dr. Yogesh Bhatia, CEO of LML, said, “We are very pleased to announce this important collaboration with one of the most reputed manufacturing names in the two-wheeler and auto segment. Saera was our first choice because the company holds unparalleled expertise and reputation with some of the world’s premier auto brands.”
      LML- History & Future
      First incorporated in 1972, LML wants to project itself as a brand that will produce ‘Empowered Vehicles’ rather than merely Electric Vehicles. Back in those days, products of LML scooters were a common sight on Indian roads for several years before settling into the sunset. In the 1980s, LML had a major collaboration with Italian company Piaggio to sell the LML-Vespa in India.
      LML has been rebranded as LML Electric since it will only be retailing battery-powered vehicles. The company is being backed by an unnamed investment partner. LML had previously stated that it plans to invest approximately Rs 1,000 crore over the next 3-5 years.
      While LML has refrained from revealing any specific detail, it has revealed that its upcoming electric two-wheeler will be equipped with cutting-edge technology and will be targeted at the upper-middle and urban segments of society. LML Electric Scooters and motorcycles are expected to be launched in the coming years. More

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      Hero Electric Scooters To Be Manufactured By Mahindra

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      Image for reference.
      A joint product development and platform sharing between Hero Electric and Mahindra Group will also enable electrification of Peugeot Motorcycles portfolio
      Hero Electric and Mahindra Group have announced a strategic partnership in the electric mobility space. This partnership has been forged as part of Hero Electric’s growth and expansion plans in order to cater to the growing demand for electric vehicles in India.
      As part of this joint venture, Mahindra will manufacture two of the most popular electric scooters from Hero Electric- Optima & NYX to meet the growing demands of the market. These two electric scooters will be manufactured at Mahindra’s Pithampur plant in Madhya Pradesh. This is the same plant where Mahindra manufactures their Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles.
      Hero Electric-Mahindra JV: More details
      This collaboration will also help Hero Electric with the expansion of their existing Ludhiana facility. By expanding its manufacturing facility, Hero intends to meet its demand of manufacturing over 1 million electric two-wheelers per year by 2022. It will further enable them to drive adoption of a cleaner mode of transport.
      Naveen Munjal, MD, Hero Electric, has stated that partnership between the two automotive firms will enhance manufacturing capabilities to meet demand and utilize Mahindra Group’s robust supply chain to reach newer centers in the country. He further revealed that a long-term partnership will also see both the companies make the most out of each other’s deep knowledge of EVs and drive new product development in the next few years.
      Hero Electric Scooters
      The primary purpose of this joint venture will be production and development of a supply chain and sharing of platforms for electric two-wheelers. Though Mahindra currently doesn’t manufacture electric two-wheelers of its own, it supplies and manufactures parts for e-scooters for the French brand Peugeot. The joint development efforts will prove beneficial for Peugeot when it comes to platform sharing.
      Development of EV-related tech for other brands
      Mahindra and Hero Electric will enter into a 5-year contract with a possibility to enhance the areas of collaboration in future. The value of the transaction is expected to stand in the range of Rs 140-150 crores over the contract period.
      The two companies will create a seamless channel of communication to aid knowledge sharing among the R&D teams to build new products and technologies. This will be done keeping the Indian and global markets in mind that will not just further the growth of electric vehicles but also go on to set benchmarks for faster adoption in the industry.
      The partnership between Hero Electric and Mahindra will further help the latter in developing new EV-related technologies which could be further utilised in other Mahindra-owned two-wheeler brands such as Jawa, Yezdi and most importantly BSA. Reports of Classic Legends developing an electric motorcycle under Jawa had surfaced online a few months back. More

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      350cc Motorcycle Sales Dec 2021 – Classic, Meteor, Bullet, CB350

