TVS Motor

Image – Bengal Rider
TVS Motor Company is currently the third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India behind Hero MotoCorp and Honda Two Wheelers

With the coming of the new year, the automotive market has continued its surge for growth since the last two quarters of 2020. This was evident at the start of 2021 with automotive sales reaching new heights. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for personal mobility has grown rapidly, especially in the two-wheeler segment.
Domestic Sales- XL, Jupiter Lead Charts
TVS, one of the major players in the two-wheeler segment in the Indian market, has been raking in good sales volumes in 2021. The Hosur-based manufacturer posted some strong numbers for January this year as it registered a cumulative domestic sales of 2,05,216 two-wheelers which are 42,209 units higher than January 2020.
In other words, it recorded YoY growth of 25.89 percent. The highest contributor to its domestic sales volume was the brand’s moped offering- XL. It registered sales of 59,007 units last month against last year’s 52,525 units. This translates to YoY growth of 12.34 percent.
It is followed by the company’s most popular scooter Jupiter with a cumulative sales of 51,852 units. In comparison, the company sold 38,689 units of Jupiter in January 2020 thus ensuring growth of 34.28 percent.
TVS Motor Sales Jan 2021
Apache, Ntorq, others show strong numbers
Taking the third spot was the brand’s popular range of sporty commuter motorcycles Apache which recorded sales of 28,456 units against last year January’s figures of 23,157 units. This translated to a YoY growth of 22.88 percent. The company’s flagship scooter Ntorq raked in 27,766 units in January 2021. In comparison, the company dispatched 20,638 units of Ntorq to dealerships across the country thus registering a YoY growth of 34.54 percent.
Ntorq was followed by Radeon to take the fifth spot after the brand retailed 9,857 units of the entry-level motorcycle. In comparison, TVS dispatched 6,055 units of Radeon to dealerships in January 2020 translating to YoY growth of 62.79 percent. The sixth spot was occupied by TVS Sport after it recorded cumulative sales of 8,174 units in January 2021. This is way more than last year’s 2,882 units, thus commanding a greater YoY growth of 183.62 percent.
At seventh place was the brand’s entry-level offering Scooty Pep+ with a sales volume of 8,076 units. In January 2020, the underbone scooter registered sales of 5,1136 units, therefore, making YoY growth of 57.24 percent. It was followed by Star City which raked in 6,529 units last month in comparison to 10,476 units in January 2020. It was one of the few products which recorded negative growth of 37.68 percent.
TVS Motor Exports Jan 2021
Exports
As far as exports are concerned, TVS shipped 88,284 two-wheelers last month to various overseas markets. In comparison, last year in January, the figures stood at 56,016 units thereby recording YoY growth of 57.60 percent. The chart was led by Star City 125 which registered disbursement of 30,070 units last month against 17,249 units dispatched in January last year. It recorded a positive growth of 74.33 percent.
It was followed by the regular Star City at 26,488 units registered last month instead of 23,883 units last year. Thus, it recorded a growth of 10.91 percent. Next in line were Apache and Sport with exports of 16,192 units and 8,292 units respectively. Both motorcycles recorded healthy YoY growth of 227 percent and 222 percent respectively. TVS dispatched 4,556 units of Ntorq against last January’s 3,696 units which translated to a YoY growth of 23.27 percent. More

Image for reference. Credit – PRN Motors, Bangalore.
Bajaj Chetak electric scooter is only on sale in Pune and Bangalore as of now

