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      2021 Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter Spied – Bajaj Chetak Rival Detailed

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      2021 Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter
      The Suzuki Burgman electric scooter eschews on the exhaust canister but gains an addition shock absorber at the rear

      Suzuki Burgman electric scooter has been doing trial runs in public without camouflage for a few weeks now, and it has been caught on tape up close. Latest spy shots and video are credit to automotive enthusiast Abhishak Mann, who shared them on Rushlane Spylane Facebook group.
      Suzuki Burgman electric
      Touted to be Suzuki’s first EV in our market, the scooter carries forward the IC-engined model’s styling but things under the skin are significantly different. Last year, Suzuki made its intention of venturing into the promising electric scooter segment clear. The Burgman electric, going by the state of the prototypes, is on track to be introduced sometime later this year.
      Apart from the new dual-tone colour theme, the obvious difference between the IC-engine model and the electric one is the addition of another shock absorber at the rear to handle the extra weight. Detailed specifications are still under wraps but we expect the motor to be >permanent magnet synchronous unit (AC) mounted close to the vehicle’s center of gravity.
      The motor is likely to employ a belt drive and is estimated to have a power output of 5-6 kW. The Suzuki Burgman electric is expected to be equipped with a lithium-ion battery with an estimated range of 100 to 120 km. The scooter will receive FAME-II subsidy just like its rivals.
      2021 Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter
      Equipment
      Being a premium offering, the Suzuki Burgman electric will come with a comprehensive array of features. For starters, just like its IC-engined sibling, the EV is equipped with front disc brake, a fully digital instrument console, alloy wheels and tubeless tyres. We can expect the Suzuki electric scooter to come with smartphone connectivity and a dedicated app.
      2021 Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter
      The prototypes spotted so far have been featuring halogen headlamp with LED DRLs while the petrol model which is currently on sale is offered with full LED setup. It remains to be seen if it is a cost cutting measure or the final production-ready version will get LED headlights.
      2021 Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter
      When it comes to performance, we expect the Suzuki Burgman electric to have a top-speed of around 80 kmph with a 0-40 kmph acceleration time of under 4 seconds. In other words, the performance will be on par with its primary rivals.
      Design
      The Burgman’s imposing presence and a comfortable setup for long commute would give it an edge over the competition. The maxi-scooter body style dwarfs other premium electric scooters in the market like the Ather 450X, TVS iQube and Bajaj Chetak. The design highlights include a massive front apron with prominent headlamp, generously proportioned seat, alloy grab rail and smart-looking rear combination lights.
      2021 Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter
      The electric scooter market is getting more and more attention from mainstream OEMs and this year is set to witness significant activity in this space. With more people inclined towards personal mode of transport, the electric scooter segment is expected to receive a huge boost in appeal.
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      2021 Royal Enfield 650cc Cruiser KX650 Near Production Ready Spy Shots

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      2021 Royal Enfield Cruiser 650
      Royal Enfiled KX650 cruiser will be powered by the same 649cc engine powering the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650

      That Royal Enfield has been planning to extend its range of 650cc motorcycles has already been in news for a long time now. The Chennai-based bikemaker has been planning to utilise its 650cc unit in a proper cruiser bike next.
      Royal Enfield had also presented its Concept KX bobber at EICMA in Milan in 2018. Post that, there were reports indicating that there would be a cruiser from the company in coming years. Although no official information has been shared by Royal Enfield regarding this till date. But recently, there were spy shots clicked of a RE test mule, which looks like their upcoming 650cc cruiser.
      Design
      After the first spy shots appeared, buzz over the upcoming 2021 Royal Enfield 650cc Cruiser has increased even more. Now, we have another set of spy images with us which gives few more details about the upcoming motorcycle. In this case, as well, the prototype was devoid of any camouflage.
      KX650 features a low slung profile, circular headlamps, long wheelbase, slender fuel tank and alloy wheels. Unlike the KX Concept bobber, the KX650 cruiser gets split seats for pillion instead of a single-piece seat. From the parts seen on board, it is likely that this is a near-production ready test mule.
      2021 Royal Enfield Cruiser 650
      Other eye-grabbing highlights are twin pipe exhausts, a wide handlebar, round LED taillights and round turn indicators. The rear fender noticeably looks fatter than the front one. Overall the KX650 resembles a modern cruiser with retro classic design elements.
      Hardware & Features
      It rides on 19-inch front and 17-inch rear alloy wheels with thick profile tyres. The Royal Enfield Cruiser is also expected to employ upside-down USD forks at front which is the first in the brand’s range of motorcycles.
      2021 Royal Enfield Cruiser 650
      At rear it has opted for conventional twin shock absorbers. Surprisingly it doesn’t get radially mounted brake calipers as shown in the image. It is expected to offer features like a slipper clutch with assist, dual-channel ABS and semi-digital instrument cluster with tripper navigation from Meteor 350.
      Powertrain
      The KX650 will be powered by a 649cc twin engine which is capable of generating 47 PS of power and 52 Nm of peak torque. It is likely to be paired with a six-speed gearbox. The same powertrain is also employed in Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650.
      Launch of the new RE cruiser 650 is expected later this year, around Diwali 2021 period. Ahead of that, Royal Enfield will launch new gen Classic 350, Facelifted 650 Twins Int and Conti GT. When launched, the cruiser is expected to be priced around under Rs 4 lakh on road.
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      Pure EV Electric Scooters To Get Lithium-Ion Batteries That Can Resolve Defects Automatically

