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      in Motor News

      Toyota Eases into EVs with an Ultra-Compact Two-Seater for Japan

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      The ultra-compact Toyota C+pod EV is currently available for corporate and local government fleets.
      Toyota plans to offer the 12-horsepower two-seater to consumers before 2022.
      Totota recently announced plans to bring 60 new electrified vehicles to market by 2025 including a solid-state-battery–powered EV.
      Toyota has long had the technology for battery electric vehicles. In addition to its highly successful hybrid vehicles, the automaker built and sold two generations of the very limited edition RAV4 EV back in 1997. Still, the company has been slow to adopt EVs for the masses. Even the automaker’s president, Akio Toyoda, believes that electric vehicles are overhyped and has warned against countries banning gas-powered automobiles.
      But that hasn’t stopped Toyota from announcing the diminutive C+pod for Japan. This tiny EV will initially be available for corporate and local government fleets during its current limited launch. Those looking for an eensy-weensy EV to cruise around Tokyo don’t fret, as the automaker intends to offer the vehicle to consumers by 2022.
      According to Toyota, the electric C+pod will have a WLTP range of 93 miles thanks to a 9.1-kWh battery pack. Its single 12-horsepower electric motor will push the tiny vehicle to a top speed of 37 mph, so don’t expect to see it on the freeway anytime soon. It’s smaller than a Smart Fortwo and lines up more with the weird but enjoyable Renault Twizy.

      Toyota

      The C+pod is part of Toyota’s desire to expand partnerships in the mobility and electrification world. In addition to making the C+pod a go-to vehicle for car-sharing programs in a dense urban environments, it’s also launching Toyota Green Charge with Chubu Electric Power Miraiz Co. to create a single point of contact for corporations to adding electric charging infrastructure.

      Toyota Is Finally Making an Electric Vehicle

      Lexus Previews Electric SUV, New EV Drivetrain

      Toyota has stated recently that it intends to introduce 60 new electrified vehicles by 2025 that include EV, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. We’re also expecting the company to unveil an electric SUV for Europe in 2021. The Japanese automaker has also stated that it intends to introduce a vehicle equipped with a solid-state battery sometime in the first half of this decade.
      So while its leadership isn’t keen on EV regulations, Toyota is making inroads to getting EVs on the road—even diminutive ones.
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      in Motor News

      2021 Kia Rio U.S. Specs and Pricing Detailed

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      The 2021 Kia Rio has revised styling and newly available features.
      The sedan model starts at $17,015 and the hatchback starts at $17,955.
      It’s on sale at U.S. dealerships now.
      An updated version of the Kia Rio subcompact has arrived in the U.S. with a slightly freshened look and new features. It starts $200 higher than before, at $17,015, and is still available in sedan and hatchback body styles. It’s one of the cheapest cars on the market, and even comes in under $20,000 fully loaded.

      2021 Kia Rio to Get Styling and Technology Updates

      10 Cheapest New Cars for 2021

      The front and rear bumpers are reshaped, and new 15-inch wheels and LED headlights are available as options. Inside, there’s a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen standard across the board that now offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities. Kia hasn’t released photos of the U.S. model’s interior yet, but the Europe-spec car gives a good indication of what it’ll look like.

      Kia

      Kia

      The sedan comes in LX and S ($17,655) trim levels, while the hatchback comes in S trim ($17,955) only. An $1800 tech package is now available for the S that includes automatic climate control, proximity-key entry, a few driver-assistance features, and the aforementioned LED headlights and 15-inch wheels. All Rios come standard with a 1.6-liter inline-four with 120 horsepower and a continuously variable automatic transmission. It’s rated at 36 mpg combined by the EPA.
      The 2021 Kia Rio is already arriving at dealerships now.
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      in Bike

      Honda Organizes CB350 Brotherhood Ride – Owners Treated With Gifts, Breakfast

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      Honda CB350 Owners Brotherhood Ride – Gurgaon
      Apart from getting a top notch motorcycle, in order to beat Royal Enfield – Honda will also need a cult following

