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    Hero Electric Aims To Beat Ola And Become No 1 In E-Scooter Sales

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    Hero Electric has one of the widest portfolios of electric two-wheelers in India with as many as 14 models in its lineupOla became No 1 in April 2022, beating Hero ElectricHero Electric was among the first major brands to set foot in the electric vehicle space in India by launching its electric two-wheeler back in 2007. Today, there are multiple players in the industry, especially in the battery-powered two-wheeler space, including established auto brands as well as newly founded EV startups.Despite multiple new entrants in the battery-powered two-wheeler segment, Hero had held its top spot; until last month when Ola Electric took the numero uno position. In April 2022, Hero Electric was unable to dispatch a single unit to any of its dealerships across the country.Hero Electric Confident Regaining Top SpotHowever, the Delhi-based EV manufacturer is confident of regaining its position as a market leader in the near future. Managing Director of Hero Electric, Naveen Munjal assured that the company will make a turnaround very soon. Thanks to an acute shortage of semiconductor chips, Ola Electric was able to dethrone Hero from the top position last month.Munjal revealed that Hero remains committed to triple sales and regaining its leadership position even though chip shortage is likely to impact its operations for a few more months. He further added that shortages that Hero Electric currently faces are planned shortages which are temporary and not a long-term challenge.Hero Electric Scooter Optima HXExpansions of Sales & ProductionHe expects production to stabilize in the next few months although he admitted that demand is so huge that the company will not be able to fulfill it entirely. Hero Electric managed to sell around 100,000 units of its electric scooters in fiscal 2022. It has set a target of retailing around 250,000-300,000 units in the current financial year.In order to achieve an annual capacity of 500,000 units by the end of this calendar year, Hero is expanding its existing production facility in Ludhiana, Punjab. The EV brand also has additional capacity available at partner Mahindra’s factory in Madhya Pradesh. Over the course of the next five years, Hero plans to set up multiple manufacturing facilities to achieve a cumulative capacity of 5 million units per annum.Future Plans for Hero ElectricHero Electric has one of the widest portfolios as far as electric two-wheelers are concerned. The brand currently retails as many as 14 models that are based on five platforms and intends to launch multiple new scooters this year. The new launches will cater to both categories- city speed and high speed. However, Hero is focussing on the former at present since the city speed segment will bring in mass volumes.Models in the higher end will come once as drivetrains and batteries improve. Since there was no sale in April this year, Hero Electric conducted a safety month where it educated its consumers about battery functioning and how it needs to be maintained and to tell tale signs of a problem. This was in the backdrop of numerous fire incidents on electric scooters occurring across the country in recent times.Source More

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      Benelli Keeway Scooters Sixties, Vieste 300 – Launch Price Rs 3 Lakh

