With the electric two-wheeler industry  gaining great momentum, albeit with the help of government incentives, new dealers are emerging in almost every nook and corner of cities. As representatives of electric two-wheeler manufacturers, many of whom are start-ups, the scene is getting more and more active with every passing hour. Some dealers are experienced businesses and some are entirely new. Rajni Jose of Motoring Trends spoke to Jay Sumit Patwa, Chief Visionary Director, Patwa Group of Nashik and Bhushan Shah, CEO, Miracle 5 of Pune, about their experiences. 

How different is it to sell electric two-wheelers over your other business concerning mobiles, FMCG goods,  plastics and furniture?

Patwa: It feels exciting to have diversified into automobiles. Especially in the EV category with a brand like Ather, which has its aura and goodwill.  The reason for diversification is that  EV is the future. There is also a social cause attached to it, which will create an  indirect impact.

From a revenue perspective, how do you fare with electric two-wheelers with far less moving parts than a conventional two-wheeler does?

Patwa: Yes, there are  fewer components as compared to IC engine vehicles. The profit margins however are good and helps in building up a sustainable business model that results in  dealership revenue.

Shah: We do not look at servicing vehicles from a revenue generation perspective. It is only an add-on business with EVs. We consider it more like a customer interface and customer relationship management. Even spare parts replacement is not a viable revenue generation point for EVs considering the lack of replacement needs. Selling an EV is the only source of revenue.

How will FAME II drive the business?

Patwa: We are banking on the  FAME policy to have a big impact on the pricing of electric vehicles that we sell. It is a good initiative by the Central Government as well as state governments for the proliferation of electric vehicles. the EV industry.

Shah:  We are still in the process of obtaining the approval. Our vehicles are in the testing phase. We should be all set in two months. Our FAME II products will be 80 percent localised. Only some  20 percent of the parts will be imported. These would be majorly electrical and electronic in nature. With higher subsidies we are expecting higher sales volumes. 

How do you look at the current charging infrastructure?

Patwa: Ather Energy has a dedicated business vertical called Ather Grid, which is solely in charge of making and installing charging stations in cities where it has opened its Experience Centres. Currently, in Nashik, we have more than five charging stations. 

Shah: We have a few around Pune, but charging infrastructure is not an issue when it comes to our vehicles. A user’s daily commute can be fulfilled in a single charge. In the future however, we are expecting charging stations and charging infrastructure to mushroom like STD and PCO booths.

Does the dealership provide financing and insurance options?

Patwa: Yes, we provide finance and insurance. We also provide leasing options to our customers. We have tied up with renowned brands like Aditya Birla and Bajaj,  HDFC, IDFC and Hero Fincorp for finance, and with Autovert for leasing. 

Shah: Yes, we provide finance options. We have tie-ups with Bajaj Finance, LoanTap and Manappuram Finance. We also have tie-ups with cooperative banks. However, due to the need for a guarantor in such banks, most customers prefer the former options.

How is the market response for electric two-wheelers? 

Patwa: In Nashik, we are seeing good demand. We are experiencing  daily walk-ins of over 100 people that are interested in buying an Ather electric scooter.

Shah: More and more people are starting to accept electric two-wheelers. Especially with the pandemic, the need for personal mobility has surged and two-wheelers are found to be the best way to address that. In cities like Pune where public transport is not very efficient, we are getting buyers that range from  housewives to children. We are getting buyers that are delivery boys. They are keen to use our vehicles as they are efficient and cost effective. With the entry of big household automobile brands in the electric two-wheeler space, more and more people are getting the assurance that they can make the shift.  

What has Covid-19 affected sales?

Shah: Sales were largely down throughout last year. Our business was closed for more than half the year. Things picked up during December-February. They witnessed a drop in March 2021 once again as the second wave hit. With the fuel price hike, things have once again started to pick up. 

How many outlets do you have? Any plans for expansion? 

Patwa: We currently have one showroom and are focused on stabilising it. We are assessing the demand.  Depending on the same we will be chalking out our plans for expansion. In 2022, we could look at opening Ather sales points and service centres. 

Shah: We have various touch points across India for test drives, product viewing and booking services. We currently have dealerships in Mumbai, Indore and Pune, and are looking at expanding to other cities in the next six months.  (MT)

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Hero MotoCorp, a leading two-wheeler manufacturer globally, has announced its official entry into the Republic of Italy. This expansion marks the company’s entry into its 49th international market.

Product distribution will be managed by Pelpi International, a large distributor that offers sales, service, and parts through a network of over 160 dealers. Initial distribution will focus on key cities with 36 dealers, with plans to expand to 54 touchpoints.

The three models available at launch are the Xpulse 200 4V, Xpulse 200 4V Pro and Hunk 440. Both models comply with E5+ and EU standards.

Hunk 440: This model enters the L3e−A2 performance category. Its engine delivers torque of 36.0 Nm at 4000 rpm and power of 27 BHP at 6000 rpm. It features dual-channel ABS with 320 mm front and 240 mm rear discs, USD Cartridge Forks by KYB, a full-digital TFT display and navigation. The Hunk 440 starts at EUR 3,990 (Incl. VAT) and is available in Twilight Blue and Phantom Black.

Xpulse 200 Family: The Xpulse 200 4V Pro has a 4-Valve head that produces 18.9 BHP and 17.35 Nm torque. It includes three ABS Modes (Road, Off-road, and Rally). It is equipped with a digital speedometer, inverted LCD Display, navigation, and LED Projector headlamps. The Xpulse 200 4V starts at EUR 2,990, and the Xpulse 200 4V Pro at EUR 3,190.

