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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

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      Bajaj Pulsar Sales, Exports April 2022 – 125, 150, 160, 200, 250cc

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      Bajaj Pulsar has suffered YoY de-growth both in terms of domestic sales and exports down 30.86 percent and 31.91 percent respectivelyBajaj PulsarBajaj Auto has cited dire shortage in semiconductor supplies that has had an adverse effect both on production and sales. The Bajaj Pulsar, which is one of the company’s highest selling models has seen a YoY de-growth both in terms of domestic sales and exports.Bajaj Pulsar sales dipped to 46,040 units in April 2022. Down 30.86 percent over 66,586 units sold in April 2021. It commanded a market share of 5.39 percent. MoM sales also fell 31.63 percent from 67,339 units sold in March 2022.Bajaj Pulsar Sales Breakup Apr 2022It was the Pulsar 125 that noted the most demand and the only variant to post positive growth both in terms of YoY and MoM. Pulsar 125cc sales stood at 42,747 units last month, up 19.10 percent from 35,891 units sold in April 2021. MoM sales increased 7.71 percent from 39,687 units sold in March 2022. Share percentage also went up from 58.94 percent held in March 2022 to 92.85 percent in the past month.Pulsar 150cc sales dipped YoY and MoM to 2,177 units. This was an 89.68 percent YoY de-growth from 21,100 units sold in April 2021 and an 87.94 percent dip over 18,044 units sold in March 2022. Share percentage also dipped from 26.80 percent to 4.73 percent MoM.Bajaj Pulsar Sales April 2022Sales de-growth was also seen in the case of Pulsar 160,180 and 200cc variants, down 81.98 percent YoY to 1,024 units from 5,681 units sold in April 2021 while MoM domestic sales fell 85.53 percent over 7,077 units sold in March 2022.Pulsar 250cc sales dipped to just 95 units in the past month. This was a 97.65 percent YoY de-growth and 96.37 MoM de-growth over 3,914 units and 2,531 units sold in April 2021 and March 2022 respectively.Bajaj Pulsar Exports Apr 2022Lackluster exports were also reported for Bajaj Pulsar in April 2022. The company shipped 28,965 units of the Pulsar last month, down 31.91 percent over 42,537 units shipped in April 2021. MoM exports however, showed some improvement up 27.89 percent higher over 22,648 units shipped in March 2022.Bajaj Pulsar Exports April 2022In export markets, it was the Pulsar 160,180 and 200cc that commanded more attention. YoY sales however, dipped 20.77 percent to 17,196 units in April 2022, down from 21,703 units sold in April 2021. MoM exports increased 78.79 percent over 9,618 units shipped in March 2022. Share percentage also improved from 42.47 percent to 59.37 percent MoM.Bajaj Pulsar 150cc posted a YoY and MoM de-growth. Sales were down 45.84 percent to 7,686 units in April 2022 from 14,190 units sold in April 2021 and a 20.05 percent MoM de-growth over 9,614 units sold in March 2022. YoY sales of both Bajaj Pulsar 125cc and of the 250 also fell 18.49 percent and 73.27 percent respectively to 3,433 units and 650 units respectively in April 2022. MoM sales improved 0.73 percent and 8025 percent respectively from 3,408 units and 8 units sold in March 2022.Bajaj Pulsar Total April 2022This took total sales of Bajaj Pulsar to 75,005 units in April 2022, down 31.27 percent over 1,09,123 units sold in April 2021. MoM sales also fell 16.65 percent from 89,987 units sold in March 2022. It was again only the Pulsar 125cc that posted YoY and MoM growth. The 160,180 and 200cc also saw a MoM growth in total sales while sales of Pulsar 150, and 250 dipped both in terms of domestic sales and exports. More

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      Honda Electric Scooter Will Launch After Flex Fuel Motorcycle