      Launched earlier this year in September, Honda CB350 has emerged as a popular choice in its class. Sales are on the rise, from 1,290 units in October to 4,067 units in November. This is MoM gain of more than 200%. However, when compared to segment leader Classic 350, sales of CB350 are still a fraction. In November, sales of Classic 350 stood at 39,391 units.
      CB350 brotherhood ride
      To boost sales further, Honda is actively working on a number of strategies. If we talk about things that are working great for CB350, it can be said that the motorcycle has the looks, a powerful engine, hi-tech features, throaty exhaust note and offers optimal rider comfort.
      However, the one thing that seems to be lacking is the cult-like fan following enjoyed by rivals such as Classic 350. This usually works as a significant influencing factor when a new customer starts looking for a 350 cc motorcycle.
      To build a sense of community around CB350, Honda recently organized a brotherhood ride for CB350 owners in multiple cities across India. The idea was to thank customers who have put their trust in a new product and also allow them to interact with other like-minded folks. Hopefully, such events will set the stage for further collaborations among CB350 owners, eventually leading to the creation of a dedicated community.
      Honda CB350 Brotherhood Ride
      The brotherhood event organized by Honda in Delhi, started at Honda BigWing Topline dealership in Gurugram. Participants were briefed about the ride and they also had the chance to interact with RJ Khurafati Nitin of Big FM. The ride was from the dealership to Throttle Shrottle, a popular eatery located on Gurgaon Faridabad Expressway. The distance is approximately 50 km.
      At the restaurant, CB350 owners were treated with a sumptuous breakfast. A photo session was also organized. At the end, participants received a gift as well from Honda. The event was properly planned and well-managed. It is expected that Honda will be organizing more such events in other cities to build an active community of CB350 users.
      Honda offers gift to CB350 owners at the brotherhood ride. Image – NH08 / Team-BHP
      CB350 cafe racer
      To give more options to customers, Honda might launch a new motorcycle next year based on CB350 architecture. This will be a cafe racer that will be sleeker and sportier, but will retain its retro character.
      Talking a bit about rival Royal Enfield, the company has plans to launch several new products in the coming years. The first of Royal Enfield’s next-gen products, Meteor 350, has already gotten off to a good start. In November, sales stood at 7,031 units, making it the second bestselling 350 cc motorcycle in the country. A 350 cc version of Interceptor 650 is also being tested and could be launched soon.
      So, even though CB350 has got a good initial response, it has a tough road ahead of it. It will be interesting to see how this space evolves over the next few years. More

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      in Bike

      Hero Electric To Supply Over 1,000 EVs To eBikeGo In FY 2021-22

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      Hero Electric
      Hero Electric and eBikeGo partnership gets underway with a commitment for a 1000 EVs

      Hero Electric has partnered with eBikeGO, an EV based last mile delivery and mobility solutions company. Through FY22, eBikeGO will procure over a thousand Hero Electric bikes. Hero Electric will be in charge of service support, and dedicate a relationship manager for maximum uptime. The project revolves around last mile deliveries with a systemic shift from petrol to electric. It’s backed by EV tech, and IOT enabled ops.
      Hero Electric has already supplied the first 120 bikes for the next FY. They are being deployed for last mile logistics on a per delivery model. And to individual consumers on monthly rental basis. The service caters to large customer base in big cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Amritsar and Jaipur.
      Hero Electric and eBikeGo network
      Hero Electric operates through a 600+ dealer network. Nyx-HX City Speed variants make for low running cost, high load carrying capability, intercity range, and custom features. Value proposition is designed to offer a comprehensive leasing solution for 90 percent uptime through vehicle lifecycle.
      Already, eBikeGO offers electric bikes on subscription in five cities – Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Amritsar, and Jaipur. Mobility solutions are on offer across 8 cities to more than 18,000 users at a total of over 4 million kms to date. Low-cost rides are viable for a speed of 55 km/hr after two hours charge time.
      Hero Electric
      To boost adaptability of electric last mile connectivity, Hero Electric works with multiple partners. An outcome which is helpful to businesses and consumers alike with focus on affordable and efficient solutions. The partnership with eBikeGO leverages the latter’s reach to transform the space. Eventually, bringing more electric vehicles on road.
      Electric bike opportunities
      Naveen Munjal, MD, Hero Electric said, “At Hero Electric, we’ve always believed that to solve last mile delivery connectivity, the best option is to go electric.”
      Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric said, “We are happy to partner with serious players like eBikeGO to offer a great experience of a smooth and a pleasurable ride to a discerning customer who cares for the environment and wants an easy, effortless and joyful riding experience”
      E-Bikes like Nyx have gotten the attention of varied segments of B2B customers. Including opportunities in deliveries, rentals, or bike sharing. For eBikeGO, the strategic alliance with Hero Electric helps further mass adoption of electric 2-wheeler adoption. With the bike rental space fast emerging as a viable alternate to bike ownership, opportunities are aplenty.
      Dr. Irfan Khan, Founder and CEO, eBikeGO said, “We are on a mission to disrupt the way last mile delivery happens in India, with our unique smart electric scooter utilisation model that provides for a transformation of the erstwhile delivery ecosystem.” More

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      in Bike

      2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 Production Spec Spied Undisguised – Launch Soon