After almost a year of launching its first electric scooter iQube in Bengaluru, TVS has launched iQube in Delhi. The electric scooter is priced cheaper in Delhi at Rs 1.08 lakh, as compared to Rs 1.15 lakh in Bengaluru. Customers can book their iQube online for Rs 5k.
Cheaper pricing in Delhi is likely due to concessions for electric vehicles announced by Delhi government such as waiver of registration charges and road tax. Delhi is among the most polluted cities and the government is doing everything it can to promote use of electric vehicles.
TVS iQube design and features
TVS iQube features a trendy design, as is evident in dual tone front fascia, crystal-clear LED headlamp, rectangular turn indicators, body coloured rear view mirrors, sculpted side panels, contrast stitching on the seat, and all LED tail lamps. The entire body panelling has smooth curves, which makes it quite pleasing to the eyes.
In terms of convenience, iQube offers ample storage space under the seat. A helmet can easily fit inside with room to spare for other things. A USB charging port with lights is also located in the under seat storage compartment.
TVS iQube electric Delhi Launch
TVS iQube has been equipped with SmartXonnect intuitive connectivity platform powered by integrated Bluetooth. When paired with TVS iQube app, users can access a range of features such as navigation assist, remote charge status, geofencing, and incoming call alerts. Users can also see a range of stats about their rides and scooter such as top speed, total distance, average speed, battery status, etc.
TVS iQube powertrain
Powering TVS iQube is a 4.4kW hub-mounted motor, connected to a 3 Li-ion battery pack. The battery is wrapped in high strength aluminium, making it resistant to dust and water. Battery warranty is for 3 years / 50k km. Talking about range, iQube can travel 75 km in eco mode. Range will be less when Power Mode is engaged. iQube has top speed of 78 kmph and it can reach 0 to 40 kmph in 4.2 seconds.
TVS iQube competes with other premium electric scooters such as Ather 450X and Bajaj Chetak. Ather has been launched in Delhi, but deliveries are yet to start. Bookings for Ather in Delhi are now open via online payment. Bajaj has plans to launch Chetak in Delhi in coming months.
In the future, iQube will also take on upcoming Suzuki Burgman Street Electric. As of now, iQube trails behind 450X and Chetak in terms of sale volumes. Things could improve in the future, as iQube is made available in more cities. Ather and Bajaj are also working to expand operational base for their electric scooters. So, competition is likely to intensify in this segment in the coming years. More

Image – The Bengal Rider
The company is expected to maintain its sales momentum in the coming months as well despite no significant product launch activities

Buoyed by the market recovery, TVS Motor Co registered impressive year-on-year growth in the domestic market in the month of January 2021. The company’s motorcycle portfolio led the growth momentum.
TVS Sales – January 2021
Last month, TVS dispatched 307,149 units (domestic and export volume for both two and three wheelers) as against January 2020’s tally of 234,920 units at a YoY growth of 31%. Overall two wheeler sales stood at 294,596 units last month, presenting a growth of 33.64%.
In the domestic two wheeler market, TVS clocked 205,216 units, achieving nearly 26% growth. Motorcycles alone accounted for 136,790 units, 45% more than what it was in January 2020. Domestic scooter sales figure stood at 98,319 units with a YoY growth of 35.83%.
Three wheeler sales
The only chink in TVS’ armor is the three-wheeler division which posted negative growth of 13.31% at 12,553 units (domestic and exports). Both passenger and cargo three-wheeler segment in India has been struggling for quite a while now and the pandemic crisis amplified the already difficult situation.
TVS Motor Sales Jan 2021
Exports
TVS Motor Co’s export surpassed the 1 lakh unit mark last month with 100,926 units shipped. This accounts for a positive year-on-year growth of nearly 43%. As many as 89,380 TVS two wheelers were shipped overseas in January 2021 which is 55% higher than January 2020’s figure.
Outlook
TVS has managed to achieve an impressive sales growth without any significant product launch activities in the recent past. The company has been introducing special editions and updates for its existing products at regular intervals and this approach is evidently paying off.
While the Hosur-based two wheeler major is expected to augment its eclectic product portfolio this year, we don’t expect to witness any big ticket launches except for a possible variant extension of the flagship Apache RR310. While no details are out in the open, the new motorcycle is set to set to be the second TVS product to be born out of its partnership with BMW.
If we have to bet, we would put our money on a sharply styled street fighter or a retro-classic roadster or cruiser to take on the likes of Honda CB350. The trademark registration of Zepplin R adds gravity to this claim.
For the uninitiated, the TVS Zeppelin (yes, the concept name had an extra ‘e’) is a design concept which was unveiled at the 2018 Auto Expo. The study previewed a low-slung power cruiser which could plug the gaping void in the brand’s portfolio. If the concept is anything to go by, one can expect the production model to be equipped with LED headlamps, digital instrument console, inverted telescopic front fork, meaty tyres and a sporty styling. TVS may also throw in state-of-the-art connectivity features. More

Image – RJ TVS
TVS Motor Company ended the year 2020 with positive domestic sales and exports