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      Honda will be focussing on developing flex-fuel technologies for the Indian market in the near future instead of fully electric two-wheelersImage for referenceEarlier last month, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) officially shared its roadmap / details about its future plans for the Indian market. The company shared insights about upcoming developmental projects which involved adoption of new technologies like flex-fuel systems, etc. The Japanese brand has also set its eye on the electric mobility space.Honda’s Flex-Fuel PlansHonda is confident in flex-fuel technologies which it possesses and plans to implement them into our market phase-wise. Honda has gained a lot of experience in this field by selling flex-fuel vehicles in Brazil over the last decade. This is also in sync with the Government of India’s vision that has been pushing for adoption of flex-fuel technologies in recent times.That said, emissions norms for India are the toughest at BS6 / Euro 5 levels and whereas emission norms in Brazil are less than Euro 4 levels which makes it easier to implement flex-fuel technology in the South American country. Honda will be introducing its first flex-fuel model in India before the end of 2024.It is likely that Honda will work on extending flex-fuel gasoline engine applications beyond 2025. The Japanese brand will look to strengthen its product portfolio by gradually increasing the number of flex-fuel models in its lineup. Adoption of flex-fuel technologies is part of the Centre’s “energy strategy direction” to reduce oil imports and enhance the agricultural sector with sugarcane that allows biofuel conversion.Honda CG 160 Titan – Flex Fuel MotorcyclePlans for Electric Mobility SpaceComing to the topic of electrification, Honda currently has no product for India in the EV space. The Indian market in the recent past has seen a massive surge in battery-powered two-wheelers, a major portion of which has been contributed by new start-ups.Honda has gained expertise in manufacturing EVs in markets like China and Japan but conditions in India pose different challenges where climate is a lot hotter accompanied by more challenging road conditions. The company is currently studying the feasibility of how to make a sustainable business case for EVs in India. The Japanese auto giant is also mindful of importing EVs from China which seems a logical move.The company is clear in its vision that it wants to retail 100 percent make in India EVs which could take some time. Honda currently has no supply chain for electric motors, batteries and PCUs (power control units) in India since it has never produced EVs for this market.Partnerships with global firmsHonda has also formed multiple alliances with other manufacturers in various other markets. For instance, in Japan, it is part of a battery swapping consortium that includes Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha. In Europe, Honda and Yamaha are part of a consortium that includes KTM and Piaggio. In India, Honda has framed no such partnerships with any firm. However, it has created a battery swapping service company in Bengaluru with the name Honda Power Pack Energy India. The brand is hopeful of this entity paving the way for partnerships with other OEMs in future.Source More

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      Electric Scooter Fire Because Cheaper Parts – Ola, Okinawa, Pure EV Summoned

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      Pure EV, Boom Motors, Ola Electric, Jitendra EV and Okinawa are the companies under the spotlight for EV fires and related hazardsPure EV Electric Scooter catches fireHow many electric two-wheeler startups can you count? 5? 10? Nope. There are over 22 such companies and every one of them wanna offer an electric two-wheeler to the Indian audience. But not every startup has the financial backing, manufacturing expertise, manufacturing efficiency and ethics to offer a fool-proof product to customers. Especially Indian customers, most of whom are new to EV technology.Where the market is immature in EV tech and there are no proper guidelines and interventions by the Government, manufacturers lean towards profitability a little too much. This is reflected in the slew of EV fires that are taking place across the country. But, times are changing and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had ordered the Centre for Fire, Explosives and Environment Safety (CFEES) to investigate the fire hazards of the electric scooters.DRDO Report On Electric Scooter FireCentral Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which is a part of the Union Consumer Affairs ministry, sent legal notices to Pure EV and Boom Motors earlier this month. The notice demands Pure EV and Boom Motors provide an explanation as to why their products caught fire in April. Similar notices have also supposedly reached Ola Electric, Jitendra EV and Okinawa Autotech.The CFEES of the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) has done a thorough investigation by also roping in Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. The joint probe examined all the EV fire cases in India and has come up with a shocking report. According to the report, DRDO has stated that in every EV fire incident, the manufacturer might have used lower-quality cheap materials resulting in faulty battery cells and battery modules.Ola Electric ScooterThe Ministry has supposedly summoned representatives from Pure EV, Boom Motors, Ola Electric, Jitendra EV and Okinawa Autotech demanding an explanation regarding the matter. Nitin Gadkari has also said that the Indian Government would issue quality-centric guidelines for all the existing and upcoming electric vehicle manufacturers.Future Of EVsIn the light of EV fires, Ola Electric has recalled over 1400 units of S1 Pro electric scooters, Pure EV recalled over 2000 units of the ETrance+ and EPluto 7G scooters and Okinawa recalled over 3250 units of their electric scooters.Mishaps like these create a lot of confusion among people regarding safety of EVs in general. A lot of EV two-wheeler manufacturers have been producing electric scooters for many years without a fire hazard. We have seen multiple startup EV motorcycle manufacturers providing solid EVs since day one. But the inevitability of a startup remains unless mainstream manufacturers like Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Hero MotoCorp and others jump into the EV bandwagon.If the Indian Government mandates quality guidelines across EV platforms, it will streamline India’s EV vision while controlling EV fire hazards. This also raises an ethical question regarding manufacturers’ profitability at the cost of product safety. In a young market like India, buyers should be aware of what they’re getting into. More