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      2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350. Credit – Krishna
      Much awaited launch of the new gen Royal Enfield Classic 350 is near – First undisguised spy shots

      Royal Enfield has dominated the sub-400 cc retro segment for several years with bestsellers such as Classic 350. However, things could change dramatically in this space in the coming months with availability of new products such as Jawa and Honda H’ness (CB350). There are talks that Bajaj will also be entering this space with launch of a cruiser named ‘Neuron‘. However, this hasn’t been officially confirmed by Bajaj.
      Even though Royal Enfield has updated Classic 350 to BS6, it won’t be enough to match offerings of rival motorcycles. This is why the company had planned to launch next-gen Classic 350 during the festive season. However, this did not happen due to corona virus, supply chain bottlenecks and production constraints – all have been cited as reasons for the delay in launch of Classic 350.
      But it seems that Royal Enfield is getting ready to launch the new gen Classic 350 in the coming weeks as an undisguised production-ready variant has now been spied on public road. Caught on camera by automotive enthusiast Krishna, it looks like 2021 Classic 350 is nearer than one would expect.
      Next-gen Classic 350 design and features
      As revealed in spy shots, next-gen Classic 350 continues with the core design of its predecessor. Similarities with the current model include features like round headlamp, chrome rear view mirrors, teardrop-shaped turn indicators, broad rear fenders, and chrome plated exhaust. Talking about the wheels, it is not certain if production variant will have spoke wheels or alloy wheels.
      [embedded content]
      Although the test mules have been spotted with new body panels, it is expected that production variant will continue to focus on retro styling that RE fans prefer. However, to keep the motorcycle relevant to evolving market trends, next-gen Classic 350 will come with features such as LED DRL, semi-digital instrument console and new paint options. Just like Meteor 350, even the Classic 350 will not get LED headlamp.
      2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350
      Next-gen Classic 350 has been built on the new modular J platform. This platform will be used for several other next-gen products that Royal Enfield will launch in the near future. It is expected that the new platform will be better in terms of handling, manoeuvrability and comfort. It could also be lighter, something that will improve power to weight ratio. This could make next-gen Classic 350 more agile in city conditions.
      2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350
      Next-gen Classic 350 engine
      Powering next-gen Classic 350 will be an all-new 350 cc engine that will have the advanced SOHC setup. In comparison, the current 350 cc engine utilizes the archaic tappet-valve (push rod) system. It is expected that the new engine will fare better in terms of responsiveness and acceleration. Vibrations are also likely to be reduced. The new engine is capable of generating 20.2 bhp of max power at 6100 rpm and 27 Nm of max torque at 4000 rpm. This is mated to a 5-speed transmission.
      2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350
      In terms of tech upgrades, next-gen Classic 350 could get Bluetooth connectivity. It will allow users to access a range of features via their smartphone. Rest of the equipment such as suspension, disk brakes and dual-channel ABS will be the same as the current model. Next-gen Classic 350 is expected to be offered in the price range of Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. More

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      Yamaha Sales, Exports Break Up Nov 2020 – FZ, Ray, Fascino, R15, MT15, FZ25

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      New Yamaha MT15
      Yamaha India reported growth in wholesale domestic dispatches and loss in exports in November 2020