TVS Motor Company, a leading two and three wheeler maker in India, released their sales figures for December 2020. It may be seen from the attached table that positive results were noted both in terms of domestic sales and exports.
The company sold 1,76,912 units in domestic markets in the past month, up 12.51 percent as against 1,57,244 units sold in Dec 2019. Lead sellers in India included the XL 100 moped while the Jupiter and Apache also appealed to a wide range of buyers in the country.
XL 100 sales topped the list with 59,923 units sold in the past month, up 31.21 percent as against 45,669 units sold in Dec 19. TVS XL 100 commands a 33.87 percent share in total sales. TVS Motor has also just released an XL 100 Winner Edition in India with a price tag of Rs. 49,599. This makes it Rs. 400 more expensive than the XL 100 i-Touch Special Edition.
The TVS Jupiter scooter also noted increased sales in the past month, up 6.22 percent to 38,435 units, up from 36,184 units sold in Dec 19. Earlier this month, TVS also introduced a new variant of the Jupiter called SMW – Sheet Metal White. It is priced at Rs.63,497.
TVS Sales Dec 2020
TVS Apache and Ntorq
The Apache and Ntorq also ended the year with positive growth, up 30.70 percent and 22.19 percent respectively as did the TVS Sport which has seen growth of 132.64 percent to 7,412 units sold in Dec 20 as against 3,186 units sold in the same month of the previous year.
TVS Radeon and Pep+ along with the Zest scooter failed to gain any traction in domestic markets in Dec 20. All three models posted de-growth while sales of the TVS Star City increased 206.47 percent to 3,742 units, up from 1,221 units sold in Dec 19.
The RR310 also noted a significant increase in demand with a 131.58 percent growth to 176 units, up from 76 units sold in Dec 19. The new iQube electric scooter also got delivered to 58 buyers in Dec 20. TVS had discontinued the Wego and Victor scooters early last year.
TVS Exports Dec 2020
TVS Exports up 42.30 percent
Taking exports into account, the company noted a 42.30 percent YoY growth with positive sales across most model. Total exports in the past month stood at 80,060 units, a total of 23,799 units up from 56,261 units exported in Dec 19. The Star City 125 was a major draw in export markets.
Exports of the Star City 125 stood at 26,359 units, up 62.39 percent as against 16,232 units exported in Dec 19. This scooter commands a 32.92 percent share in global markets. The Star City, Apache, Sport and Ntorq also noted positive exports with the Apache experiencing the most growth of 143.08 percent to 13,051 units in the past month.
TVS XL and Victor exports also increased as did the Jupiter by 800 percent to 234 units, up from just 26 units exported in Dec 19. TVS Radeon exports ended in de-growth in Dec 20 down 31.58 percent to 520 units, from 760 units exported in Dec 19. More

TVS XL 100 Winner Edition
Winner Edition of TVS XL 100 is based on Heavy Duty i-Touchstart trim at a premium of Rs 1,600

TVS has launched a special edition model of XL 100 called Winner Edition at Rs 49,599 (ex-showroom). With the addition of this new model, the Hosur-based two-wheeler manufacturer has a total of six variants of the popular moped, which is also their best selling product. It comes with a host of updates including cosmetic and feature-wise.
XL100 Winner Edition could be easily distinguished thanks to its distinct Delight Blue paint scheme which is the only colour option available. TVS has also incorporated additional styling enhancements in order to make it visually attractive. It has also added a couple of useful features as well.
Styling / Features
In terms of styling, apart from a new colour, it gets dual-tone split seats which are said to give more comfort for rider and pillion. It gets an attractive beige colour on its seat and panels. It receives chrome accents on its exhaust shield and rearview mirror.
Not compromising on its practicality, TVS has provided this Winner Edition of XL 100 with a larger metallic footboard which provides extra space for luggage.
TVS XL 100 Winner Edition
Speaking of features, it gets useful tech such as a USB charging port and an ergonomically improved handlebar. The Winner Edition is based on HeavyDuty i-Touchstart variant hence it also comes with an integrated starter generator system commonly called a kill/start switch. This system is said to conserve 30 percent of battery more than in a conventional electric starter system.
Mechanical Specs
Coming to its engine specs, it is powered by a 99.7cc motor which generates 4.3 bhp at 6000 rpm and 6.5 Nm of peak torque at 3500 rpm. This unit returns a claimed fuel efficiency of 80 kmpl. It rides on wire-spoke wheels while stopping power comes from 110mm drum brakes on both ends.
Suspension setup consists of telescopic forks at front and twin shock absorbers at rear. It is extremely light on its feet at 89 kg and can carry a load of up to 130 kg. It offers a wheelbase of 1228mm and can hold up to 4 litres of fuel.
With this, Winner Edition variant is the second most trim of TVS XL 100’s lineup. Apart from this TVS has four scooter models in its lineup including Scooty Pep Plus, Scooty Zest, Jupiter and Ntorq. The Hosur-based brand also introduced a new base variant of Jupiter at a price of Rs 63,497 (ex-showroom). Apart from this, all models of under TVS brand have undergone a price hike recently. More