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      Keeway has priced both the scooters starting at Rs. 2.99 lakh (ex-sh) offering the same platform with two different body stylesBenelli Keeway Vieste 300 Scooter Launch Price Rs 3 LakhKeeway is a Hungarian motorcycle manufacturer that is currently owned by the Chinese motorcycle manufacturer QJ Motors along with Benelli. Keeway brand has a global presence and is very popular in Europe for its commuters and scooters. The brand is also known for its Harley-Davidson-inspired cruiser motorcycles in Europe.Keeway recently debuted in India with 3 products, Sixties 300i retro-styled scooter, Vieste 300 maxi scooter and the K-Light 250V cruiser motorcycle. Off the three, company has launched the Sixties 300i and Vieste 300 scooters in India for a price of Rs. 2.99 lakh (ex-sh). QJ Motors is expected to sell the Keeway products through its already established Benelli dealerships.Benelli Keeway Scooter – Sixties 300iThe Sixties 300i, as the name suggests, is inspired by the flamboyant European scooters from the 1960s. It gets classic design language with its round headlamps, round mirrors, classic looking badging, retro grab handles and large split seats with the 1960s flair.Along with the classic design, it gets three new classic colour themes, Matte Light Blue, Matte Grey and Matte White. All three colours get contrasting plastic trims and seat covers. Matte Light Blue is the most retro-looking and gets cream-coloured plastic trims, white-walled tyres and tan-coloured seat covers.Benelli Keeway Sixties 300i Scooter Launch Price Rs 3 LakhThe Matte Grey gets tan-coloured plastic trims, black chrome, red lettering and black seat covers. Matte White gets white plastic trims, black chrome, red lettering and red-coloured seat covers.It gets an analog speedo with a small LCD panel for various readouts. Sixties 300i also get a fuel tank mounted on the floorboard with 10L capacity. It measures 1985 mm in length, 720 mm in width, 1170 mm in height and has a 1390 mm wheelbase with 790 mm seat height and 140 mm of ground clearance. Sixties 300i gets LED headlights and vertically laid-out tail lights. It weighs 146 kg and comes with 120/70 tubeless rubber wrapped on 12” wheels on both sides.Benelli Keeway Scooter – Vieste 300Vieste 300 is a maxi-scooter that promises a lot of comfort for the rider. Unlike its sibling Sixties 300i, Vieste 300 looks modern and futuristic with body panels that are chiseled and sharp. The body provides ample wind protection to the rider at high speeds. Keeway is offering 3 colours with the Vieste 300, Matte Blue, Matte Black and Matte White. It gets LED headlights with 4 projectors for ample illumination and light throw along with LED DRLs. At the rear, LED tail-lights and turn indicators sit flush with the maxi-scooter’s aerodynamic body.Benelli Keeway Vieste 300 Scooter Launch Price Rs 3 LakhWhen compared to Sixties 300i, Vieste 300 feels futuristic in terms of instrumentation. It gets a large LCD screen for various readouts and round analog speedo and tacho on either side of the screen. Vieste 300 measures 1920 mm in length, 800 mm in width, 1130 mm in height and has a 1390 mm wheelbase with 770 mm seat height and 135 mm ground clearance. The maxi-scooter weighs 147 kg and comes with 110/70 rubber at the front and 130/70 rubber at the rear. These tyres are wrapped on 13” wheels on both sides. It gets a larger 12L fuel tank owing to its touring credentials.Pricing & LaunchQJ Motors has priced both the scooters starting at Rs. 2.99 lakh (ex-sh). For the money, both the scooters get a single-cylinder 4-stroke, 4-valve 278.2cc engine churning out 18.7 bhp @ 6500 RPM and 22 Nm @ 6000 RPM. Both scooters also get disc brakes with dual-channel ABS. Both these scooters have created a niche for themselves as they don’t have any competition at the price point, engine capacity and the form factor.The Sixties 300i will be the most expensive retro-themed scooter after the 150cc scooters from Vespa. Vieste 300, however, will be slotted between the Yamaha Aerox 155 and the BMW C 400 GT which costs over three times as much. At Rs. 2.99 lakh (ex-sh), Keeway is offering a capable platform with two entirely different flavours. More

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      Simple One Electric Scooter Delayed Again – Angry Customers Cancel Booking