      The recently concluded festive season saw most manufacturers report wholesale growth. And that’s true for Yamaha too. Dispatches were up at 53,208 units, up 35 percent from 39,405 units. Volume gain stood at 13,803 units.
      In this case growth looks even more grand keeping in mind low base sales a year earlier. An improvement in December will further help strengthen Q4 2020 performance. For the most part, sales improvement for said period is expected going by sales in Oct and November.
      Then again, December may just prove to worth everyone’s time considering the range of discounts available. With an expected price hike in January 2020, dealers are liberal with end of year discounts and deals. This proves to be a two-fold benefit for manufacturers. The discount itself, and the perceived gain considering new model year vehicles are always costlier.
      Yamaha India portfolio
      Yamaha FZ, the manufacturer’s top selling motorcycle saw dispatches reported at 16,239 units. Of the complete portfolio, FZ sales was the only one reported at a decline. Sales fell 6.37 percent, down to 16,239 units from 17,344 units at volume lost at just over 1.1k units. Consequently, FZ managed to retain lead to account for 30.52 percent share of all domestic dispatches for Yamaha.
      Yamaha India Domestic Sales Nov 2020
      Currently, the company only sells a handful of products. Ray scooter sales were next best for Yamaha at 28.64 percent share. Dispatches grew 101.19 percent. Up at 15,238 units from 7,574 units. Wholesales more than doubled at volume gain of 7,664 units. Fascino scooter sales surpassed the 10k unit mark. At 10,992 units dispatched, YoY growth stood at 43.91 percent. Volume gain was at 3,354 units, up from 7,638 units. Altogether, three of the top sellers account for almost 80 percent of brand sales.
      R15 sales growth was healthy. Compare to last November, sales growth was 52.93 percent. Sales was reported at 5,848 units, up from 3,824 units. Dispatches grew by over 2k units. And though growth was positive, R15 fails to be a top seller at Yamaha. MT15 sales were even lower at 4,608 units. Although volume is low, it was the highest growth at 203.96 percent. A year earlier, sales was as low as 1,516 units. Volume gain stood at over 3k units. FZ25 dispatches were at a mere 283 units, at 68.45 percent YoY growth. Numbers for Nov 2019 stood at 168 units. While the majority of products sold gained ground, it’s left to be seen if Yamaha is capable of selling 50k units on a monthly basis in a consistent manner.
      Yamaha India Exports Nov 2020
      Yamaha India exports for November 2020
      Notably, Yamaha FZ isn’t just a bestseller in the domestic market but also leads the export chart convincingly. Exports were reported at 8,101 units, down 9.52 percent. As can be seen, sales fell from 8,953 units. Ray exports fell to 1,939 units from 4,379 units at 55.72 percent YoY sales decline. Crix was the only export parameter that was in the green. FZ25 finds more takers overseas than here. Exports fell to 1,304 units from 1,764 units at 26 percent decline. Saluto numbers fell drastically at 87.33 percent, down to 689 units from 5,436 units. Here volume loss was at a high of 4,747 units.
      SZ sales fell to 684 units from 1,596 units. YoY sales decline stood at 57.14 percent. Numbers fell by 912 units. In fact the remainder of the export list is just as low. R15 numbers fell to 280 units from 1,204 units. At 76.74 percent decline, volume contracted by 924 units. But export loss doesn’t end there. MT15 exports fell to a mere 120 units from 472 units.
      Alpha exports were down at 112 units. Saluto RX exports were at a paltry 36 units, down from 1,596 units. And fashion same in last at 3 units. Given that most products exported saw numbers fall, overall exports are at a noticeable decline of 44.46 percent. Exports fell to 15,034 units from 27,067 units. More

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      2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan Spied – Gets Tripper Navigation From Meteor

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      2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan Spied
      The 2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan will get the smartphone-enabled turn-by-turn navigation feature

      The Royal Enfield Himalayan is set to receive a minor model year update and the prototype has been spotted testing in Chennai again. While there are no significant visual changes to the motorcycle, it will incorporate new features.
      2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan – What’s new?
      While it is not visible in this spy shot, the 2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan is equipped with the Tripper Navigation feature that debuted on the recently launched Meteor. The Tripper Navigation is essentially a smartphone-enabled turn-by-turn navigation system.
      So, it is reasonable to expect an updated instrument cluster with at least one small circular dial with colour display for navigation just like the one of Meteor 350. Going with previous Royal Enfield updates, it is reasonable to expect new colour themes.
      The spy shot above is credit to automotive enthusiast Hidayath, who managed to click it while the motorcycle was on test in Adyar, Chennai. The rider of the Himalayan on test was wearing Royal Enfield accessories – shoes, jacket, gloves and helmet.
      2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan Spied
      Specifications
      When it comes to engine specifications, we don’t expect any major changes since the 411 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine received BS6 emissions upgrade not long ago. We are expecting the motor to make headway in the refinement department. In its current state of tune, the fuel-injected motor has 24.3 hp and 32 Nm of torque. The 5-speed gearbox will be carried forward.
      The 2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan is expected to be introduced in within the first quarter of next year. The retro classic specialist is also gearing up for a comprehensive product launch campaign in 2021. The eagerly awaited next generation Classic 350 based on the new J Platform is slated to introduced in the first half of next year. It will soon be followed by more new models in the 350 cc space. A flagship 650 cc cruiser based on the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 platform is also in advanced stages of development.
      2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan Spied
      Himalayan’s market performance
      In November 2020, the adventure tourer managed to clock 1,550 units at a YoY growth of 95%. The KTM 250 family which includes the Adventure variant as well found 1,590 takers. In comparison, its rival Bajaj Dominar 400 posted sales of 856 units. With the two wheeler industry in general showing signs of improvement, the Himalayan is expected to maintain its sales momentum. The upcoming update would go a long way in enhancing its appeal.
      Royal Enfield has been the undisputed leader of the Indian medium displacement motorcycle segment and we don’t see any formidable threat from its rivals in the foreseeable future. If you’re a Royal Enfield fan, 2021 will have a lot of interesting things in store for you. More