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      Pure EV Electric Scooter
      PURE EV’s ‘BaTRics Faraday’ System can address the issues in defective battery right from the customer’s residence

      PURE EV is a electric vehicle startup which was incubated at IIT Hyderabad. Now, it has come up with an Artificial Intelligence backed update that can address any issue of defects in the lithium-ion battery pack of electric vehicles. This system does not need to vehicle to be brought to any service center for rectification but can be done at the customer’s residence itself.
      Called ‘BaTRics Faraday’ System, it remotely checks defects in a series of batteries using Artificial Intelligence with no need of any manual intervention. The team of researchers has designed Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based algorithms that can identify various series of batteries and rectify the defects to their best electro chemical potential of cells.
      Next Gen AI Solution
      The lithium-ion battery pack, which is the most vital component of any electric vehicle, consists of multiple lithium ion cells, welded together in series and parallel arrangements so as to comply with voltage and ampere hour capacities.
      Any defect in any cell series in these batteries leads to downtime. It is also a mammoth task to detect which are the defective series of cells and to get them replaced. Hence via this new AI driven hardware, this task is made easy which allows for external detection and rectification thus saving man hours in the manual replacement of series of cells.
      Pure EV Electric Scooter Batteries with next-gen AI tech
      Testing of the ‘BaTRics Faraday’ system has been completed and can be used on all 5 electric scooters launched by PURE EV in India. These e-scooters are already in sale in India, these include the Epluto 7g, Etrance Neo, Etrance, Egnite and Etron+. The system will come into effect from Q1 2021.
      As on date, ‘BaTRics Faraday’ System from PURE EV is based out of its factory. However, the company plans to set up company owned Battery Diagnostics and Repair workshops across many regions in India where demand is high. These workshops will ensure lower ‘Turn Around Time’ (TAT) for battery repair.
      Pure EV Electric Scooter
      PURE EV – CISR Collaboration
      Earlier last month, PURE EV also announced collaboration with CSIR – Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI), headquartered at Karaikudi, with an extension center in Chennai. Through this alliance, the company plans on indigenizing lithium-ion battery technology for electric vehicles and a MoU to this effect has also been signed. This will allow for indigenous Lithiou-Ion technology and will help in boosting electric vehicle demand along with stationary and storage applications.
      The Hyderabad based PURE EV startup operates from a dedicated factory spread over an area of 70,000 sq ft. It manufactures high performance lithium batteries and has access to R&D facilities from IIT Hyderabad along with technological support. Funding was via Hyderabad-based pharmaceuticals visionary Shri V.C. Nannapaneni, Chairman and Managing Director, NATCO Pharma Ltd, and the startup currently has a valuation of USD 35 Million. More

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      Bajaj Dec 2020 Sales Report – Highest Ever Exports; Pulsar, Boxer, Platina, CT

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      Bajaj Pulsar
      Bajaj Auto has become the most valuable two-wheeler company in the world – with a market capitalization of Rs. 1 lakh crore