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      Deliveries of Simple One electric scooter have been delayed yet again – The reason company gave is due to recent fire-related incidents across the countryImage for reference.Simple Energy announced entry into the electric mobility space by unveiling its electric scooter One on August 15 last year. Since then, more than nine months have passed and the Bengaluru-based EV startup is yet to deliver a single unit to its customer and it seems the wait is going to stretch even longer.The company through its official Twitter handle has posted an update about its latest status of deliveries of e-scooters. Through this statement, Simple Energy has notified that deliveries have been deferred as updated guidelines for EVs are expected to be issued by the government shortly.Simple One Electric Scooter – Deliveries DelayedThe tweet also notifies that test rides of the premium electric scooter will begin in July this year and exact dates for the same will be officially announced on May 30. Further, Simple Energy founder-CEO, Suhas Rajkumar has revealed that scheduled deliveries of One have been postponed from June to the first week of September.This development comes in the backdrop of several unfortunate incidents regarding electric two-wheelers. In recent months, there has been a spree of fire-related accidents witnessed across the country which has drawn attention of not just the general public but the government as well. An unprecedented number of such incidents has forced the government to look into safety in electric two-wheelers with all seriousness and set up a probe.Simple One Electric Scooter Delayed – Update from CEOEarlier in April, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said appropriate action will be taken against EV manufacturers who are found to be negligent. The Centre for Fire Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) has been asked to probe such incidents and also suggest remedial measures. If any manufacturer is found guilty a hefty fine will be imposed and a recall of all defective vehicles will also be ordered.Taking cognizance of recent reports, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which comes under the supervision of Union Consumer Affairs Ministry, has sent notices to Pure EV and Boom Motors in relation to loss of life and severe injury to customers due to their products catching fire. Both brands have been in the news for all wrong reasons.Change in policies expectedRecent chain of events might bring some policy changes from the government which is why Simple Energy has delayed production as well as deliveries of its e-scooters. As per the CEO, the company has received huge bookings and is looking to start deliveries pan-India rather than going city-wise as per previous plans. Therefore, it needs to ensure that the supply chain is strong and stable before deliveries commence.Angry customers cancel booking of Simple One Electric ScooterThe latest delay has not gone down well with some of their customers. Tired of waiting, some have even cancelled their booking and are now awaiting the full refund of Rs 1,947. Coming to Simple One, the electric scooter has been priced at Rs 1.10 lakh (ex-showroom Bengaluru, including latest FAME-II subsidies) and is available in a single variant. It will take on other premium electric scooters like Ola S1, S1 Pro, Ather 450X and TVS iQube. More

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      Yamaha MT15 V2 Records Near 10k Sales In 1st Month Of Launch

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      Yamaha MT15 sales touched the 9,228 unit mark in April 2022, the highest ever monthly sales recorded to-dateImage – Anubhav ChauhanYamaha MT15, a popular model in the company lineup was discontinued a few months ago. In its place, the new MT15 was launched last month. This new gen Yamaha MT15 is priced at Rs 1.6 lakh (ex-showroom) and is now called the MT15 V2.0. This naked street-fighter is based on the R15 V4.Sales in the first month of launch were at 9,228 units, making this the highest monthly sales recorded for an MT15 to date. In April 2021, sales of the Yamaha MT15 had stood at 5,692 units relating to a YoY growth of 62 percent. Its bookings opened in March 2022.2022 Yamaha MT15 V2.02022 Yamaha MT-15 V2.0 gets more aggressive, as compared to its earlier counterpart. Presented in two new colour options of Cyan Storm and Racing Blue, it also continues to be offered in two older colour schemes of Ice Fluo-Vermillion and Metallic Black. Feature updates include a single pod LED headlamp, LED DRLs and a raised tail segment along with a side slung exhaust muffler.Design updates are also seen on the new front forks that have been anodized in golden colour. It also receives a new digital instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity along with Yamaha’s Y-Connect App offering a range of connectivity features and remote access via the smartphone.New MT15 V2 has become the 2nd best selling vehicle from Yamaha India.It also displays information on calls and notifications, phone battery level, gear position and ride modes along with average speed and fuel efficiency. Features also include traction control, quick shifter and side stand engine inhibitor.2022 Yamaha MT15 V2.0 – Engine SpecsYamaha MT15 V2.0 continues to draw power via a 155cc, single cylinder, liquid cooled engine with VVA – Variable Valve Actuation technology that offers 18.4 hp power at 10,000 rpm and 14.1 Nm torque at 7,500 rpm. The engine is mated to a 6 speed gearbox with slipper clutch. Braking duties are handled by a 282mm disc brake in the front and 220mm disc at the rear. Suspension is via inverted front forks in the front and mono shock at the rear, with preload adjustable. It now gets a MotoGP-inspired Aluminium swingarm, replacing the box-section swingarm of the older version.Single channel ABS is offered as standard while the MT15 rides on 17 inch wheels at the front and rear, fitted with 100/80 front and 140/70 rear tubeless tyres. Kerb weight is 139 kgs. Yamaha MT15 V2.0 competes directly with the KTM 125 Duke while it will also offer some serious competition to the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, Bajaj Pulsar N250, Suzuki Gixxer 250, Honda Hornet 2.0, etc in its price range.The Yamaha MT15 V2.0 is also being offered with a range of accessories among which are an MT15 logo sticker priced at Rs 80, fuel tank pads and seat covers at Rs 350 and Rs 400 respectively, mobile charger and mobile holder for Rs 750 and Rs 350 respectively and tee shirts and riding jackets priced from Rs 300 to Rs 6,990. More