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      Royal Enfield Classic 350Royal Enfield Classic 350 was the best-selling 350cc motorcycle in December 2021 and despite de-growth scaled over the others by a significant margin
      The Indian automobile market continued to face severe shortage in supplies of semi-conductors thus leading to some production constraints. Domestic sales were significantly lower in the 350cc motorcycle segment, although there was a notable increase in exports. Royal Enfield continued to dominate this segment with Classic, Meteor, Bullet and Electra along with Honda CB350.
      Total sales of these 5 bikes in the 350cc segment in December 2021 stood at 64,643 units which included 59,646 units sold in domestic markets while 4,997 units were exported. This related to a YoY de-growth in domestic sales to the tune of 7.97 percent over 64,812 units sold in December 2020. Exports on the other hand increased 493.47 percent from 842 units shipped in December 2020.
      350cc Motorcycle Sales Dec 2021 – Classic 350 Leads
      Heading 350cc motorcycle sales list in the past month was Royal Enfield Classic 350. It saw domestic sales to the tune of 34,723 units, down 11.69 percent over 39,321 units sold in December 2020. Despite this de-growth, sales of the Classic 350 were higher than combined sales of other four in the sales chart by a significant margin leading to a 58.22 percent share in this segment.
      Meteor 350 sales increased 28.10 percent to 10,977 units, up from 8,569 units sold in December 2020. Sales of the Bullet 350 dipped 23.08 percent to 8,061 units as did sales of Electra 350 that fell by 7.32 percent to 4,521 units in the past month, from 4,878 units sold in December 2020. Honda also noted a 12.79 percent YoY de-growth for its CB 350 to 1,364 units from 1,564 units sold in December 2020.
      350cc Motorcycles Sales and Exports – Dec 2021 vs Dec 2020 (YoY)
      Exports on the other hand saw substantial growth for RE Meteor 350 and Classic 350. Shipments went up by 2321.28 percent for the Meteor 350 to 2,276 units in the past month, from 94 units sold in December 2020. Classic 350 exports increased 733.19 percent to 1,983 units from 238 units sold in December 2020.
      Honda CB350 exports also increased 44.71 percent to 738 units in December 2021 from 510 units shipped in the same month of the previous year. Electra 350 saw just 9 units shipped in the past month while Bullet 350 exports failed to take off.
      350cc Motorcycle Sales and Exports Dec 2021 vs Nov 2021 (MoM)
      When comparing sales in the 350cc motorcycle segment on a month-on-month basis, performance in domestic markets improved significantly. Sales increased 43.08 percent MoM from 41,688 units sold in November 2021 to 59,646 units last month. It was once again Classic 350 that claimed charts by a significant margin with a 77.15 percent MoM growth from 19,601 units sold November 2021 to 34,723 units in the past month. RE Classic 350 commanded a 47.02 percent share in November 2021 which increased to 58.22 percent in December 2021.
      350cc Motorcycles Sales and Exports – Dec 2021 vs Nov 2021 (MoM)
      At No. 2 was the RE Meteor 350 with sales growth of 62.02 percent to 10,977 units in December 2021, a MoM increase over 6,775 units sold in November 2021. Sales of Bullet 350 dipped 7.9 percent in December 2021 to 8,061 units from 8,733 units sold in the previous month while Electra 350 sales increased 6.20 percent from 4,257 units sold in November 2021. Domestic sales of Honda CB350 dipped 41.26 percent from 2,322 units sold in November 2021.
      Exports saw the Meteor 350 in demand with 2,276 units sold, down 12.63 percent over 2,605 units shipped in November 2021. Classic 350 exports increased 44.22 percent over 1,375 units in November 2021 while Honda CB350 exports dipped 41.98 percent from 1,272 units in November 2021 to 738 units in December 2021. More

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      Bajaj Twinner Trademark Filed – New Pulsar 500cc Twin Cylinder ?

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      Render image for reference.Bajaj Auto is developing multiple new products in the premium segment of two-wheelers with KTM and Triumph
      Bajaj Auto has been looking to foray into the premium segment of mid-displacement motorcycles for many years and hence has stitched many partnerships with international brands like KTM and Triumph. The Chakan-based automaker has filed a new trademark named ‘Twinner’ which could be used for an upcoming twin-cylinder motorcycle.
      As per the trademark certificate, the name has been proposed for motorcycles and scooters among others, however, there hasn’t been any confirmation on the same by Bajaj yet. Bajaj has joined hands with the iconic British manufacturer Triumph to develop affordable mid-capacity motorcycles specifically for the Indian market.
      Parallel-twin motors developed by Bajaj-KTM
      It should be noted that Bajaj is already developing a new 490cc parallel-twin engine in association with KTM which will be utilised in multiple upcoming models under the Austrian brand such as 490 Adventure, 490 Duke, RC490, and 490 Supermoto/Enduro.
      This 490cc parallel-twin motor could also power upcoming Bajaj models as well. Whether this engine will be the source of power for the Twinner is yet to be seen. It is possible that Bajaj could launch these motorcycles under the Pulsar brand – Bajaj Pulsar 500cc Twinner or the likes.
      Bajaj Twinner Trademark Filed
      Registrations of trademarks in the auto industry don’t guarantee a market launch. Bajaj has filed multiple trademarks in recent times including ‘Fluor’, ‘Fluir’, and ‘Neuron’. Most of them are likely to be utilised by the brand’s upcoming electric two-wheelers. That said, the Twinner trademark application doesn’t mention the use of electric vehicles.
      Bajaj-Triumph joint venture
      This motorcycle will cater to the 200cc-700cc engine capacity and it is squarely aimed at a segment dominated by Royal Enfield for the past many decades. As per earlier reports, the first product from the Bajaj and Triumph joint venture was expected to make its global debut this year. However, due to unavoidable delays, the market launch of the upcoming bike got pushed to 2023.
      The first of the upcoming motorcycles is expected to be globally unveiled towards the end of this year. These bikes are expected to flaunt a neo-retro design similar to the Bonneville range of motorcycles from Triumph. Retro-styled bikes are currently the blue-eyed boys in the motorcycling community all over the world. However, other than the trademark filed, there isn’t any significant detail revealed.
      Bajaj New EV Plant
      This is interesting since Bajaj recently laid the foundation stone for its new EV manufacturing plant in Akurdi near Pune in Maharashtra. Bajaj has announced an investment of Rs 300 crore for this new facility which on completion will have an annual production capacity of 50,000 EVs. The first vehicle from this plant is expected to roll out by June this year. More