      The Indian automobile industry struggled through the entire first half of 2020 due to the pandemic striking early in the year. However, it showed signs of recovery in the latter half after July/August and by the end of last year, sales improved substantially for almost every two and four wheeler in the country.
      Bajaj Auto has announced an 11 percent increase in sales in December 2020. Positive sales were noted both in terms of domestic sales and exports and where the company range of two wheelers were concerned while commercial vehicles sales dipped substantially.
      Bajaj Auto Domestic Sales and Exports
      In domestic markets, Bajaj Auto sold 1,28,642 units in Dec 20, an increase of 4 percent as against 1,24,125 units sold in Dec 19. Pulsar, Platina and CT range were the highest sellers in domestic market. Exports in the past month were at their highest at 2,09,942 units, up 31 percent from 1,60,677 units exported in Dec 19. Leading the exports were Boxer, Pulsar range. This took total sales in this segment up 19 percent to 3,38,584 units, up from 2,84,802 units sold in the same month of the previous year.
      Where commercial vehicles were concerned, domestic sales stood at 10,964 units in the past month, down by 62 percent, while exports increased marginally to 22,984 units up from 22,215 units exported in Dec 19. Total sales of commercial vehicles fell 34 percent to 33,948 units in Dec 20 down from 51,253 units sold in Dec 19.
      Bajaj Sales Report Dec 2020 – Registers highest ever monthly exports
      Year to Date Sales
      FY 2020 opened on a dismal note. Hence YTD sales of Bajaj Auto also suffered both where two wheeler and commercial vehicle sales were concerned. Two wheeler sales dipped 21 percent to 13,21,644 units in the April to December 2020 period, down from 16,75,264 units sold in the same period of the previous year.
      Exports fell 13 percent to 12,36,617 units thus taking total two wheeler sales down 17 percent to 25,58,261 units, down from 30,94,028 units sold in the April to December 2019 period. Domestic sales and exports of commercial vehicles dipped 54 percent to 2,44,989 units. Total two wheeler and commercial vehicle sales fell 23 percent to 28,03,250 units in the 9 month period, down from 36,23,251 units sold in the same period of the previous year.
      Bajaj Sales Report – April – Dec 2020
      Leading Two and Three Wheeler Maker
      Bajaj Auto Limited, a leading two and three wheeler maker recently hit its 75th year of operations. Apart from being the largest two wheeler maker in India, the company has also become the most valuable two wheeler company globally having crossed market capitalization of Rs.1 lakh crores. Share price now stands at Rs.3,479 and market capitalization at Rs 100,670.76 crores.
      The Bajaj Auto brands like the Pulsar, Boxer, Platina and RE are among the most popular across the globe. The recently launched Chetak eScooter has also found favour among buyers and the company has also made a major investment of Rs.450 crores in a 4th plant in Chakan, Maharashtra for the production of its premium range of motorcycles and e-scooters. Apart from this manufacturing facility, Bajaj also has its production units at Waluj near Aurangabad, and at Pantnagar in Uttarakhand.
      A successful partnership with KTM AG, Austria has also helped it on its journey to success and for KTM to become the largest manufacturer of premium sports motorcycles. Bajaj has also entered into an alliance with Triumph Motorcycles to develop budget friendly low capacity premium motorcycles. Plans are afoot to enter new global makers with entry to Thailand later this year and Brazil in early 2022. More

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      Benelli India To Launch 7 New Motorcycles In 2021 – 250cc To 600cc Segment

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      Image for reference
      Benelli discontinued all the models ever since BS6 emission norms kicked on April 1, 2020 and updated only offering in its portfolio- Imperiale 400

      Benelli has had a very quiet 2020 since the company hasn’t had much to celebrate about. It has only one product in its India lineup as of now, i.e., Imperiale 400. The Chinese-owned Italian bikemaker has now revealed its upcoming lineup for the Indian market which is going to comply with the latest BS6 emission norms.
      The company will launch seven new motorcycles in the coming few months probably starting from next month and going up to August 2021. These updated BS6 models are expected to witness a considerable price hike in comparison to their discontinued BS4 models somewhere between the range of Rs 20,000 – Rs 30,000.
      Benelli India Line-up for 2021
      The 2021 model lineup will include Benelli TRK 502, TRK 502X, Leoncino 250, Leoncino 500, 302S, 302R and TNT 600i. TRK 502 and TRK 502X are adventure tourer motorcycles with the former being more adept in handling hardcore off-road trails.
      The Leoncino brand is the Italian bikemaker’s range of scrambler motorcycles. Both models are similarly designed as street naked body styles with the smaller one equipped with a 250cc single-cylinder engine while the bigger one is powered by a 500c parallel-twin mill.
      BS6 Benelli Imperiale 400 on display at company showroom.
      Surprisingly Benelli has replaced TNT 300 with the new naked roadster 302S which will be powered by the same 300cc in-line two-cylinder engine which did its work in TNT 300. It will also be accompanied by its faired sibling- 302R which will be powered by a 300cc parallel-twin motor instead of an in-line two-cylinder unit.
      The brand’s flagship product TNT 600i will probably be the last of the lot which will be launched around August this year. The naked streetfighter will be powered by a 600cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC in-line four-cylinder motor.
      Other models in foray
      That’s not all, Benelli is also expected to widen its portfolio by bringing in other models such as its entry-level adventure tourer TRK 251 and its flagship ADV TRK 802 sometime at a later stage.
      TRK 802 was also stopped testing in foreign lands a few months ago. Retailed as SRB 750 in the Chinese market, TRK 802 will be powered by a 745cc, parallel-twin engine which is good enough for 76bhp and 67Nm of peak torque.
      Honestly, we expected Benelli’s flagship faired motorcycle- 600RR to be included in the lineup as it has been spotted testing on numerous occasions overseas. The motorcycle was revealed as ‘QJ SRG600’ in the Chinese market a few months ago. It will be powered by a 600cc in-line four-cylinder unit which kicks out close to 84 bhp and 54.6 Nm of peak torque while being mated to a six-speed gearbox. More