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      Bajaj CT100 Motorcycle Discontinued – Production Stopped

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      The CT100 was Bajaj Auto’s most affordable product at a priced of around INR 54k (ex-showroom, Delhi)Ryt 2 KnowAfter soldiering on for several years without any major changes, Bajaj’s most affordable commuter workhorse CT100 has finally been put to rest. The Pune-based firm has reportedly stopped the 100 cc low-cost motorcycle’s production earlier this month and the dealers have stopped receiving fresh stocks.The move to discontinue the CT100 is likely due to gradual shift in the customer preference towards its slightly upmarket and retro-styled CT110X sibling. Prices of the CT110X range starts from about Rs 65k, ex-sh Delhi.Bajaj CT100 at a glanceWhile the CT100 did have a long life, registering decent sales for Bajaj Auto in the process, it never came close to dethroning the venerable Hero Splendor Plus which continues to be the best selling motorcycle in the country for decades.To recap, the Bajaj CT100 was a textbook Indian budget commuter motorcycle which employed a simple tubular frame. Suspension setup was composed of conventional telescopic front forks and SNS (Spring-in-Spring) twin rear shock absorbers. Being a no-frills mobility solution, the CT100 made do with front and rear drum brakes but it did come with black alloy wheels. The 102 cc air-cooled engine was paired with a 4-speed gearbox to put out a modest 7.8 hp and 8.3 Nm of torque.Bajaj CT 110 XThe Indian 100 cc commuter segment is all about cut-throat competition and the fact that the Bajaj CT100 managed to stay afloat is a testament to its value-for-money quotient, longevity and excellent fuel efficiency. Along with its sister model Platina, the CT100 is known to deliver a mileage of over 70 kmpl. The price point of INR 53,696 ex-showroom, Delhi, is indeed attractive for the customer but with the rising input costs, Bajaj probably found it difficult to keep things reasonably profitable.As of now, there is no news of the Bajaj CT100 being replaced as a new 100 cc cost effective commuter. So the company’s range now starts from the Platina 100 but, we won’t be surprised if Bajaj pulls the plug on it as well. At the time of writing this article, the official website of Platina 100 had prices starting from Rs 61,152, ex-sh.Nothing Stops Hero SplendorWhile the Indian commuter motorcycle segment accounts for a significantly large volume of the overall market, Hero MotoCorp has been enjoying an unassailable lead over the competitors, leaving very little for the rest of them to scoop up. This scenario makes it less lucrative for a two wheeler OEM to go after this segment.Save for Bajaj and TVS, pretty much every other player gave up and moved on to other attractive sub-segments. The discontinuation of CT100 only improves things for the segment king Splendor Plus. It is remarkable how the iconic nameplate continues to be a cash cow with hardly any design changes since the beginning. Honda is working on a new motorcycle to take on the Splendor, maybe Bajaj too is thinking on similar lines to take on the No 1 motorcycle of the world. More