Hero MotoCorp will offer a standard 3-year warranty and an additional 2-year warranty as a launch offer, extending the total warranty to 5 years.

Sanjay Bhan, Executive Vice-President, Hero MotoCorp, said, "Entering Italy, the very heartland of two-wheeler culture, marks a defining milestone in Hero MotoCorp’s global expansion journey. We aim to redefine ‘The Future of Mobility’ at a global scale with next-gen smart mobility solutions that cater to diverse riding preferences. With products that reflect both the Explorer and Liberator spirit, we are inviting Italian riders to experience Limitless Freedom and Limitless Adventure every day. Our success in the Dakar Rally with Hero MotoSports is a testimony of our global engineering excellence and the innovation in products that we are bringing for Italy market."

Cesare Gali, Managing Director, Pelpi International, said, “We are proud to champion Hero MotoCorp’s entry into Italy. Their global scale, product quality, and the unparalleled commitment of a 5-year warranty give us immense confidence. The Hunk 440 and Xpulse 200 fill crucial, highly competitive segments in Italy, offering a unique blend of technology and value that will resonate deeply with Italian consumers.”

Pelpi International will make the brand available with 36 dealerships across key cities.

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Chennai-headquartered mid-size motorcycle major Royal Enfield has further expanded its online presence on e-commerce platform Amazon India. The company is making available its entire range of 350cc motorcycles on the e-commerce platform.

The partnership aims to offer convenience in the purchasing process, in addition to payment options available on the platform. The purchase option is currently open to customers in five cities: Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Pune.

The range of 350cc models available includes the Classic 350, Bullet 350, Hunter 350, Goan Classic 350 and the new Meteor 350. These will be sold through a dedicated Royal Enfield brand store on Amazon India.

Delivery and aftersales service will be handled by the customer’s chosen Royal Enfield dealership in the city. The brand page also allows customers to buy genuine motorcycle accessories (GMAs), riding gear and merchandise.

Royal Enfield 350cc motorcycles are now available on two e-commerce platforms, reaching ten cities in India. They are sold through Amazon.in in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Pune, and via Flipkart.com in Bengaluru, Gurugram, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai.

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Aprilia Racing has achieved global success with the limited-edition RSV4 X-GP, announcing that all 30 units sold out in just fourteen days following its introduction at the Catalunya Grand Prix.

The company stated that the immediate sell-out confirms the strong international appeal of Aprilia's ‘X’ brand, which the company states is a reference point for exclusivity, innovation and pure performance.

Enthusiasts from markets including Europe, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Malaysia and the United States secured the bikes, with booking requests reportedly exceeding availability during the presentation weekend itself.

The RSV4 X-GP was created by the Noale Racing Department to mark the 10^th anniversary of the RS-GP's debut in MotoGP, featuring the official MotoGP Team livery. It is the most powerful RSV4 ever built, boasting 238 HP for a mere 165 kg of weight, creating an ‘unprecedented riding experience.’

The bike introduces several track-focused innovations derived directly from the RS-GP prototype, notably becoming the first factory derivative bike in the world to feature leg and tail wings – aerodynamic solutions previously exclusive to the MotoGP machine. It also includes a structural carbon seat support.

Massimo Rivola, CEO, Aprilia Racing, said, “X confirms its status for Aprilia Racing as an exclusive and niche brand with enormous potential. Aprilia Racing is synonymous with innovation and it fills us with pride to see that, even at a strategic and product level, we have created an iconic brand and a new type of absolutely exclusive bike, conceived specifically for track enthusiasts.”

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Suzuki Motorcycle India, the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, has introduced new colour line-up for the Suzuki Gixxer SF and Gixxer motorcycles.

The fully faired Suzuki Gixxer SF priced at INR 137,231 (ex-showroom Delhi) gets two new colours - Metallic Oort Gray + Pearl Mira Red and Glass Sparkle Black + Metallic Oort Gray. The company is also providing exchange benefits up to INR 5,000 and extended warranty at INR 1,999 or insurance benefits up to INR 7,000 as part of the festive sales offer.

On the other hand, the Suzuki Gixxer priced at INR 126,421 (ex-showroom Delhi) gets three new colours - Metallic Oort Gray + Pearl Mira Red, Glass Sparkle Black + Metallic Oort Gray and Metallic Triton Blue + Glass Sparkle Black. The company is offering exchange benefits up to INR 5,000 along with an extended warranty at INR 1,999 or alternatively insurance benefits up to INR 6,000.

The Suzuki Gixxer SF and Gixxer are powered by a 155 cc, BS-VI OBD-2 B-compliant single-cylinder engine equipped with Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP), delivering 13.6 PS of power and 13.8 Nm of torque. This engine has a proven track record, having set a national endurance record in the 150cc category.

Both motorcycles feature European-inspired styling, highlighted by a LED headlamp and tail lamp, a sporty dual-muffler and split seats. The motorcycles also get a Bluetooth-enabled multi-function digital console with the Suzuki Ride Connect application. Key safety and performance features include single-channel ABS, wide radial tyres and a 7-step adjustable mono-shock for handling across varied conditions.

Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President – Sales and Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “The fresh colours of Gixxer SF and Gixxer underline Suzuki’s commitment to blending style, performance and innovation while catering to the aspirations of young Indian riders. With these enhancements, the motorcycles reflect Suzuki’s engineering and design philosophy, combining sporty character with comfort for both everyday city rides and long-distance touring. Along with attractive purchase benefits and easy ownership options, the updated line-up adds to the festive excitement and strengthens the connect of the GIXXER brand with customers across the country.”

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