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      Mumbai Traffic Signal With LEDs On Traffic Pole – A First In The City

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      LED Traffic Lights on Poles in Worli, Mumbai
      New traffic signal at Worli Sea Face is a BMC pilot project

      A pilot project executed on Worli Sea Face in Mumbai, sees traffic lights in a new light. In essence, instead the usual setting of traffic signal lights, the current endeavour makes for improved traffic light visibility.
      The light parameter covers larger surface area as the lighting pole itself has been reworked. Fitted with LED lights means for every light change, the complete pole lights up instead of the traditional light setting overhead at intersections.
      The project was undertaken by BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation). While the project is only visible as a single unit at present, plans are on to introduce more such lights. Apart from functional benefits, the new traffic signal design is being touted for its ‘aesthetic appeal’. Challenges faced included bending the LED lights as required, and synchronising it with the traffic signal system.
      Novelty at traffic signals
      Overall, the idea behind the project tries to touch upon quite a few birds with a stone. The project idea is still being fine-tuned. An attempt is being made to turn to solar signals to make this a sustainable and environment-friendly approach. The cost effective solution does in the meantime make a larger street area glow.
      [embedded content]
      Last year, in another independent project, Hyderabad’s KBR Park junction saw new LED speed breakers installed at traffic signals across the road itself. Sadly, there’s no current update regarding what the outcome of that project has been.
      In its current stage, if the pilot proves to be successful, more such unidirectional traffic lights are expected to be introduced. Focus on Work Sea Face doesn’t end here.
      Mumbai Police with Freego self balancing vehicle
      In another development, self balancing vehicles have been introduced for area patrols in the promenade. Similar to what was earlier introduced at Marine Drive. The self balancing electric scooters have for long wowed audiences for its fun aspect. Current developments appear to be small steps being undertaken to modernise traditional practices.
      Pedestrian and road traffic safety in India
      Added visibility of the newly installed traffic lights in Mumbai would help motorists spot the signal from a distance, and thereby could improve pedestrian safety. If the theory can be backed by studies, it could provide insight into effectiveness of improved traffic signal visibility. For a nation that bears the burden of most road accident fatalities, every little bit helps.
      While the country doesn’t report the highest number of traffic accidents in a year, it does account for most lives lost owing to accidents. The extremely high human cost points to an immediate need to remedy the problem. India accounts for less than 3 percent of all vehicles, but does account for 12 percent of the world’s road deaths. World Health Organization (WHO) estimated almost 300,000 road accident deaths in India in 2018. The number of underprivileged who suffer is disproportionately high. More

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      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Cat Con Removed – Illegal Mod Gets Original Thump Back

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      Meteor 350 With Almost Original Thump Gives Old Gen Royal Enfield Vibes
      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is offered in three trims- Fireball, Stellar and Supernova