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      Greta Harper Electric Scooter Launch Price Rs 60k – Range 100 Kms

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      Final price of Greta Harper ZX Series-I depends on the battery pack and charger opted alongside the electric scooterNew Greta Harper Electric ScooterThere has been an influx of electric two-wheelers in the past couple of years in India with numerous new startups entering the electric mobility space. One of them is a Gujarat-based Greta Electric which has launched its new electric scooter Harper ZS Series-I at a starting price of Rs 41,999 (ex-showroom).The company also announced a pre-booking offer of Rs 2,000 which makes the effective cost of the scooter Rs 39,999 (ex-showroom). Prospective buyers can pre-book their Harper ZX Series-I electric scooters at any Greta Experience Studio. As per booking sequence, customers will receive deliveries of their scooters within 45-75 days.Greta Harper Electric Scooter – Option on offerGreta is offering the e-scooter in multiple variants and configurations. The ZS Series-I e-scooter will be available in six colour schemes including Glossy Red, Majestic Magenta, True Blue, Jet Black, Candy White and Midnight Green. For the base price of Rs 41,999, Greta is offering the e-scooter. For battery packs and chargers, one has to pay an additional premium depending on the variant and choice of charger.Harper ZS is being offered in four variants- V2, V3, V2+ and V3+. The base V2 variant comes with a battery pack that returns a range of 60km per charge and costs between Rs 17,000 – Rs 20,000. V3 is equipped with a 48V-30Ah battery pack that offers a range of 100km on a single charge and comes at a premium of Rs 22,000 – Rs 25,000 over the base price.New Greta Harper Electric ScooterV2+ comes with a 60V-24Ah battery pack with a maximum range of 60km per charge and priced at a premium between Rs 21,000 to Rs 24,000. V3+ is offered with a 60V-30Ah battery pack with an estimated range of 100km on a single charge and comes at an additional price of Rs 27,000 – Rs 30,000. These prices also include different types of chargers customers can choose from which range between Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000.New Greta Harper Electric Scooter Prices and variants breakupSpecs & Features on offerPowering the e-scooter BLDC electric motor that sources its energy from a Lithium-ion battery pack. Greta hasn’t revealed power and torque figures of the powertrain yet. Another interesting highlight of Harper ZX Series-I is an optimised charging technology that offers a full charge in 5 hours. In addition, it also gets a dash charge feature that charges the e-scooter from 0 to 80 percent within 3 hours.Greta is also offering three ride modes on Harper ZX including Eco, City and Turbo. In the top-spec variant, the electric scooter offers a range of 100km in Eco mode, 80km in City mode and 70 km in Turbo mode per charge. The company has also laced the e-scooter with a wide range of features.New Greta Harper Electric ScooterIt is loaded with creature comforts like an all-LED lighting system, digital instrument cluster, reverse mode, etc. Other features on offer include Find My Vehicle Alarm, a USB charging port, Ignition/Child Lock, keyless start, cruise control, wireless controller, hazard lights and park mode. More

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      Hindustan Motors Electric Scooters, Ambassador EV – Launch Planned

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      Hindustan Motors will make a comeback in the market as a pure EV manufacturer in partnership with a European entityImage for referenceThe electric vehicle (EV) revolution has not only given birth to many new startups but also brought a few defunct automobile manufacturers back to life. A case in point is LML which announced its return to the Indian market as a manufacturer of electric two-wheelers a few months back.Another automobile brand joining this list is Hindustan Motors (HM) which is known for some iconic models like Ambassador and Contessa. The carmaker’s production facility in West Bengal has been lying defunct ever since it rolled out the last unit of Ambassador in 2014.Hindustan Motors Electric ScootersThe homegrown carmaker has joined hands with a European auto company from the EV industry, details about which are yet not revealed. An MoU has already been signed between HM and the unknown European firm and required due diligence is expected to take around three months. A definitive agreement between the two parties would be signed in another year or so.Both firms are currently engaged in discussing the equity structure of this deal. In the present proposed structure, Hindustan Motors will own 51 percent of the stake while the unnamed European company will own the remaining 49 percent. Hindustan Motors (HM) director, Uttam Bose, has revealed that an estimated investment of around 600 crores will be made by this proposed joint venture although exact figures would emerge later.DC Design Ambassador – RenderHM Production FacilityThe Uttarpara plant which is around 20km from Kolkata is the oldest car-manufacturing facility in India and the second oldest in Asia after Toyota’s facility in Japan. Production in this facility started way back in 1948 and was stopped in September 2014. The existing facility takes about 90 acres of land whereas the entire premise is spread across an area of 295 acres.The new HM joint venture will utilise this space for the upcoming project. Bose further added that the proposed alliance will have access to HM’s distribution network. When operations were stopped in 2014, HM had a total of 250 distributors across the country. At the time of suspension of operation, around 2,300 workers were employed, now there are only 300.Production of Electric Two-WheelersInterestingly, this joint venture will focus on electric two-wheelers (scooters and motorcycles) instead of electric cars, at least initially. This comes at a time when there has been a boom in the availability of battery-powered two-wheelers and sales have been at an all-time high.Bose pointed out that in the proposed JV, HM would provide land and some funds while the European company would offer technology and some funds. Initially, the plan was to join hands with a Chinese firm but the board decided to go for a European company. Specific details of this project are expected to be revealed in the coming few months.Source More

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      Hero Sales Breakup Apr 2022 – Splendor, Passion, Destini, Xpulse

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      Hero MotoCorp saw its YoY sales increase 16.30 percent while MoM domestic sales dipped 4.15 percent along with exportsImage – Luck Vi VloggerHero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two wheeler manufacturer, has not been faring too well in recent months. Though its domestic sales increased on a YoY basis by 16.30 percent, MoM sales dipped 4.15 percent. Total domestic sales in the past month stood at 3,98,464 units, up from 3,42,614 units sold in April 2021 leading to a volume increase of 55,850 units.MoM sales dipped 4.15 percent over 4,15,726 units sold in March 2022. Exports on the other hand posted a YoY and MoM de-growth at 20,131 units in April 2022 down 28.32 percent and at 34,390 units in March 2022 down 41.46 percent respectively.Hero Domestic Sales Breakup April 2022Domestic sales saw the Hero Splendor at No. 1 with sales growth of 20.97 percent to 2,34,085 units in April 2022, up from 1,93,508 units sold in April 2021. This motorcycle commands a 58.75 percent share. MoM sales dipped 5.83 percent over 2,48,577 units sold in March 2022 when share percentage stood at 59.79.At No. 2 was the HF Deluxe with YoY and MoM growth. Sales stood at 1,00,601 units in the past month, up 41.11 percent over 71,294 units sold in April 2021. MoM sales improved marginally by 0.38 percent from 1,00,216 units sold in March 2022. YoY and MoM de-growth was seen both in the case of the Hero Glamour and Pleasure. Sales stood at 20,796 units and 12,303 units respectively last month, down from 23,627 units and 18,298 units sold in April 2021. MoM sales dipped 33 percent and 20.62 percent respectively over 31,037 units and 15,498 units sold in March 2022.Hero Domestic Sales April 2022Hero Passion posted a YoY de-growth of 41.49 percent to 10,384 units from 17,748 units sold in domestic markets in April 2021 while MoM sales improved 53.81 percent over 6,751 units sold in March 2022. Hero Destini 125 (8,981 units) and Maestro (4,154 units) also dipped YoY while sales of the Destini improved 217.91 percent on a MoM basis from 2,825 units sold in March 2022. There were also 3,981 units of the Hero Xtreme 160R and 3,179 units of Xpulse 200 sold in April 2022 posting a 73.62 percent and 55.45 percent YoY growth.Hero Exports Breakup April 2022In export markets, sales were lackluster for Hero MotoCorp. Sales dipped YoY to 20,131 from 28,085 units sold in April 2021. MoM exports also fell 41.46 percent from 34,390 units sold in March 2022. Every model in the company portfolio posted a YoY de-growth except for the Hunk and Maestro. Hero HF Deluxe exports fell 35.27 percent YoY to 5,642 units in April 2022, down from 8,716 units exported in April 2021. MoM exports fell 25.47 percent over 7,570 units sold in March 2022.Hero Hunk sales improved 86.05 percent to 4,495 units from 2,416 units sold in April 2021 while MoM exports dipped 60.10 percent over 11,267 units sold in March 2022. YoY de-growth in exports was also seen in the case of the Hero Splendor (-18.48 percent), Glamour (-5.64 percent) and XPulse 200 (-21.98 percent). However, MoM sales of the XPulse 200 improved 70.35 percent over 1,386 units sold in March 2022.Hero Exports April 2022YoY sales of the Maestro also improved 2.20 percent to 557 units from 545 units sold in April 2021 though MoM exports dipped 23.07 percent from 724 units shipped in March 2022. Hero Passion exports were down to 0 units in April 2022 even as 810 units were exported in March 2022. Pleasure exports were also at 0 units in the past month from 120 units shipped in March 2022 while there were also no exports in the case of the Xtreme 160/200, Xtreme 150 and Achiever. More