      Meteor 350 was undoubtedly one of the most anticipated launches in the Indian market in 2020. The new cruiser from Royal Enfield is the stepping stone to the brand’s new generation motorcycles as it is based on a new platform and is powered by a brand new 350cc engine.
      While it carries many traditional Royal Enfield elements from previous generation models, especially Thunderbird 350, Meteor 350 in many ways is not a traditional Royal Enfield motorcycle. The main point of focus here is the classical Royal Enfield thump which could be heard in older generation motorcycles.
      Reason for dilution in classical Royal Enfield Thump
      Ever since BS6 norms kicked in April 2020, Royal Enfield fans have complained that its traditional throaty noise from its exhaust note has been diluted to a certain extent. The conventional ‘dug dug’ sound usually associated with Royal Enfield motorcycles were suddenly seen missing. This was mainly attributed to the inclusion of a large catalytic converter which filtered most of its thump.
      With the new 350cc single-cylinder motor the traditional thump completely gives way to a nice melodious exhaust note which is pleasing to one’s ears. While it may sound pleasing to an environmentalist, a classical Royal Enfield lover might not approve of this sound. Well, here is a solution that can be into if one seriously wants his Meteor 350 to sound like an Enfield from older generation – even if it is not advisable.
      [embedded content]
      In a video uploaded by Abhinav Bhatt, the vlogger shows that by removing the collector box of a catalytic converter from the exhaust setup one can achieve an exhaust note which is somewhat reminiscent of the old Royal Enfield motorcycles. The catalytic converter is positioned at an intermediate stage where particulates of exhaust gas from the combustion chamber are filtered before passing through the muffler into the air.
      Getting the Thump back
      By replacing the stock exhaust with a straight line stainless steel pipe that connects the header to the bike’s exhaust can a throaty exhaust note is given out which though not loud will certainly be pleasing to the ears of a true Royal Enfield aficionado. Abhinav also takes a spin on this modified Meteor 350 after getting rid of the catalytic converter. Interestingly, it not only improves the exhaust note but also frees up 3.4 kg of the bike which might translate to slightly better fuel economy as well as performance.
      However, this modification is not road legal as it clearly violates the current BS6 emission norms which mandate every vehicle to be equipped with a catalytic converter. The vlogger here does not endorse the idea of removing it from the bike and is just showing the reason behind the muffled exhaust note of Meteor 350.
      Meteor 350 is powered by a 349cc single-cylinder engine which pushes out 20.2 bhp and 27 Nm of peak torque. This motor gets an overhead camshaft setup instead of a conventional push-rod setup and is paired with a five-speed gearbox. More

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      Suzuki 2W Sales Dec 2020 – Gixxer, Access, Burgman, Intruder

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      Suzuki Burgman
      Suzuki Motorcycle India reports marginal growth for total sales and domestic wholesales in December 2020

      Suzuki Motorcycle India sold 51,719 units in December 2020. Of this domestic wholesale dispatches account for 44,773 units and exports for 6,946 units. Sales decline is reported at 1.20 percent.
      In December 2019, SMIPL reported total monthly sales of 52,351 units (Domestic + Exports). Domestic sales is December 2019 was reported at 44,368 units.
      In December 2018, total sales was reported at 52,362 units. As is evident, December sales for Suzuki has been more or less stable at just over 50k units over a 3-year period.
      SMIPL a major force for SMC
      The yardstick that is Maruti Suzuki is already a major force for Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC). India accounts for more than half of SMCs global car sales. It’s already an established fact that the Indian two-wheeler market keeps getting bigger and better. SMC’s global two-wheeler business is much smaller than the car business. And India already plays a key role. Despite volumes being seemingly small, India does account for about 40 percent of the giant’s global two-wheeler business volume.
      Suzuki Sales Dec 2020 – YoY vs MoM
      Suzuki Access scooter generously contributes to total domestic sales. Of the 5 products it sells here, Access and Burgman account for 90 percent of sales. In November 2020, that number was over 95 percent. Suzuki is keen on expanding its motorcycle business here.
      At the very least, SMIPL looks to improve that number to over 10 percent consistently. A few months prior, Suzuki upgraded its Gixxer 150, and introduced the all new Gixxer 250. While SMIPL will launch new motorcycles, now is not the time. Focus is on improving sales of current motorcycles being sold.
      Suzuki Motorcycle India outlook for 2021
      This also mean the company will increase the number of Suzuki dealerships in India. On the product front, Suzuki has stayed away from mass market commuter bikes to offer value in the performance aspect. SMIPL is optimistic about 2021 being a successful year.
      Koichiro Hirao, Managing Director, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd. said, “Although year 2020 was challenging and uncertain for all, we have seen an approximately 1% growth in the domestic sales during December 2020 as compared to the same month in 2019. Our domestic sales number shows that the demand is steadily improving and has even surpassed pre-covid-19 times.
      We introduced the Gixxer series with new liveries followed by the launch of Bluetooth enabled Access 125 and Bluetooth enabled Burgman Street. Recently, the BS6 version of V-Strom 650 XT was added to our current product portfolio. With these new launches and registering record sale during festive season, we have successfully maneuvered through this tough year.” More