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      KTM 490 Range To Have 5 Motorcycles – Duke, RC, ADV, Enduro, SMC R

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      The twin-cylinder motor is likely to be a derivative of CF Moto’s 450 cc unitImage for reference.KTM has been busy benefiting from impressive economies of scale by sharing platforms across several body styles as well as across the brands it owns. The 390 for example has Duke, RC and Adventure derivatives in addition to powering Husqvarna’s street fighter range. The 125 and 690 architectures too have multi-product, multi-brand derivatives.It has emerged that the Austrian two wheeler giant is gearing up to enter a new sub-segment in the highly lucrative medium displacement segment. The brand is reportedly eyeing to plug the gap between its 390 and 690 family of products with a new series of 490 models.KTM 490 family on the anvilAccording to MotorcycleNews, KTM is working on an array of models based on a twin-cylinder 450 cc motor first of which is expected to arrive as early as this year. KTM’s new 450 cc twin-cylinder liquid-cooled motor is said to be a derivative of a similar unit used by the company’s Chinese arm CF Moto.The 490 family is strongly expected to consist of the usual suspects – Duke, RC and Adventure. We expect the new family of models to have sufficient differentiation in terms of market positioning and performance to let it coexist with the current single-cylinder 390 range.KTM 490 range of motorcycles launch in 2022If the CF Moto’s 450SR is anything to go by, the future KTM 490 family might employ a parallel twin unit with a 270 degree crankshaft. The power output is likely to exceed 50 hp mark by a fair margin but expect detuned A2 versions (output less then 48 hp) to cater to the popular European segment. In a typical KTM fashion, the 490 series will be positioned as the most powerful offerings in the twin-cylinder medium displacement segment which is currently led by Kawasaki Ninja 400.Where will the KTM 490 be made?KTM now has a lot of experience in making quality products in a cost effective manner in Asia, thanks to its partner Bajaj Auto. We expect a similar production arrangement for the 490 family with CF Moto in China. Such a collaboration will be a win-win situation for both the brands. Europe being a production base is not entirely ruled out either.Given the KTM Group’s inclination to diversify its motor, it is not outrageous to expect the upcoming twin-cylinder motor to find its way onboard an array of new enduros and off-roaders as well. The Husqvarna Vitpilen and Svartpilen 501 could also be on the cards.Will it launch in India? The idea of a KTM 390 Duke or Adventure does sound appealing for our market. However, pricing may not be as competitive as the locally made 390 family. Anyway, it is too early to talk about it as of now. More